Anyone Remember When...
 

While day-dreaming 33,000 feet somewhere over the US this week I had an idea to start another 'remember when...' thread. Since I've only been around for a 1/4 century, I'm sure many more of you have better ones. Anyways, here are some of mine;

-United 757's had a coach and first class section between doors 1 and 2. There were only 2-3 rows of First and several rows of Y.

-767-200's flew Atlantic routes.

-Colored baggage tags (ORD was brown)

-United flew MCO-MDW in 727's.

-3-class planes flew regularly to and from Hawaii.

-Full meals were served on short flights in coach, like ORD-IAD.

Those are some, I'll try come up with more. -Ualisthebst

- Complimentary alcoholic beverages in Y on transatlantic flights.

They were the days :rolleyes:

Remember the escalator taking you up to the only RCC at ORD in terminal 2?

The old terminal 1 at ORD before it was entirely United? (When it was ORD's International terminal).

The coupons we had to fill out and turn in with every flight for Mileage Plus credit?

How United would check you in for your flight and seat by merely drawing a strip across your paper ticket with a green felt tip pen?

When cocktails were complimentary in coach and meals served on china?

When we walked from the ticket counter directly to the gate and handed our tickets to the stewardess without ever going through any metal detectors, security checks, or any uniformed security whatsoever?

The "secret" FT lounges that United had instead of Red Carpet Clubs. (When I was a kid the legacy carriers were SO over-regulated that they could NOT legally reward their most frequent travelers with any service, perk or recognition that they weren't also offering to all passengers that purchased a similar ticket, but United and most of the other legacy carriers very quietly established "FT" lounges. When I'd get to travel with my dad I recall seeing Senator Dirksen, Senator Percy, the first Mayor Daley, Lucille Ball, Ernie Banks, and even getting Senator Kennedy's autograph; I was surprised that he was using that room because I thought he had his own campaign jet; weeks later he was assassinated in Los Angeles).

....When F meal courses were all served separately to pax from serving carts (salad bowl and desserts especially, and even a number of main courses); and, of course, the transcon (DC-10) deli buffet

* Godivas
* Plateau Bonuses for every 10k miles over 35k flown
* Sales upgrade certs available like candy (if you knew the right people ;) ) (drawback: no SWU's back then). The red ones did domestic, and the highly coverted blue ones were systemwide...
* Where F on the west coast had real meal service with something decent rather than a Sh*ttle config and "gourmet" mix...

On board smoking

There's one that I'm thankful we no longer have.

-seats were assigned by removing an oval sticker from a seat map and affixing it to your ticket;

-seat backs had a fresh head cloth on them;

-flight attendants were babes;

-pilots were in better shape and dressed nicer;

-the FA's would carve the steak in front of you in int'l F

-there were metal knives;

-there was little or no IFE;

-UA had 3 nonstops a day from HNL-ORD;

-it wasexpensive to fly F;

-there was no MP;

-there weren't upgrades;

-there was snapple;

-and coke;

-fresh orange juice was served on int'l F;

-no one had roll-ons;

-or laptops;

Off the top of my head:

* Caviar in int'l F
* 747SPs on the SFO-LHR run
* Sh!ttle by United :( - fortunately I always managed to get an F seat on those planes :)
* Frappucino
* RCC luggage tags (still have one - the other one got broke by UA's baggage handlers a couple of years ago)
* Connoisseur Class, not United Business
* Paper SWUs
* United Connection R.I.P.

Spooling up the props on a Connie Tri-Star.

Getting dressed like you were going to a party just to fly.

FAs were fashion models.

COKE!!!!! I miss Coke :(

You didn't know about FT?

The dark ages. ;)

*The day I saw my first 747 - it was at ORD
*Ditto on my first Condorde - at LHR - most stunningly beautiful plane I've ever seen.

*Sitting in a car at the end of the runway to watch planes take off - I must have been about 12

*Going to the gate to meet arriving flyers - actually, that wasn't very long ago at all!

*When flying was actually fun. Still is sometimes, but mostly its just drudgery.

*My first MP card

707's on transcons.
Upstairs on 747's was a first class lounge with spiral staircase.
First class was only $15 more than coach.
You could get a deck of playing cards.

F was a 25% premium charge over Y
F alcohol was in half pints. The FA wold often give you the leftovers to take with you