Random Details about Filghts On A Trip During Golden Age Of Flying (12 items)

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  (#3) You Didn't Have To Go Through Security

   

  A post shared by Pam Ann (@pamannwantsagram) on Dec 18, 2014 at 11:48am PST

  Without security checkpoints slowing things down, getting through the airport was a breeze. You didn't need your ID, and you could show up at the airport 20 or 30 minutes before your flight and basically walk right onto the plane. So, family and friends could walk you directly to the gate. Sounds nice, right? 

  Maybe not. Any time saved avoiding security may have been undone by someone commandeering the plane and diverting it to Cuba or another unintended destination. The lack of oversight on the ground led to a "Golden Age of hijacking," as well. In the 1960s, there were dozens of plane hijackings every year, making air travel decidedly less safe.
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  (#7) In-Flight Entertainment Was Limited To Alcohol And Postcards

  Unlike flights today, which often provide plenty of distractions via television, movies, and WiFi access, air travel during the 1950s and 1960s offered little to no entertainment. If a passenger forgot to bring a book or newspaper, they needed to hope for a good conversationalist as a neighbor, or settle on staring out the window for the rest of the flight.

  Airlines in the 1950s often provided postcards to passengers when they got on the flight to help prevent boredom. A tradition at the time was for passengers to write notes to loved ones describing the flight, which they could then send when they landed.

  Flights lasted much longer than trips today, and airlines often provided free alcohol - meaning passengers typically drank to help pass the time. For international flights, it was common for passengers to arrive drunk at their final destination.
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  (#8) In-Flight Meals Included Lobster Or Prime Rib, Often Served On China

  Dining aboard your flight was comparable to any upscale restaurant found on the ground. With little in the way of entertainment, airlines used in-flight meals to give travelers an escape from the monotony. Food during the Golden Age of air travel included lobster, roast beef, or prime rib served over multiple courses on real china.

  Airlines served cocktails in real glassware instead of tiny plastic cups, and no limit existed to how much a person could drink. Scotch, Champagne, and brandy flowed freely, giving passengers the feeling of being at a party. As a bonus, the tipsy passengers felt less anxiety about the noise, bumpiness, and chance of being hijacked.
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  (#6) Your Flight Would Be Noisy And Turbulent

  Until the late 1950s, passenger planes with propellers like the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-7 created a ton of noise. Often, if a flight didn't go above 10,000 to 12,000 feet, the plane remained unpressurized. Flights were bumpy; planes couldn't avoid bad weather; and, when engines got bigger, turbulence was more challenging to manage. Passengers definitely needed those airsick bags. 

  Whatever discomfort passengers felt was also multiplied, since trips frequently consisted of more than one flight. It could take four or five planes to get from one side of the US to the other, not to mention the number of connections a person needed for international travel. And with only a few airlines serving different regions, this meant a mix of airlines, too.
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  (#9) You Could Smoke To Your Heart's Content

  You didn't need to worry about walking around a terminal to find a smoking area before your flight. Smoking was pervasive on planes as passengers lounged and conversed. The secondhand cigarette smoke often mingled with pipe and cigar smoke, as well. Ironically, the only times passengers couldn't smoke were in the airport terminal and on the ground. Airlines were concerned smoking might ignite the fumes from airplane fuel.
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  (#4) You Had Plenty Of Room At Your Seat

  On flights in the early 1950s, travelers didn't need to decide between business or economy class seats, because there wasn't a distinction between them. Those early flights were luxurious from the front to the back of the cabin. Even after airlines started adding first-class sections, everyday passengers still had significantly more legroom than on a modern aircraft. First-class passengers received something resembling a hotel room, complete with beds, while economy class seating was more akin to business class on current flights.

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