flying in the old days...

[bettyandbob]

I'm sick. I've found the original Hawaii 5-0 just now (MeTV). The opening scene is on a plane from CA. Oh my. The leg room. The aisle space. The seat width. It looked so civilized and comfortable. 

[Lanny]

Check out the old TWA Terminal at JFK Airport. JetBlue (and possibly another investor?) are spending a huge amount of money, to turn it into a hotel. It will have the largest lobby of any hotel in the world as I recall. It was built at the end of the Prop Era, and when the Jets came in, it was not useful.  It is an Architectural Marvel. Probably it could not be duplicated today, because of Building Codes and Construction Costs. It is really something for you to look into regarding "the old days".  It has been used to shoot scenes for various movies.

[Peaceseeker]

I enjoyed the one and only season of Pan Am- mostly the fashion and glamour of the beginning of commercial flying. They showed how the guests really dressed up to go on a flight like it was an event. It all looked very fabulous.

Edited October 3, 2017 by CaliforniaDreaming

[bettyandbob]

I remember dressing up to get on an airplane. My parents made a big deal about what we were wearing.

[gstharr]

If  your want to experience when airlines really moved their tails for you, check out the Pam Am experience. http://panamexperience.com/

[MEmama]

Oh yeah, we used to get dressed up. And remember all the awesome stuff they'd give you--playing cards and airplane wing pins...

 

I remember going into the cockpit to meet the pilot, and hanging out in the back smoking section while my dad chatted up the "stewardesses".

 

Seems like a long time ago.

[Seasider]

I remember dressing in professional attire to fly. I truly miss that part of it, though nowadays with the crammed seating it would likely just add to the claustrophobic feeling.

[regentrude]

But I also remember the smoking on airplanes. 10 hours flight time in a cabin with smokers were very unpleasant.

[Guest]

If your want to experience when airlines really moved their tails for you, check out the Pam Am experience. http://panamexperience.com/

I got to fly first class on PanAm a lot in the 80’s. The carved chateaubriand, the five-course meals, the free-flowing champagne and wine,the reclining seats, the whole thing. It was terrific!

 

The second-to last flight I took was from London to San Francisco. It left 5 minutes later than the London-to New York flight, and so I chose the former as I got first class all the way to the coast. Once it was domestic, we flew Coach.

 

The flight I didn’t take (London to New York) was the Lockerbie flight. 😔.

 

I flew PanAm first class two weeks later, back to London. The security was a whole new ball game. Thankfully. But PanAm could not sustain its business after this and so it, like many other airlines, is gone

 

Continental airlines “really moved their tail for you.†Western was the oooooonly way to fly.

 

We used to go to the airport to stand outside on the concourses to watch the Take-offs and landings. And we dressed up, even to do that. That was in the 60s and 70s.

 

Thanks for the film clip upthread. It was a little dated even for my time but it still brought back the memories.

[gstharr]

I got to fly first class on PanAm a lot in the 80’s. The carved chateaubriand, the five-course meals, the free-flowing champagne and wine,the reclining seats, the whole thing. It was terrific!

 

The second-to last flight I took was from London to San Francisco. It left 5 minutes later than the London-to New York flight, and so I chose the former as I got first class all the way to the coast. Once it was domestic, we flew Coach.

 

The flight I didn’t take (London to New York) was the Lockerbie flight. 😔.

 

I flew PanAm first class two weeks later, back to London. The security was a whole new ball game. Thankfully. But PanAm could not sustain its business after this and so it, like many other airlines, is gone

 

Continental airlines “really moved their tail for you.†Western was the oooooonly way to fly.

 

We used to go to the airport to stand outside on the concourses to watch the Take-offs and landings. And we dressed up, even to do that. That was in the 60s and 70s.

 

Thanks for the film clip upthread. It was a little dated even for my time but it still brought back the memories.

 Wow. How fortunate you were. Is there anything you can share as to how you flew PamAm 1st class.  At that time, that was a Hollywood celebrity's life.  I flow a lot in the 80s as middle management for a Fortune 500, but it was all coach. Then in the 90s, I flew  business class as a fresh professional at a top 50 firm. I have only flown 1st class twice. Once because of ticketing mishap, I got stuck in Thailand. Took 3 days before Singapore Airlines could put me on flight home. It was 1st class with a stop and hotel night in Singapore.  That was an incredible experience (Singapore girl, a great way to fly)  The other time was when I had to fly in the first few days after flights resumed following 9/11. Airlines were giving away tickets to get people back on the planes. My ticket was something like $25.  I did not realize it was 1st class until I was directed to row 3, and was handed a flute class.

[bettyandbob]

Not Pan Am, but my sister flew first class on Air France in the mid 1980s. She reported awesome service.

 

She'd save for and carefully planned the trip. The day she was due to come home she arrived at the airport to find the counter for her airline closed with a sign saying they were out of business. She used a calling card to call our dad who said "I gave you an American Express card before you left for an emergency. This is an emergency."

 

She bought a coach ticket at the Air France counter, but coach was sold out so she was seated in first class. Pretty good way to relax from the total stress not knowing what to do upon seeing the sign on the counter.

[J-rap]

The last couple of international flights I've been on fed us and served us wine non-stop, passing out warm washcloths between meals.  

 

But it still doesn't make up for the small space!

[Lanny]

Flew in first class many times when I was an airline employee. Men had to wear a suit/tie and women had to dress appropriately if one was an airline employee.    Once, with my wife, I think in 1999, we had an appointment in Miami and had to go up there on a certain date. Avianca didn't have space in the Coach cabin.  At that time, we subscribed to the local newspaper in Cali and Avianca was running  full page ads, for First Class, buy 1 get one free.  Actually, I think we had to pay tax on the free ticket, so it wasn't completely free, but we went First Class. On the way up to Miami, it stopped in Barranquilla on the coast and  the flight was FULL.  On the way back from Miami, the flight was Nonstop to Cali and we were the only passengers in First Class.  When we checked in at the Ticket Counter, they gave us passes for the private club and we waited there, until our flight was ready to leave. I was concerned we would miss our flight, but they called us in the club, we went to the gate, got on the plane and it Pushed Back 2 or 3 minutes later.  

 

The BEST coach service I have ever experienced on a U.S. airline was from Atlanta, Georgia to Bogota, Colombia on Delta Air Lines. I was amazed at what a wonderful job they did.  

 

I remember when the some of the Civil Turbojets had a little closet and I could hang my Suit Bag in that.  That's so long ago that I carried a suit bag into the cabin.

 

I've flown in the Cockpit 4+ times and that's quite primitive compared to being in the passenger cabin and if there is turbulence, the farther you are from the Wing, the more you get bumped around.  

[DawnM]

I enjoyed the one and only season of Pan Am- mostly the fashion and glamour of the beginning of commercial flying. They showed how the guests really dressed up to go on a flight like it was an event. It all looked very fabulous.

 

We used to dress up to fly.  And when we flew business class, we got to be upstairs on the 747, going up a spiral staircase.  My parents hated it (no bathroom up there), but I thought it was the coolest thing as a kid.

 

Many of the flights were half full and we could lie down and sleep, got great meals, etc....we would stay on the same plane (usually Pan Am) for 24 hours, stopping in about 5 different countries on our way to refuel.  

 

I miss those *magical* flying days.

[DawnM]

But I also remember the smoking on airplanes. 10 hours flight time in a cabin with smokers were very unpleasant.

 

Flying in old prop planes in Indonesia with 90% of the men smoking clove cigarettes comes to mind.  Tattered and falling apart seats, old carpet, paint chipping......it is a wonder I made it at all.  

[creekland]

The flight I didn’t take (London to New York) was the Lockerbie flight. 😔.

 

We were very close to having been on the flight in DC in the 80s that crashed into the Potomac in 1982.  It's a very, very eerie thought.  For that one I often wonder if we'd have been among the survivors or those who died (only 6 survived, so...).  You know which category you'd have been in.  No chance for anything else.  Eerie.

[Lady Florida.]

We used to have to get dressed up to fly in the late 60s and through the 70s. I remember it starting to relax in the 80s. People still dressed up but it was beginning to be common to see people in casual clothes and even - gasp - jeans (or dungarees as some called them back then). When I flew to England in 1986 and again in 89, most passengers were dressed in casual attire.

 

I only flew first class once and that was on a puddle jumper. I flew from Newark to Atlanta, then had a short flight from Atlanta to Columbus, GA. It was a late night flight and there were only 5 of us on the plane, all individual passengers. The attendant told us all we could sit in first class. This was in 1978. 

Edited October 4, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Kareni]

I too remember dressing up to fly.  In the sixties, my sister and I would fly between Australia and New Zealand to stay with my grandmother for the summer (Christmas) school holidays.  I have a picture of us in matching outfits that included hats and parasols!  The stewardesses would give us baskets of lollies (candies) to offer to other passengers before take off.  (We thought it a treat; they were probably trying to keep us busy.)

 

In the seventies, my father managed a Continental hotel so we were able to fly inexpensively.  On one trip, we flew to Bali, Thailand, Paris, and the Netherlands; my ticket cost $99.00.  We were frequently bumped up to first class and spent time in the upstairs lounge on 747s; it was a great place to play cards.

 

But, yes, I also remember the smoking and non-smoking sections on airplanes.  What a joke!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[maize]

But I also remember the smoking on airplanes. 10 hours flight time in a cabin with smokers were very unpleasant.

This was the first thing that came to my mind when I read the thread title!

 

Miserable hours of feeling like I couldn't breathe.

 

I'll take cramped seating over that any day.

 

Last time I was on a smoking flight was flying out of Jordan in 1999.

Edited October 4, 2017 by maize

[creekland]

I, for one, like being able to be casual to fly (or anything else).  I hate dressing up.  I've always hated dressing up.  I hated church in my youth because I had to dress up. 

 

On one flight approx 10 years ago I was talking about clothing with my seat neighbor (who was wearing a suit).  He pointed out something interesting I hadn't considered.  I said, "At one time you could tell who was rich because of what they were wearing."  He said, "You still can.  The wealthy are those who aren't dressed up because they're on vacation at the very least (flight during the week - normal work hours - and we were heading to California).  The working people are those in suits or dressier clothes because they have to attend meetings or at least look "the image."  He traveled weekly for business (was in sales) and said he envied those who traveled in casual clothes who (in his thoughts) were usually not traveling for work.

 

Interesting thought that I've pondered each time I've flown since then while looking at what people chose to wear.

 

The only time I flew first class was back in the late 70s when we had a last minute rebooking due to a snow storm.  My parents were thrilled.  My sister and I just wanted to sleep and kept turning down the continual food offerings.  My mom to this day doesn't let us live that down.  How could we not have enjoyed it???

 

Every once in a while I contemplate if we want to fly first class for a special or lengthy destination - then I look at the cost compared to coach and envision how many other things we could do with the money instead.  I haven't flown first class since and don't envision ever doing so beyond something odd happening.  I'll pay for a room with a terrific view, but not for just getting from Point A to Point B with better amenities and leg room.

[Liz CA]

While I have flown first class it was nothing like that PanAm experience in the link.

I am at a point now where I dread flying anywhere except shorter 3-4 hour flights because of the crammed seating. Flying to Europe is nightmarish to me because I am expected to remain in the seat for 10+hours.

[regentrude]

On one flight approx 10 years ago I was talking about clothing with my seat neighbor (who was wearing a suit).  He pointed out something interesting I hadn't considered.  I said, "At one time you could tell who was rich because of what they were wearing."  He said, "You still can.  The wealthy are those who aren't dressed up because they're on vacation at the very least (flight during the week - normal work hours - and we were heading to California).  The working people are those in suits or dressier clothes because they have to attend meetings or at least look "the image."  He traveled weekly for business (was in sales) and said he envied those who traveled in casual clothes who (in his thoughts) were usually not traveling for work.

 

Interesting thought that I've pondered each time I've flown since then while looking at what people chose to wear.

 

That argument makes no sense. There are plenty of business travelers in suits whose income far exceeds that of some casually dressed people traveling for vacation.

[creekland]

That argument makes no sense. There are plenty of business travelers in suits whose income far exceeds that of some casually dressed people traveling for vacation.

 

I suspect he was considering more than income in his definition of wealth - namely - the ability to travel for pleasure.  He was well aware that hubby and I worked for a living (we had already discussed that), but we were also able to take such a vacation.

 

And yes, we both know we're just looking at "on the spot" views and musing.  We didn't exactly start polling fellow travelers, though it seemed to be a hobby of his to be curious of seatmates on his multitude of flights.  It's from his experience that he drew his conclusion.

[Lanny]

About the clothing on flights: A Colombian friend told us this story, years ago. An American Field Engineer came to Cali, Colombia, to fix something here. "Engineers" from the client company went to the airport to pick him up, dressed in Business Suits.  American Field Engineer gets off the flight in Jeans and a T shirt.     Our Colombian  friend thought the people who went to pick him up were too impressed with themselves...

[Guest]

 Wow. How fortunate you were. Is there anything you can share as to how you flew PamAm 1st class.  :::snip:::

The company I worked for flew its employees coach domestically and business class internationally.  PanAm loved our company so they always boosted (at least some of us) to first class.

 

I think there must be some *list* or something, because in those days, even after I had a baby, I *often* got boosted to first class from coach, even on other airlines, even flying for pleasure. 

 

THAT hasn't happened lately.  :::smirk:::

 

I also know for a fact that I got boosted at least once because I was nice to the employee.  When they were doing the "come to the podium if you have at least ### miles, you may be elegible for an upgrade thing, I went up with my son (age 2 or so) and got behind a nasty woman (next to her silent husband) who was *yammering* at the attendant about how she deserved to be boosted because her uncle was a big-shot and she was going to tell him exactly what happened, one way or the other.  She stalked off, and it was my turn.  I gave the attendant a sympathetic smile, and said that if there was room, we would like to be upgraded, but don't sweat it--we'll be fine either way.   

 

Loved that champagne.  

 

Another time, they overbooked our seats, and so when we got back to the seats assigned us--three in a row, son age 2--three people were already there, a couple and a single.  My son sensed that we were not going to get to fly to grandma's and started crying.  (He was the world's best flyer normally--this is one of two times he cried at ALL.). The people were not willing to move to other seats (2 + 1) so the attendant boosted the three of us to first class.  We hadn't said a word.  

[Guest]

We were very close to having been on the flight in DC in the 80s that crashed into the Potomac in 1982.  It's a very, very eerie thought.  For that one I often wonder if we'd have been among the survivors or those who died (only 6 survived, so...).  You know which category you'd have been in.  No chance for anything else.  Eerie.

 

Yeah.  It really hit me the next day, mostly.  People kept popping their heads into my office, asking if I was Patty ____.  Yup.  They all said, "Oh, thank God."  THEN it hit me.  I went home for the rest of the day.  

 

But wondering...that has another burden.  

[gstharr]

The company I worked for flew its employees coach domestically and business class internationally.  PanAm loved our company so they always boosted (at least some of us) to first class.

 

 

 Ah. I thought you would reveal that you are the scion Patty J. Ascott Vanderbilt Howe, or something like that.

[Guest]

Ah. I thought you would reveal that you are the scion Patty J. Ascott Vanderbilt Howe, or something like that.

No but when we go to restaurants we put our names down as Rockefeller. It is easier to spell than our shorter name. ðŸ˜

[umsami]

When I was studying abroad in Paris in 1988, my roommate was a Pan Am first class flight attendant who flew out of London.  Many of her friends died on Lockerbie.  I had flown to NY a week or so prior.  It was freaky.  She had some amazing stories about being a Pan Am stewardess.  She was the first class who didn't have to be a nurse.  Used to fly to South America a lot before she switched to Europe.  Had some boyfriends from back in the day who would still fly to see her and vice versa. 

[Guest]

When I was studying abroad in Paris in 1988, my roommate was a Pan Am first class flight attendant who flew out of London. Many of her friends died on Lockerbie. I had flown to NY a week or so prior. It was freaky. She had some amazing stories about being a Pan Am stewardess. She was the first class who didn't have to be a nurse. Used to fly to South America a lot before she switched to Europe. Had some boyfriends from back in the day who would still fly to see her and vice versa.

My neighbor 35 years ago was a PanAm first class attendant, too. How funny. She retired about 5 years before Lockerbie, but I’m sure she lost friends too. That was such an awful thing.

 

She said that part of her leaving though was that even by then, the glamour was fading and the customers started treating attendants less...respectfully, to say the least.

 

One of the thing I liked about the first class was that the people who flew it were very interesting. They had founded or managed corporations or written books or produced movies, or were on the front lines of research in various areas. I very much enjoyed our conversations although no doubt the experience from their perspective was less exhilarating.

[Janeway]

I got to fly first class on PanAm a lot in the 80’s. The carved chateaubriand, the five-course meals, the free-flowing champagne and wine,the reclining seats, the whole thing. It was terrific!

 

The second-to last flight I took was from London to San Francisco. It left 5 minutes later than the London-to New York flight, and so I chose the former as I got first class all the way to the coast. Once it was domestic, we flew Coach.

 

The flight I didn’t take (London to New York) was the Lockerbie flight. 😔.

 

I flew PanAm first class two weeks later, back to London. The security was a whole new ball game. Thankfully. But PanAm could not sustain its business after this and so it, like many other airlines, is gone

 

Continental airlines “really moved their tail for you.†Western was the oooooonly way to fly.

 

We used to go to the airport to stand outside on the concourses to watch the Take-offs and landings. And we dressed up, even to do that. That was in the 60s and 70s.

 

Thanks for the film clip upthread. It was a little dated even for my time but it still brought back the memories.

That is so scary that you were that close to being on the Lockerbie flight!!!! 

[Guest]

That is so scary that you were that close to being on the Lockerbie flight!!!!

Greediness has its usefulness.

 

I have reflected on this turn of events over the years. And always with remembrance that so many innocents were lost.

[Seasider]

Flew in first class many times when I was an airline employee. Men had to wear a suit/tie and women had to dress appropriately if one was an airline employee. Once, with my wife, I think in 1999, we had an appointment in Miami and had to go up there on a certain date. Avianca didn't have space in the Coach cabin. At that time, we subscribed to the local newspaper in Cali and Avianca was running full page ads, for First Class, buy 1 get one free. Actually, I think we had to pay tax on the free ticket, so it wasn't completely free, but we went First Class. On the way up to Miami, it stopped in Barranquilla on the coast and the flight was FULL. On the way back from Miami, the flight was Nonstop to Cali and we were the only passengers in First Class. When we checked in at the Ticket Counter, they gave us passes for the private club and we waited there, until our flight was ready to leave. I was concerned we would miss our flight, but they called us in the club, we went to the gate, got on the plane and it Pushed Back 2 or 3 minutes later.

 

The BEST coach service I have ever experienced on a U.S. airline was from Atlanta, Georgia to Bogota, Colombia on Delta Air Lines. I was amazed at what a wonderful job they did.

 

I remember when the some of the Civil Turbojets had a little closet and I could hang my Suit Bag in that. That's so long ago that I carried a suit bag into the cabin.

 

I've flown in the Cockpit 4+ times and that's quite primitive compared to being in the passenger cabin and if there is turbulence, the farther you are from the Wing, the more you get bumped around.

I had totally forgotten about hanging a suit bag in a cabin closet!

 

I was in the industry in the 80s, and enjoyed upgrades to first class when space was available. And back in the day, Delta really was great.

 

So long ago....

[Seasider]

We were very close to having been on the flight in DC in the 80s that crashed into the Potomac in 1982. It's a very, very eerie thought. For that one I often wonder if we'd have been among the survivors or those who died (only 6 survived, so...). You know which category you'd have been in. No chance for anything else. Eerie.

I will always remember that one man - he passed the rescue device over himself to another several times. When he was the last one left, he had slipped under. Arland Williams. Hero.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I've only been on long flights so I can't imagine dressing up for that.  By the time we get to where we are going we are sweaty and feel sick. 

 

I only flew one time to Florida from Connecticut when I was a kid.  All I remember was how terrible the food was (powdered reconstituted eggs). 

 

 

[bettyandbob]

I've only been on long flights so I can't imagine dressing up for that. By the time we get to where we are going we are sweaty and feel sick.

 

I only flew one time to Florida from Connecticut when I was a kid. All I remember was how terrible the food was (powdered reconstituted eggs).

Until the late 80s I had only been on coast to coast or overseas flights. Dressed up for all of them. I flew with family starting in the 1970s.

[creekland]

I will always remember that one man - he passed the rescue device over himself to another several times. When he was the last one left, he had slipped under. Arland Williams. Hero.

 

Agreed.  I still wish there had been a different ending.  I feel for his family/friends.

 

I flew with family starting in the 1970s.

 

I started flying when I was in diapers, so it would have been the 60s. I'm not sure if they were fancy diapers or the more common type.   :lol:

 

My parents told me on my first flight I threw up all over my dad (baby puke).  My parents did not have a quick change of clothes readily available.  Well, they supposedly did for me, but not for my dad.  Those were the "dress up" days so I assume his suit (or jacket at least) would have gone to the cleaners afterward, but all I hear about story-wise is how my dad had to sit there for hours feeling embarrassed and annoyed.

 

I'm glad my kids didn't do the same to us(!), but I did think about it when we took them aboard their first flight.  We didn't pack extra clothes (for us adults) in our carry on, but I made sure I had plenty of wipes.  (It was only a 3 or 4 hour flight.)

[DawnM]

I've only been on long flights so I can't imagine dressing up for that.  By the time we get to where we are going we are sweaty and feel sick. 

 

I only flew one time to Florida from Connecticut when I was a kid.  All I remember was how terrible the food was (powdered reconstituted eggs). 

 

I would consider 24 hours a long flight, and we still dressed for them.  It was just what you did back then.

[DawnM]

The company I worked for flew its employees coach domestically and business class internationally.  PanAm loved our company so they always boosted (at least some of us) to first class.

 

I think there must be some *list* or something, because in those days, even after I had a baby, I *often* got boosted to first class from coach, even on other airlines, even flying for pleasure. 

 

THAT hasn't happened lately.  :::smirk:::

 

I also know for a fact that I got boosted at least once because I was nice to the employee.  When they were doing the "come to the podium if you have at least ### miles, you may be elegible for an upgrade thing, I went up with my son (age 2 or so) and got behind a nasty woman (next to her silent husband) who was *yammering* at the attendant about how she deserved to be boosted because her uncle was a big-shot and she was going to tell him exactly what happened, one way or the other.  She stalked off, and it was my turn.  I gave the attendant a sympathetic smile, and said that if there was room, we would like to be upgraded, but don't sweat it--we'll be fine either way.   

 

Loved that champagne.  

 

Another time, they overbooked our seats, and so when we got back to the seats assigned us--three in a row, son age 2--three people were already there, a couple and a single.  My son sensed that we were not going to get to fly to grandma's and started crying.  (He was the world's best flyer normally--this is one of two times he cried at ALL.). The people were not willing to move to other seats (2 + 1) so the attendant boosted the three of us to first class.  We hadn't said a word.  

 

I remember once flying from coast to coast, it must have been for my grandmother's funeral, and they overbooked.  I was the one who volunteered to give up my seat.   I had 2 layovers and would have gotten back to the West Coast at around 8pm.

 

When I gave up my seat, they rebooked me, put me in first class the entire way, and gave me only one layover, getting me home by 6pm, earlier than I would have had I taken my original flight.  

[DawnM]

I, for one, like being able to be casual to fly (or anything else).  I hate dressing up.  I've always hated dressing up.  I hated church in my youth because I had to dress up. 

 

On one flight approx 10 years ago I was talking about clothing with my seat neighbor (who was wearing a suit).  He pointed out something interesting I hadn't considered.  I said, "At one time you could tell who was rich because of what they were wearing."  He said, "You still can.  The wealthy are those who aren't dressed up because they're on vacation at the very least (flight during the week - normal work hours - and we were heading to California).  The working people are those in suits or dressier clothes because they have to attend meetings or at least look "the image."  He traveled weekly for business (was in sales) and said he envied those who traveled in casual clothes who (in his thoughts) were usually not traveling for work.

 

 

 

I am sure he took a vacation or two per year, no?  My guess is that the ones he saw heading on vacation don't travel as much as he does.

 

And my husband will travel casually and then change if he has to once we get there.  He HATES dressing up, EVER!  He was so happy when his office went to business casual.  In fact, I think he dresses the most casually there.  Most of them wear oxford long sleeve shirts but he pretty much wears docker pants and polo/golf shirts, which is the most casual he can get away with.

[bettyandbob]

I am sure he took a vacation or two per year, no? My guess is that the ones he saw heading on vacation don't travel as much as he does.

 

 

My dh doesn't take vacations. Maybe a day here and there. He will fly in business attire (suit usually) on the first morning flight to West coast and fly home (east coast) on the red eye. He will be in his office at least part of the day after the flight back.

 

I wouldn't assume business travelers take regular vacations or could afford vacations with travel involved.

[Lady Florida.]

The flight I didn’t take (London to New York) was the Lockerbie flight. 😔.

 

 

I had a friend whose husband was in the Air Force and stationed in England (the American side of that base is no longer there). They were flying home for Christmas and we all were 99.9% sure they weren't flying Pan Am but were still terrified and wouldn't feel relief until they arrived. They knew nothing about the Pan Am flight so when they landed and a family member picked them up they had no idea everyone had been worrying about them for hours.

 

I'm glad you didn't take that flight.  :grouphug:

Edited October 5, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[creekland]

I am sure he took a vacation or two per year, no?  My guess is that the ones he saw heading on vacation don't travel as much as he does.

 

According to him, no, not a week or two like most folks.  He said he'd get a day or two every now and then, but that was it.  He was probably ten years younger than I was (guessing), so could have been relatively new to his job and not have much vacation time like he might have with more time built up in his company.  He practically drooled with envy when I told him we were embarking on a month away, though hubby worked a little bit remotely at that time - not totally, but did some work, so not 100% time off - more like 90%.

[Guest]

I had a friend whose husband was in the Air Force and stationed in England (the American side of that base is no longer there). They were flying home for Christmas and we all were 99.9% sure they weren't flying Pan Am but were still terrified wouldn't feel relief until they arrived. They knew nothing about the Pan Am flight so when they landed and a family member picked them up they had no idea everyone had been worrying about them for hours.

 

I'm glad you didn't take that flight.  :grouphug:

 

Like your friend, I had no idea when I landed that anything had happened.  My seat mate approached me and said, "If there is anyone who doesn't know your itinerary, you'd better give them a call.  There has been an event."  So I went to a pay phone, called my mom; I had given my boss and my dh my itinerary. 

 

Mom had all her friends at her house and they were sitting there in silence, and had been for an hour.  She knew I was flying back from London that day, PanAm.  When I called, I am sure she picked up the phone reluctantly, but when she heard my voice, she gave a big WHOOP and the ladies broke into cheers.  

 

Given that I had no idea of the enormity of the catastrophe, it seemed a little over the top.  But I got it, later.  

 

I didn't call my dh or boss, though.  But BOTH the dang guys had lost my itinerary, so they were as freaked out as anyone.  :0/  

 

Anyway, I went from the airport to home and dh was kinda glad to see me.  :0)  It wasn't until the next day, however, that everyone at work found out I was OK.  

 

Harrowing to think of this.  

 

This weekend, a friend was in Las Vegas.  The first thing I did was to go to her FB page, to find her post saying she was OK.  Technology is wonderful in times like this.