Before the 1980s, flying was a much classier experience. Back then airlines aggressively competed with each other to treat you like you were on a luxurious ocean liner and people acted like it was one.
Passengers dressed up in the nines. Men wore tailored suits and ties and ladies often wore heels and a skirt. Getting from the entrance to your flight was quick. No TSA. Your family and friends could see you off at the gate.
After you boarded, you were greeted by beautiful women wearing uniforms made by fashion designers. Airlines hired only young women as their stewardess. “When a tired businessman gets on an airplane, we think he ought to be allowed to look at a pretty girl,” one executive said.
Flight attendants served meals on china plates, passengers relaxed in lounges on the plane, and most seats turned into sleeping berths – these vintage photographs below show how glamorous flying was in the 1950s:
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