I still remember my first "real, adult" long-haul business class flight. It was from JFK to Arlanda on Delta. The crew were all ex-Pan Am. I was pinching myself with delight as a kind flight attendant gave me delicious sweetcorn soup and warm bread from a glistening trolley. It wasn't a fancy seat--it was a 767-300 from Gulf Air with "recliner" seats. But I didn't mind a bit. It was refined, quiet, and relaxing.

There is something about the trolley. It has a sophistication and coordination that no other cabin service can match.

The last time I recall the trolley service done well was on Continental from Newark to Geneva. It was an impressive crew. They stood at the head of each trolley, paused, smiled, and proceeded with each element of the service. The trolleys moved almost in unison down each aisle of the 767. Each visit to a pair of passengers included a bit of chit chat. Each element was served in a practiced, calm, and confident style: the sauce for the starters, the salad dressing, the flags on the cheese. One got the impression that they didn't just take pride in their service, they were genuinely happy to be there. They wanted you to enjoy yourself.

I have eaten the same exact meal many times, but that flight was memorable because they seemed to use the serving trolley as a show rather than a matter of convenience.

In fact, I can think of many occasions in which the crew seemed to be delighted to get out the sundae cart. It was a bit of fun... a treat. They seemed to enjoy cajoling passengers into a little indulgence. Although the dessert trolley on Turkish Airlines is incredible, there is something extraordinary about a flight attendant leaning down and asking if you would like hot fudge or whipped cream.

The last few pre-pandemic flights I took in first class had exemplary service from the crew. All of the flight were on American, and the crew were spot on. But the glitz and coordination of the trolley was a noteworthy absence. The food was actually fairly decent, but it just came hand-delivered from the galley. I slept well, the cabins and WCs were immaculate, I had cozy pajamas. But there was none of the old-timey charm of coordinated, shiny stainless steel carts.

Maybe someday they'll dust off the linens and polish the trolleys.

You and your wife have been looking forward to visiting Rio de Janeiro for years and finally, the day of departure for the big trip has finally arrived. It's a beautiful autumn afternoon in 1970 as you make the drive from Manhattan out to JFK, arriving with plenty of time to enjoy a cocktail or two with friends who are themselves departing for a safari in Tanzania. Their flight doesn't depart until later in the evening, so they walk with you down to your gate where a Boeing 707-320 awaits, looking resplendent in the distinctive livery of Varig Brazilian Airlines. Following a fond farewell and best wishes amongst all for a memorable journey, you head down the jetway and take your seats at row 2 - A & C. A stewardess relieves you of your jacket and assists you both with storing any carry on bags, then offers a preflight cocktail or perhaps a glass of Champagne to commence the festivities. Champagne, please

Returning shortly with two flutes of perfectly chilled Dom, she then presents the menu for tonight's twelve and a half hour flight to Rio. Varig is well renowned for the quality of its inflight dining, so it is with considerable anticipation that you both toast to the good life aloft and then take a moment to peruse the offerings...

V A R I G
New York City to Rio de Janeiro

DINNER A LA CARTE

LES HORS D'OEUVRES
Assorted hot and cold canap�s
Fresh Malossol caviar on blinis
Medallions of French goose liver pate in port wine aspic
Lobster a la Copacabana

LE POTAGE
Tomato cream soup

LES ENTREES

Filet Mignon au Chambertin
Filet Mignon in Chambertin wine

Supreme de Volaille Chasseur
Tender chicken breast Chasseur

Buttered Potatoes
Creamed Spinach
Rice Pilaf

LE SALADE
Heart of lettuce salad with Vinaigrette or Roquefort dressing

LE DESSERT
Assorted French Pastry

Cheese Tray
Fruit Basket

Brazilian Coffee

If you are minded to do so, may I suggest you check the Instagram account of #francophileonthemove ?
He has some beautiful examples of menus from many airlines' premium cabins from post-war to the 1980's, with a very expert insight into the dishes as well as pics of the actual menus, the meal and drinks lists,
His last couple were from Pan Am in the 1960's, Braniff from the late-40's and BCal LGW-CDG from the 1980's. Very, very entertaining. And the account is not mine, I hasten to add.

I need to stop reading this thread. I need to have a snack after reading each post!

Alas, I'm such a caveman I don't even know what Instagram is exactly. That said, I'm sue many others do so thanks for posting this and here's to many hours of the good life aloft to all of you - either in real time or as armchair travelers

I too was a caveman of technology but my kids urged me to load my pics taken of planes I've travelled on for business stretching back 30+ years and the response and comments have been hugely entertaining and informative - it's not all about show-off dancing teens and their latest moves or slappiest up meals - though there is a lot of that there too.

Following francophile...are you going to share your 30+ year history with us as well (please)?

I didn't want to hi-jack the thread, but since you ask I am autofill_password there. Not so much menu pics, but photos of planes from my travels since the late 1970's.
Apologies for the distraction (and I am not soliciting followers).

Interesting--EA was given in the late 60s a route from the Southeast to the Northwest (SEA/PDX) by the CAB. An attempt to counter-balance their seasonal traffic flows; similar to NW getting CHI/MKE to Florida. They flew (southeastern city-STL-SEA-PDX-SEA-STL-southeastern city) for many years; as late as the mid-80s. Post deregulation, they created a minihub in MCI, and moved the flights there.

It's a gorgeous spring day as you board BOAC's attractive 707-336C and settle into your plush First Class seat - 2A on the left to take advantage of the setting sun on the second leg of today's flight between Sydney, Australia and Singapore with an intermediate stop at Darwin. Along the way a full luncheon will be served, followed by a light meal between Darwin and Singapore. A stewardess delivers a deliciously chilled Martini - shaken, not stirred - and presents you with the menu for this afternoon's flight. Taking that first exquisite sip from your drink, you open the menu to peruse this afternoon's epicurean delights...

B.O.A.C.

LUNCHEON
Sydney to Darwin ~ 4 hours 10 minutes

Sydney Rock Oysters

Cream of Asparagus Soup
Consomm� Madril�ne

Salad Bowl
Vinaigrette or Roquefort Dressing

Roast Best End of Lamb ~ Mint Sauce
~or~
Escalope of Veal ~ Madeira Sauce

Buttered French Beans
Noisette Potatoes

Fresh Fruit Salad with Dairy Cream

Assorted Cheeses ~ Cream Crackers

Australian Fresh Fruits

Coffee ~ Chocolate Mints


LIGHT MEAL
Darwin to Singapore ~ 4 hours 10 minutes

Fresh Salmon Salad ~ Mayonnaise Sauce

Tournedos Saut� Chasseur

Buttered Garden Vegetables
Saut� Potatoes

Fruited Madeira Cake

Assorted Cheeses ~ Cream Crackers

Fresh Fruits

Coffee ~ Chocolate Mints

It's November of 1981 and TAA - Trans Australian Airlines - has recently taken delivery of its first Airbus A300, the first widebodied aircraft to be flown by an Australian domestic airline. You've booked yourself a First Class seat aboard TAA's 6:00pm departure between Melbourne and Perth. It's a warm autumn evening as you board the big jetliner and take your seat at 4A. Ah... what nice seats these are - wide, plush, supremely comfortable - this will be a great way to fly across the continent to Perth. As an added bonus, dinner will be served along the way. Menus are already at your seat and as you take that first pull off a nicely chilled VB lager, you open the menu and consider the meal to come...

TRANS AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES

DINNER
Melbourne to Perth

Canap�s

Seaf�od Cocktail Marie Rose


Filet Mignon Lingara Sauce
Parisienne Potatoes

or

Cold Buffet
Smoked Ham and Chicken Breasts
Avocado Pear and Creamed Cheese
Asparagus
Selected Garnishes


Brandied Oranges
Vanilla Ice Cream

Assorted Australian Cheeses

Fresh Fruit in Season

Tea - Coffee - Mints

Deambuie - Port

It's a crisp winter day in July of 1982 and you're headed from your home in Hobart, Tasmania across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand's South Island for a week of skiing at Coronet Peak outside Queenstown. Almost as exciting is the fact that you've decided to splurge and purchase a First Class seat aboard TAA's daily 727 nonstop between Hobart and Christchurch. As you climb the stairway into the good looking orange, blue and white Boeing, you're greeted by a pair of friendly stewardesses, one of whom shows you to your seat on the aisle in row 2. A pre-departure cocktail perhaps? You decide upon a nicely chilled glass of Chardonnay from the Margaret River region of Southwest Australia and turn your attention to the colorful menu and the offerings for today's luncheon service...


TRANS AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES

DINNER
Hobart to Christchurch

Canap�s

Entree
Tasmanian Devil
Coronets of Ham Filled with Pate

MAIN COURSE

Supreme Chicken Derwent
Breasts of Chicken filled with Crayfish

~or~

Afternoon Buffet
Smoked Ham
Turkey Breasts
Egg Mayonnaise
Pineapple Waldorf
Selected Garnishes


Dessert
Savarin au Rhum Filled with Fruit

Cheese Platter and Greens

Fruit Basket

Coffee, Mints and Port Wine

It's been a long but productive day pursuing business opportunities in Kagoshima. What better way to reward yourself than to fly home to Hong Kong in First Class. Japan Airlines is known to offer an excellent dinner service on the three hour flight and best of all, you'll be flying aboard a soon to be retired DC-8-61. Its First Class seats looked deep and wide enough to almost swallow you up and the two big fanjets slung under each wing looked capable of taking you to the moon. Your hostess delivers a glass of Suntory neat and returns shortly with a large and artistic menu. Hmm... let's have a look....

JAPAN AIRLINES

DINNER
Kagoshima to Hong Kong

Hors D'Oeuvres
Lobster Medallion
Pork and Cheese Pate
Canadian Bacon

Soup
Consomme Bretonne

Salad
Salad in Season ~ French Dressing


ENTREE

Fillet of Beef Stroganoff
Buttered Noodles * Glazed Carrots * Buttered String Beans

~or~

Chicken Brochette Japonaise Sauce
Buttered Rice * Glazed Carrots * Buttered String Beans


Cheese
Assorted cheeses with traditional accompaniments

Dessert
Peach Chantilly

Fruit
Assorted Fruits in Season

Coffee * Tea * Green Tea

It's not often you get to fly First Class aboard a BAC-111, but that's exactly the case as you sink back into the foam rubber ecstasy of your comfy dark blue and gold recliner aboard British Caledonian's nonstop between Lisbon and London Gatwick. The colorful menu promises a meal that is sure to please on the three hour hop to London. Perhaps a tasty Gin & Tonic might be in order while you await the commencement of the culinary festivities...

BRITISH CALEDONIAN

LUNCHEON
Lisbon to London Gatwick


Fresh Caspian Caviar
Pate de Foi� Gras

Roast Duckling � La Normande
Cauliflour au Gratin
Tomatoes Clamarte
Fresh Green Beans
Parisienne Potatoes

~or ~

Selection of Cold Meats
Salad Bowl
Vinaigrette Dressing


Black Forest Cherry G�teau
with Kirsche

Selected Cheese Board

Fresh Fruit Basket

Coffee

Mints

It's 1968 and you're comfortably seated aboard a Rolls-Royce powered Alitalia DC-8-40, sipping a tasty Chianti while the last of the passengers trickle onboard tonight's flight from New York to Lisbon and onwards to Rome. Man! That is some darned good Chianti! Mi scusi, Signore - What's that? Ah, your stewardess has arrived with the menu for tonight's flight. It's a big one, too - about 15" X 12" with a beautiful watercolor gracing the cover. Hmm... Dang! That's IS good Chianti! Well then, let's see what's for dinner!

A L I T A L I A

DINNER
New York to Lisbon

Pearls of Iranian Caviar
*
Prosciutto with Melon Balls
Cold Eggs "Aurora"
Tunny Fish in Oil
Roasted Red Peppers
Mushrooms and Artichokes in Oil
Chicken Salad "Mercedes"
Assorted Pickles
Black and Green Olives
*
Clear Soup with Sherry
Cream of Tomato Soup
*
"Mimosa" Salad
*
Stuffed Cannelloni "Emiliana"
*
Lobster Thermador
Rice Pilaff

Larded Filet of Beef ~ Meat Gravy
Roast Potatoes
Mixed Buttered Vegetables
*
Tray of Assorted Cheeses
Bel Paese ~ Parmagiano ~ Emmenthal ~ Gorgonzola ~ Camembert
*
Ice Cream Cake "Tosca"
*
Basket of Fresh Fruit
*
Coffee

* * * < + > * * *

BREAKFAST
Lisbon to Rome

Orange or Fruit Juices
*
Tea ~ Coffee ~ Hot Chocolate ~ Milk
*
Fried or Scrambled Eggs
Bacon
*
Basket of Fresh Fruit
*
Butter ~ Marmalade ~ Jam