See this link:

Economy class in 1976.

Can't judge the pitch from this pic, but shoulder room was NO better than today.

And check out the overhead bins!

RAD

I think I flew in that plane yesterday on TWA.

Yah- but look at how nicely everyone was dressed !!!!!! And the pitch was definately better

There is someone in that pic that looks a lot like my Mom, and she flew TWA a lot in the 70s, weird.

[This message has been edited by CTANK (edited 06-20-2001).]

I first flew in 1980. The seat pitch was then definitely better than today. Width was about 1-2" wider than today. Heard that the old 707's were pretty good aircraft at the time. (in '76, it may be an old airplane as the 707 first came out in late '58).

Pax look just as beaten-down in 1976 as they do today!

I can remember overhead bins coming in in the early 70s, they were very modern, and TWA still was without them in 1976. I think the pax look better fed than beaten down, and at least they did not have to worry their heads about miles or upgrades!!

I first traveled on commercial airplanes in the late '50's. Don't remember seat width or pitch to be a problem, but I was skinnier then.

I've enlargened the picture and I can see that those two FAs are serving Godivas and Frappucinos ... but I don't see any table linens!

With the references to TWA in this thread (although the post from defunct was clearly in jest), did anyone notice that this is an AA 707-123B? As for the overhead bins, I recall this style was introduced to narrow body aircraft with the 727-200 "Advanced" model. It was called the "wide body look" and provided a more spacious feel to the cabin and offered well-designed, indirect lighting. However, the overhead bins held precious little compared to today's standards but, at least in TW's case for some time, many of the aircraft offered separate carry-on luggage bins located at the forward portion of the cabin. Ah, yes...the good old days.

(edited to correct typos)

[This message has been edited by bbinchi (edited 06-20-2001).]

Do you notice how every seatback has a little linen "head napkin"? I remember FA's going through the cabin replacing them before every flight. Like everything else in 1976, the one's in this photo are red, white and blue. I wonder how many people were going to drive home in an AMC Pacer after their flight landed....

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A question by an ignorant born after the picture was taken:

In real dollars, how does the price of a 1976 ticket for transcon in coach class (say LAX-JFK r/t) compare to that of a 2001 ticket in first on a two-cabin aircraft?

Yonatan

(edited to correct typos)

[This message has been edited by yonatan (edited 06-20-2001).]

If anyone can post the 1976 dollars, I can calculate the inflation-adjusted figure to 2001, or vice-versa.

RAD

In 1977 and 1978, I paid about $220 for a round trip transcon BOS-PDX-BOS purchased as an excursion fare (not full coach), on major airlines.