Travel: Retro Photos From the Golden Years of Flying

You love stewardesses don't you? So do I. Flying today is not the way it was used to be, so to remind you all of how elegant, exciting and swank traveling by airplane used to be here are a bunch of photos taken from the golden years of flying circa 1950s to the 1970s. For a real life story on how flying used to be, check out the story I did with former Pan Am stewardess Valerie Waterman. Which is your favorite still in operation airline? (Via) [Thanks Chester]

On-board a 747 with Pan American Airlines

Boeing 747, also known as the jumbo jet was first introduced in 1970. With Pan American airlines as one of its major investors they had the possibility to influence the design and development of the aircraft. It was deemed that the world needed a jet plane of massive size that could transport hundreds of passengers [...]

More Jet Age photos

Here are some more swank retro air travel photos. Just look at the cool interiors and colors of those Boeing 707’s and 747’s! That groovy stewardess in pink looks like she is from outer space or something. All you need now is some lush jet set airplane music to play in the background (hint). That’s [...]

Retro Airline Commercials

I am the mood to travel to some place warm and exciting so I thought, why not experience some vintage airline commercials from the the past for some inspiration? Here are a bunch of TWA, Pan Am and Braniff commercials produced in the late 1960s and the 1970s — the golden age of air travel [...]

Cam

This one for sure! ;) PAN AM!! Priceless!

http://www.ultraswank.net/wp_uswank/wp-content/uploads/images/stewardesses-4.jpg
http://milliedeel.blogspot.com/ Jennifer

There was a lady who came into a store I used to work at that worked for Braniff Airlines in the 60's I believe. I didn't get to talk to her personally, but now I wish I had of.
http://totalrod2.blogspot.com Bryan Lord

Not everything is as it would seem. Sex sells. In reality, a transcontinental flight in the early 1960's would have (more often than not) been aboard a smoke-filled, non air conditioned Douglas DC-3. And the cabin wasn't pressurized. Not the most enjoyable thing I can think of. But still probably better than the endless amount of security BS you have to go through today!
http://www.ultraswank.net Chris

@Bryan Interesting. I thought they would have used a 707 or a DC8 in the early 1960s though?
http://totalrod2.blogspot.com Bryan Lord

They were all being used. Braniff actually began using the 707 in '59. But propeller-driven aircraft was still the mainstay for many years. It's funny how new technology is always slow to catch on. To put it in prospective, in 1960, 40 million Americans still used outhouses! That was only 20% of the population. But still, that's a hell of a lot of people. (ok, it's becoming obvious I have waaay too much time on my hands....I'd better shut up now!)
bigmallrat

Wasn't Braniff known for it's high-fashion attire? Not only flight attendants, but also the fabrics used in the aircraft? I guess with the airline industry regulated at the time, a firm's differentiator could be style. After deregulation, price became the new focus. Nevertheless, flight attendants still adorn fashionable clothing, but not the kind that ends up in magazines. How practical is a mini-skirt in the unlikely event of a water landing? :)
Scott
http://www.ultraswank.net Chris

Indeed, they hired Emilio Pucci to do their uniforms and style their aircraft fleet. Branniff was certainly "out there" in the 1960s and 1970s. But they went bankrupt like so many other airlines after the oil crisis.

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Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more

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