Air travel's 'golden age' featured steak dinners, cocktails and formal attire for sophisticated travelers

Fox News

4 days ago

Conversations about flying today are sparking memories of nostalgic times in the skies and the ways in which travel has changed over the years.
A Reddit user recently posted a message in the "r/aviation" forum, asking, "So were the airlines of the 'golden ages' operating at a massive loss?"
"Pan Am, for example, lasted 64 years (1927-1991)," the person went on. "Pan Am and similar airlines offered spacious seating arrangements, proper cutlery and fine dining. Not to mention [that] being an airline crew [member] was prestigious, and I'm to assume that meant [a] competitive and subsequently high-paid profession."
The user added, "These amenities and circumstances are extremely cost-intensive … Today it is so far from the luxury it once was, [given that] cost-cutting and corporate culture reign supreme."
Fox News Digital reached out to travel experts for insights as Redditors took to the comments section to discuss with passion the evolution of flying over the years — with many fawning over the old days and others calling out the high prices.
"Look how the passengers are dressed," commented one user.
Another user wrote, "Flights [were] mainly for wealthy people. Tickets were really expensive."
"Old guy here," one man reflected. "Went on my first flight at 6 years old in 1970 from Chicago to Florida. Each ticket cost $500 (equivalent of maybe $2,500 now). We went out and bought special 'airplane clothes,' the equivalent of church attire. I remember eating steak on the plane. Different days indeed," he added.
Another Redditor claimed, "In the '50s, airlines started doing 'themed' flights with a menu to match, and some Scandinavian airlines would even carve a whole ham in front of you. The '50s-'70s was really the Golden Age for travel where the food became a huge selling point of flying."
"The meals [were] served on china, cutlery, the actual food, drinks … [the] majority [of it] served by hand … [There was] no 'cart hauling,'" said a user. "It was an experience."
Former flight attendant and Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore also emphasized that flying was once a luxury experience.
"Flight attendants served real food on real plates."
"Passengers dressed in their Sunday best," she told Fox News Digital. "Flight attendants served real food on real plates."
She said flight attendants were "held in high regard," were well-groomed and well-mannered, and were "treated like celebrities."
She said that "now, flying is about getting from point A to B. Budgets are tight and air travel is about quantity, not quality. More seats were added, and meals were cut. Personal space is now at a premium."
Whitmore added, "Many passengers lack civility and common courtesy. Some treat the cabin crew like servants. Passengers eat whatever they want, regardless of whether it smells or not."
She also said, "Seats are getting smaller and are more uncomfortable, giving passengers less leg and arm room. If you want anything special (early boarding, more leg room), you have to pay for it. Everything is now 'extra.'"
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital it's easy to look back at the early days of air travel "through rose-colored glasses."
"There are many ways in which flying is better now than it's ever been," he said. "Flying is safer than it used to be. Long-haul business class usually means flat beds, and often even with privacy doors. Lounges in airports are far more elevated."
He also pointed out that technological advances allow passengers to be entertained while in the air with personal TVs in their seats.
Many Reddit users said the changes in flying experiences are due to airline regulation.
"You didn't have federally controlled mandates and high taxes," commented one user.
Another user wrote, "The airline deregulation act made those days go away. It made travel cheaper and more accessible for the average traveler."
"Most people misunderstand the regulated era of airlines," said Leff.
"It wasn't about consumer protection. It was about ensuring airline profitability! There was a mistaken belief that airlines would compromise safety if they didn't earn consistent profits …We saw continued strong safety records throughout the bankruptcies most major airlines have been through."
He added, "Since fares were so high and airlines weren't allowed to compete by lowering them, they still tried to attract passengers (since each additional passenger was so profitable) — and the way they did it was by investing in services and amenities."