The last few days are some of the busiest of the year for American airports, but the word “glamorous” has not been used in ANY descriptions of getting from one place to another by plane. From 1970 until 2007, the Boeing 747 was the largest passenger carrier ever and these pics from the early days of it’s launch shows, by today’s standards their RIDICULOUSLY spacious cabins, comfortable lounge chairs and smartly-clothed passengers. (What the what?) In the ‘golden age’ of commercial aviation, airlines competed on service (not price) and the 747 was the undisputed king. Flying was intended to be a memorable experience (it is today but not for the right reasons.) Service was paramount and commercial air travel was a social affair for the well-off. The 747 had forward and aft lounges where passengers were free to stretch their legs, have a cocktail, (smoke!) and network the plane. Today, the only way to get this kind of service is to fly private.
(via Travel Start)