Aug 3, 2020, 2:21 pm
July 1983 Royal Pacific Service 747
Jul 16, 2019, 7:44 pm
#31
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
It's good to be young and never have experienced that! I started flying in 1982 just when I finished college and my wife started flying in 1960 as a toddler so we both had too many of those flights. In Economy you had more chances to be in a row far away from the smokers. In international Business Class in the 90's, my wife was sometimes in planes were there were three rows for non smokers and two rows for smokers.
Jul 16, 2019, 9:26 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,679
Everyone always waxes nostalgic for the food.
NO ONE ever brings up the fare structure then, and compares it, inflation adjusted, to today.
Funny, that.
NO ONE ever brings up the fare structure then, and compares it, inflation adjusted, to today.
Funny, that.
Jul 16, 2019, 11:24 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
Jul 16, 2019, 11:35 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Some FA's thought it was "cute" and often it just resulted in my sister and I getting moved up to the front of the plane. Already an anti-smoking zelot from an early age...Nice find. I couldn’t help comparing the ‘83 747 plan with the current 773. Based on seat pitch/width, J and Y closely match PP and E+. But on the extremes things have gotten much better and worse. The Polaris seat significantly improves on F—lie-flat and no seat mate of course but also width. While the 747 didn’t inflict an equivalent of today’s E- pitch on anyone.
Jul 17, 2019, 3:17 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 818
looking back, I wish I had the opportunity to try both UA and CO's International First Class products in their prime. I am usually not an envious person, but for you FTs who considered this as the norm - even the standard back then - you're blessed to have even experienced it. I don't know why, but I feel that the luxurious appeal of flying transcontinental business class is no longer there, but UA is trying to make it special again - like the exclusivity of Polaris Lounge experience for example. The experience leaves me even more confused when then they scale back the soft product significantly. For example what I experienced when Polaris first launched in December 2016 is vastly different to today's experience and it just leaves me disappointed.
Jul 17, 2019, 7:15 am
#39
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 561
I remember when they would bring around a basket with a variety of warm rolls -- really good rolls. I particularly liked the rye ones.
Re smoking: Circa 1960/63, I was often given the job of carrying around the small round tray with the mini packets of cigarettes to offer to the passengers. Not quite, "Cigars, cigarettes, Tiparellos?" -- but fun nonetheless. Before landing, I would sometimes get to circulate the tray with the small boxes of chiclets (gum).
Good times.
Re smoking: Circa 1960/63, I was often given the job of carrying around the small round tray with the mini packets of cigarettes to offer to the passengers. Not quite, "Cigars, cigarettes, Tiparellos?" -- but fun nonetheless. Before landing, I would sometimes get to circulate the tray with the small boxes of chiclets (gum).
Good times.
Jul 17, 2019, 8:59 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
Actually, the law was that - if you asked - the airline had to seat you 4 rows away from of the "smoking section". As a 7 year old kid in the early 70s, I knew the rule, and would demand it be enforced.... Some FA's thought it was "cute" and often it just resulted in my sister and I getting moved up to the front of the plane. Already an anti-smoking zelot from an early age...
Some FA's thought it was "cute" and often it just resulted in my sister and I getting moved up to the front of the plane. Already an anti-smoking zelot from an early age...*Yes, I know A319's weren't flying in 1972.
Jul 17, 2019, 9:08 am
#41
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SRQ, PDX
Programs: UA 1 MM, AA, DL
Posts: 929
Jul 17, 2019, 10:23 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
"There were less upgrades back then. I remember flying from NRT to LAX on an almost brand new 744 in 1997 and I was one of only two passengers in F."
This is key. RP service was a soft product for very wealthy people. It required lots of FA's, extremely labor intensive catering operations, plenty of training, and very high quality foodstuffs.
The reason we don't see First Class like this anymore, simply speaking, is because premium cabins now attract a significant number of nonpaying customers. You just can't give this stuff away, even to very loyal customers (and with credit cards and the like, plenty of people with tons of miles aren't even loyal customers), and make a profit. On the other hand, if you could somehow limit it to people who pay $9,000 roundtrip to Tokyo and keep frequent flyers out, it might be profitable.
This is key. RP service was a soft product for very wealthy people. It required lots of FA's, extremely labor intensive catering operations, plenty of training, and very high quality foodstuffs.
The reason we don't see First Class like this anymore, simply speaking, is because premium cabins now attract a significant number of nonpaying customers. You just can't give this stuff away, even to very loyal customers (and with credit cards and the like, plenty of people with tons of miles aren't even loyal customers), and make a profit. On the other hand, if you could somehow limit it to people who pay $9,000 roundtrip to Tokyo and keep frequent flyers out, it might be profitable.
Jul 17, 2019, 10:35 am
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,370
The reason we don't see First Class like this anymore, simply speaking, is because premium cabins now attract a significant number of nonpaying customers. You just can't give this stuff away, even to very loyal customers (and with credit cards and the like, plenty of people with tons of miles aren't even loyal customers), and make a profit. On the other hand, if you could somehow limit it to people who pay $9,000 roundtrip to Tokyo and keep frequent flyers out, it might be profitable.
Jul 17, 2019, 10:40 am
#45
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Actually, the law was that - if you asked - the airline had to seat you 4 rows away from of the "smoking section". As a 7 year old kid in the early 70s, I knew the rule, and would demand it be enforced.... Some FA's thought it was "cute" and often it just resulted in my sister and I getting moved up to the front of the plane. Already an anti-smoking zelot from an early age...
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Some FA's thought it was "cute" and often it just resulted in my sister and I getting moved up to the front of the plane. Already an anti-smoking zelot from an early age....