REMEMBERING THE DAYS OF CIVILIZED AIR TRAVEL
was
the Concorde of its day beating steamship travel by 5 days. In the mid
1950's the 4,000 mile range DC-7C and Super Constellation were introduced
and the flight time to Europe was cut to 14 hours. By today's standards it a
long flight, however there was a certain glamour and adventure to flying
that's missing on contemporary jumbo jets.
Flying in the 1940's and 50's was a special experience. Airborne luxury had not yet been displaced by cheap fares, economizing, and frequent flyer miles. It was a gentler kinder time before hijackers, stun guns and impenetrable cockpit doors. Pilots were known to leave the cockpit door open, setting a velvet-upholstered rope to deter the overcurious from flight deck entry. Passengers made an effort to dress well, and leave their crying babies at home. On board the caviar and champaign flights to Europe they were pampered by attractive stewardesses in designer uniforms who took pride in always maintaining hospitable and flawless cabin service. Stewardesses were expected to be young, beautiful, and have a college education. They were also fluent in one foreign language as well as Morse code, meteorology, first aid, visa and passport regulations. To entertain the passengers on the 20 hour flights they learned to play bridge and chess. No bottled water and peanuts on these flights. Seven course gourmet meals from Maxim’s in Paris were prepared in galley ovens. Starched napkins, gleaming silver and fine china were the rule. Hot carts were wheeled down the isle and stewardesses cut slices of prime rib at the passenger seats. The flawless cabin service was always maintained, even under the most trying circumstances. A Pan American Constellation flight to Paris was forced to crash land in a field. Fortunately everyone was safely evacuated. The rescuers found the passengers sitting on the blue Pan Am blankets, being served coffee, tea, and sandwiches and cake.
Flying in propeller driven planes wasn’t all wine and roses. They were more inclined to mechanical breakdowns, engine fires, runaway propellers and weather delays. The noise and vibrations from the engines made it difficult to sleep. Spending all those hours confined in slow plane produced boredom that could strain the nerves.
On October 26, 1958 Pan Am made the first scheduled jet flight from New York to Paris with a Boeing 707. Travel time was cut to 7 hours. Ten years latter the Jumbo jets appeared and their popularity of led to more flights, reductions in air fares, an explosion in air-passenger traffic. The gains would come at a price. Air travelers must now deal with crowded skies and planes, air rage and austerity service.
The following pages bring back those days when the joy was in the journey. A 1946 TWA advertisement entices travelers with the promise of an almost heavenly flying experience ." Here's where you enjoy the going as much as getting there. Where the eye ranges far and the mind is freed of earth-bound cares. Where men wise in the way of eagles seek out the smoothest going, and TWA - trained crews are ever thoughtful of your pleasure and comfort". Welcome aboard!
