Lufthansa First as well, this picture is from Concerto in his latest trip report



Caviar service and starters on LH (First Class)

By 1969, United had been operating DC-8s for almost ten years, and over that time, it's First Class Red Carpet service had evolved to become one of the finest in the country. As such, you couldn't be more excited as you stroll down the jetway at New York's John F. Kennedy International and step aboard the beautiful DC-8-50, bound for Denver, Colorado. Taking your window seat at 2A, you admire the big, low slung JT3D-3B turbofans while marveling at the comfort of United's large, plush, red upholstered First Class seat. My goodness! This just may be the most comfortable airliner seat you've ever sat in.

A stewardess delivers a nicely chilled glass of United's advertised special - a very dry Gin Martini. As you savor its delicious tang, you take a moment to peruse the luncheon menu for this afternoon's four hour flight. Oh my... this looks very nice indeed...

UNITED . AIRLINES
New York to Denver

LUNCHEON

APPETIZER
Crepes Indienne

SALADS
Hearts of Lettuce Salad
or
Blackstone Salad
Offered with French or Blue Cheese Dressing

ENTREES

BROILED STRIP SIRLOIN STEAK
Accented with mushroom sauce

BROILED DOUBLE FRENCH LAMB CHOPS
Offered with mint jelly

BROILED BREAST OF CHICKEN
Stuffed with cheddar cheese and mushrooms

SCALLOPS AU GRATIN

Duchess Potatoes
Buttered Mixed Vegetables

BREAD BASKET
French, Rye or Sesame Seed Rolls

DESSERTS
Chocolate Cream Puff
Strawberry Tartelette
Pecan Nut Cake
Petit Fours

Fresh Fruit Basket
Assorted Cheeses

BEVERAGES
Coffee * Sanka * Tea * Milk

After Dinner Mints

The winter of 1972 has been rainier than usual in London, which has only served to heighten your anticipation for this evening's flight to the exotic Seychelles Islands. As alluring as the Seychelles are, especially for your wife, you're equally excited about tonight's flight. You'll be taking your first flight aboard BOAC's beautiful Super VC.10. Even your wife agrees that a more beautiful airliner has never been built.



To celebrate the occasion of your first flight aboard this magnificent aircraft, you've decided to splurge and make the trip in First Class. Best of all, you haven't told your wife. She assumes that you'll be making the long nearly sixteen hour journey in Economy Class, so you can't wait to see her face when you hand your boarding cards to the hostess, as she graciously welcomes you both aboard and leads you to your seats - 3A and 3B.

Well that just happened, and to say your wife was downright flabbergasted would be an understatement in the extreme.

"Would you prefer the window, or the aisle, Dear?"

Ah... the feeling of settling back into the foam rubber ecstasy of those wide, plush recliners was only the first of the many pleasures soon to follow. And the legroom... ah..., it feels nice to be able to cross your legs without obstruction.

Soon, your hostess returns with welcome cocktails for you both - a Gin and Tonic for you, and a Planter's Punch for your wife. Moments later, the purser stops by to welcome you aboard and tonight's routing, expected flight time and meal options, after which he presents you both with large, colorful menus. Please don't hesitate to contact a member of your cabin crew if there's anything we can do to make your flight more pleasant.

Opening your menus, you both look at eachother in surprise and delight at the sumptuous feast to follow... Taking another pull off your perfectly made G&T, you turn to page two to peruse the offerings for the dinner service on tonight's first leg to Entebbe.

Oh, my...

B O A C

DINNER
London to Entebbe

Fresh Scotch Salmon Belle Vue
Mayonnaise Sauce

Strasbourg Fois Gras in Brioche

Spiced Chicken, Tongue and Avocado Salad


Consomm� with Vegetable Garnish
Chilled Vichyssoise


Roast Sirloin of Beef
Horseradish Sauce

Breast of Chicken in Champagne Sauce
Accented with artichokes and mushrooms

Grilled Double Lamb Cutlet Mayfair


Buttered French beans
Cauliflower Polonaise
Noisette Potatoes

Salad Bowl
Vinaigrette or Almond dressing

French Meringue G�teau
Coffee and rum ice cream with cherries

Assorted Cheese

Fruit Basket

Coffee ~ Tea

Friandises


CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

Fresh Fruit Appetizer

Soft Rolls ~ Croissants ~ Butter ~ Preserves

Danish Pastries

Coffee ~ Tea


REFRESHMENTS
Entebbe to Nairobi


LUNCHEON
Nairobi to Seychelles

Seafood Hors d'oeuvre
Mayonnaise sauce


Grilled Filet Steak
Maitre d'h�tel butter

Breast of Duckling Supreme
Served with orange segments


Bouqueti�re of Vegetables
Small roast potatoes

Salad Bowl
Vinaigrette or Roquefort dressing

Pineapple Fruit G�teau

Assorted Cheese

Fresh seasonal fruit

Coffee ~ Tea

It's a beautiful afternoon in the summer of 1969 as your taxi expertly navigates the congestion on the Van Wyck Expressway enroute to Kennedy International Airport for your evening appointment aboard Northwest Orient's flight 301, a red tailed 707-351C that will fly you nonstop to Seattle at 6:00pm. You've booked a seat in Northwest's Regal Imperial First Class, and your excitement to experience it is real as this will be your first flight aboard Northwest's premier inflight service.



Striding down the jetway towards the big Boeing jetliner, you exchange pleasantries with the attractive red clad stewardess who greets you at the door and hands you off to stewardess who shows you to your seat.

"Would you care anything to drink before departure, Sir?"

Hmm... a Manhattan would be great, thanks...

Already at your seat is a large red and silver menu accented with a dark blue tassel. And the seat... oh my goodness, it's ever so plush, wide and inviting - definitely one of the most comfortable you've ever had the privilege to sit in.

Your drink arrives via a silver tray with a small plate of mixed nuts. Mmmm!

Now then, let's have a look at that menu...

NORTHWEST ORIENT

DINNER
New York to Seattle

Hors d’Oeuvre Tray

Salad from The Cart

Choice of Dressings
Roquefort, Italian or Thousand Island

New York Strip Loin

~or~

Stuffed Loin of Pork with Walnut Dressing

~or~

Dungeness Crab Louie

Buttered Asparagus Spears
Broiled Tomato with Broccoli

Sourdough French Bread
Butter Ball

Baked Alaska

Fruit Basket

Dinner Mints

It's the summer of 1970 and you've spent the last two months in Lagos, Nigeria overseeing the installation of an air-conditioning system for a new hotel. Now it's on to Rome, Italy aboard Alitalia's once weekly DC-8 nonstop to Rome.

In 1970, the facilities at Lagos International Airport were basic, at best. The waiting room featured hard backed chairs and the only air-conditioning was via slowly rotating ceiling fans. In short, it was miserable. Thankfully, the flight was on time, so when boarding was called you wasted no time in gathering your belongings and commencing the long walk across the sun baked tarmac to your waiting DC-8-62.



The airplane looked resplendent new green and white livery, and as you handed your boarding pass to the pretty Italian stewardess, you breathed a sigh of relief as chilled air from the airplane's air-conditioning washed over you.

Ah....

Settling down into seat 2A, you gratefully accepted a deliciously chilled flute of Italian Prosecco and turned your attention to the large, colorful menu bestowed upon you by the Purser.

Hmm... this looks nice...

ALITALIA

LUNCHEON
Lagos to Roma

Terrine of Fois Gras
Port Wine Jelly

Chicken Salad Mercedes

Consomme with Sherry

Veal Rosettes
In a style Allitaliana

Potato Croquettes
Celery au Gratin

Tray of Assorted Italian Cheeses
Bel Paese ~ Parmigiano ~ Gorgonzola ~ Provolone

Chocolate Cake
Served with Pistachio Gelato

Fruit Basket

Coffee ~ Tea

What has this got to do with trip reports?

You went on a flight whenever and had a meal.

From Google:

Anthony Bourdain [a master of trip reports] strictly refused to eat in-flight airline meals, famously stating that "no one has ever felt better after eating plane food". He preferred to arrive hungry and eat locally. On very long flights, he would simply order cheese and port wine, or famously bring his own takeout.

This thread has been active - if only occasionally so of late - since 2003, having garnered 771 posts - including yours - since then. Additionally, it's accumulated 327.3 thousand views in that time. Aside from yourself of course, there appears to be at least a modicum of interest in these old menus.

If you feel the time has come to get rid of this thread, feel free to contact the moderator and state your piece. In the meantime, I've got a few more menus to post in the coming weeks.

As for Anthony Bourdain, he was certainly entitled to his views, but I think that if you look back and actually read the many years of trip reports here, you'll find that the panache of a quality International standard First Class meal has been for most of our trip reporters a highly anticipated and appreciated aspect of their flight. For many of us, both the presentation as well as the flavor of the food served aloft was exceptionally worthy of the accolades.

Yes, we've all had overcooked meats or bland sauces on occasion inflight, but on the whole I'd like to think I speak for the majority of international First Class passengers here who profess to be more than satisfied with both the quality and the presentation of their First Class meals.

Or perhaps you're one of those folks who only reads trip reports to learn about the country visited, its people and interesting places to visit, stay and eat. If so, well, this is FlyerTalk - not Fodors or Conde Nast.

BTW, it should be noted that interest in the good old days of inflight catering - when the meal service was as much performance art as culinary skill - does exist outside of this thread and Flyertalk as a whole


https://onemileatatime.com/news/alas...es-dinner-pdx/

https://www.tastingtable.com/2031712...airline-menus/

https://share.google/xEHrKWkgllJWjexb5

https://www.lovefood.com/gallerylist...ughout-history

I love the nostalgia of this bygone era of travel. Seat 2A please keep on sharing. There are many of us here who love these posts!!

This is a fantastic thread - and very much belongs in the trip reports section. I look forward to reading more of your fascinating insights into the golden age of travel.

Ouch, that's embarrassing. I particularly love seeing the old menus. I might have turned up hungry sometimes because I just don't like that sort of food, but it was very different from today.

You must be new here! The rest of us love this thread and eagerly await posts from Seat 2A.

It's the summer of 1984 and after three wonderful weeks vacationing on the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos, it's time to return to your home on New York's Long Island. Your original plan was to fly directly from Athens to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, but when your travel agent advised you that for just $350 more, you could fly home in First Class aboard Morocco's state run carrier, Royal Air Maroc, your interest was piqued.

"Royal Air Maroc? Do they have jets yet?"
"Yes, of course! You'll fly aboard a 727-200 from Athens to Casablanca, then connect to a 747-200 for the trans-Atlantic leg to New York."
"Right. Let's do it then!"

And, as things turned out, Royal Air Maroc provided a very nice service aboard your two flights. Although its First Class catering was not quite so elaborate as one might expect aboard the established carriers from Central Europe, the seats were comfortable and the food was delicious. Following are the two menus from these flights...

ROYAL AIR MAROC
Athens to Casablanca

LUNCHEON

Fois Gras
Goose Liver

Stuffed Seabass Steak
Darne de Loup Saumon�e

Chicken in Tarragon Gravy
Supr�me de Poularde � l'Estragon

Mixed Moroccan Vegetables
Farandole de Legumes

Croquette Potatoes
Pomme Croquette

Rice Creole
Riz Cr�ole

Seasonal Salad
Salade de Saison

Cheese Tray
Symphonie de Fromage

Pastry
Patisserie

Fruit Basket
Fruits en Corbielle



ROYAL AIR MAROC
Casablanca to New York

LUNCHEON

Smoked Salmon Argenteuil
Saumon Fum� Argenteuil

Seabass Moroccan Style
Filet de Loup m'Charmal

Tenderloin a la Moelle
Filet � la Mo�lle

Chicken Breast Princess
Supr�me de Poulet � Princesse

Mixed Vegetables
Bouqueti�re de Legumes

Croquette Potatoes
Pomme Croquette

Rice Creole
Riz Cr�ole

Seasonal Salad
Salade de Saison

Cheese Tray
Plateau de Fromage

Pastry
P�tisserie

Ice Cream Cake
G�teau Glac�

Fruit Basket
Fruits en Corbielle

Coffee ~ Tea
Caf� ~ Th�

The winter of 1976 has been a hard one in Toronto. You ought to be heading down to the Caribbean or Mexico, but Nooooooo! Instead, you're headed west to Banff, Alberta where you'll meet up with two old college buddies for a week of skiing at nearby Mt. Norquay and the Lake Louise Ski Resort. Your trip's off to a good start though, as you stroll down the jetway toward the striking orange and silver CP Air DC-8 upon which a First Class seat awaits you.

Two red uniformed stewardesses cheerfully greet you at the door, and as you enter the spacious forward cabin of the DC-8, you're immediately impressed at the bright and colorful fabrics that adorn the plush recliners in both First Class and Economy. Deep reds in First Class, oranges, yellows and reds in Economy. Ah... ya gotta love how colorful the seventies are, eh? Who could know that fifty years from now, these plush, colorful seats would be replaced by considerably less comfortable so-called Slimline seats, all of them upholstered in dark grey or indigo Naugahyde leather.

Settling into your comfy, well cushioned seat at 3A, you happily accept a nicely chilled Molson and a colorful menu detailing what's on offer for tonight's dinner service...

CP.AIR

DINNER
Toronto to Calgary

Omble Chevalier Fume de l'Artique
A delightful, lightly smoked trout from the Arctic waters

Tournedos "Rossini"
Heart of beef tenderloin served the traditional way
"a la Rossini" with goose liver and truffle sauce

Supreme de Poularde au Champagne
Tender chicken breast accented with a rich Champagne sauce

Bouquetiere de Legumes
A colorful assortment of garden fresh vegetables

Fromage Brie Coulant
Creamy Brie Cheese

Salade de Fruits Frais
Fresh fruit salad

G�teau "For�t Noire"
Black Forest Cake

Caf� ou The
Coffee or Tea

I may have asked this before...if so apologies.

Seat 2A are these menus from flights you've flown over the years or another source?

I just arrived home from a Memorial Day weekend cookout featuring a variety of 5 smoked meats. After reading your most current posts, I'm hungry again!

I wish I had the opportunity to taste some of the menu selections from years gone by. I do appreciate the introduction to each flight and associated menus!

OMG! Although the new international departure-cum-transit lounge at Karachi International Airport was expected to be completed in October 1973, clearly that was an overly optimistic guestimate. In the meantime, you've spent the past hour sweating it out in the stuffy, run down remnants of the old airport as you awaited the call to board for your PIA flight to Beirut. The hot summer sun had never felt more oppressive as you walked out to your waiting Boeing 720B, which was looking quite nice in PIA's green and white colors.

Ascending the portable air stairs, you breath a sigh of relief as you enter the nicely air conditioned cabin. A pretty hostess relieves you of your jacket and offers to bring you a pre-flight cocktail. Hmm... what's the Champagne on offer today, Luv? Ooooo... Charles Heidsieck. A glass of that would be marvelous, thanks.

Settling into your deep, plush recliner, you admire the view of the two muscular Pratt & Whitney JT3Ds outside your window, until your reverie is interrupted by the delivery of your Champagne along with a copy of the First Class menu. The flight will make a stop at Teheran enroute to Beirut, and you're pleased to see that both a snack and luncheon will be served along the way...

PIA PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

Karachi to Teheran
Cocktail Hour

Canape
Cheese Wafers
Salted Nuts
Olives
Cocktail Sandwiches
Assorted Pastries
Coffee, Tea or Chocolate


Teheran to Beirut
Luncheon

Choice of Hors d'oeuvre

Grilled Lamb Kebab
~or~
Roast Breast of Chicken
~or~
Filet of Salmon

Seasonal Vegetables
Rissole Potatoes

Mixed Salad

Assorted Cheese

Shahi Tukra
~or~
Gateau Lemon

Coffee or Tea