I was about 13 and flew by myself on UA from PDX to New England (can't remember which airport.) I flew standby as part of UA's old 12-21 Club that allowed young people to fly standby comparatively cheaply.

I remember I was dressed up a bit and I had to wait at the PDX gate to see if they had any empty seats. At the last minute the agent told me that they didn't have any seats left in coach so they'd put me in First Class. I remember being a bit nervous and watching the other F passengers to see what appropriate behavior was during meal service, etc.

That was my first and last op up, as you folks call it.

November, 1954. TWA 049 Constellation "Star of Switzerland" (the name of the plane impressed me, at 11 years old, very much. It is now preserved in Arizona someplace). We flew Laguardia-Midway-LAX.

When I begged to take a plane trip as a child, my mother would tell me that I'd been on a plane as a baby. It wasn't till years later that she was referring to a flight she took 2 months before I was born! (It was 1952 and the roads from Cincinnati, where my Dad was finishing college, to Massillon were considered too rough for her delicate condition.)

My first REAL flight was from Columbus to CAK (Akron-Canton) when I was 16, most likely on Allegheny Airlines, the predecessor of USAir.

I've also had a chance to take a DC-3- it was from SJU to STT (St. Thomas, USVI) in 1980.

When i was in the army my first flight London to Hanover germany 1963 bea 1 11. next RAF comet UK to Singapore via cyprus bahrein Isle of gan 1966

I got hooked on aviation long before my first flight.

It was seeing my Dad off in Piedmont airlines tail-draggers circa 1960.
The whole family walked out on the tarmac together, the crew let me board the plane, and even sit in the pilot's seat. And there was a balcony just below the control tower from which you could watch the planes -- and listen to the controllers through their open windows. Or, you could just stand there on the tarmac and wave.

My first flight came years later in 1973, to Newark and from there by bus to JFK to catch a BOAC 747 to Heathrow. It was the 747 that consummated the relationship. Ever since: I love airports and I love to fly. Even in a bus with wings.

Now that you mention it, I'm getting a little twitchy because it has been 3 weeks since I was last in an airplane.

1982 September Prestwick to Toronto on a 747. it had an upstairs lounge that one could simply walk up to and have a smoke. and a drink. 19 yrs old, alone, first flight ever and plastered. brilliant.

june, 1958

jfk (but it was idlewild [idl?] back then)-bos on aa

i was 6 weeks old and my folks and i went to boston so the family could "meet me".

lockheeed electra
captain, first officer, flight engineer, chief stewardess and 4 other stewardesses.

yes, i say stewardess as that's wht they were called back then and they all signed an "aa sky cradle certificate" which i still have. kinda neat as it's got my name age, flight# to/from and all their names

My first flight was on some sort of Tupolev, I think 154 from BBU to IAS to visit my grandmother, back in '86 or so. At the time, because of regulations in the country, a plane ticket was only a bit more than a train ticket for that particular route. Don't remember much, but I do remember being given candy for takeoff.

Ah, the excitement. 1979, PIT to MCO going to Disney on Eastern. I don't remember which plane, but just the anticipation of going to Disney. While I've been on lots of flights since, I have never gone back to Disney!

ehhh... it was about 6 years ago (I was a late starter!) coming back from uni birmingham to Belfast... BA I think it was...

Don't remember my first flight either. Just before my third birthday my family flew from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Helsinki. Outbound was apparently fine, but our return flight was *so* bad that my mom didn't fly with that airline again for over 25 years.

However, my oldest son's first flight was pretty cool. I had to go to Vegas for work, so hubby and and the kid (almost one at the time) came along. Near the end of the flight my son who had slept most of the flight started to play with the gentleman sitting in front of him. Just before we got off the place this gentleman handed my husband a hundered dollar bill and said "please buy something nice for you son." We tried to give the money back but he insisted saying that "I have been more than blessed in my life and when I can I like to share." So, with a very polite thank you we bought our son a plastic plane and started his college fund.

Once upon a time, long, long ago when I was 15 years old, I took my first flight, 1st class (I made the reservation) from New York City to Charleston, SC. I don't remember the airline or plane (but I seem to remember that it was one that had some sort of lounge area "upstairs"). I think I flew out of what was then "Idlewild".

I am absolutely joyful to read these accounts. This is the most positive thread I think I've ever read in this website. We all have reasons for flying, but none of them can compare with our first 'reason' for flying and the bug that bit us and made us fliers.

Similar experience myself -- EWR-MCO to Disneyworld, I was about 8 y.o. We stopped in DC on the way. I assume I was on Eastern, unless it was People Express? This would have been 1983. I don't know what I was more excited about -- flying, or Disneyworld. Probably Disney. I was 8 after all.