Today, flying is such a routine thing that nearly all of us see it as an inconvenience more than anything else, and we forget just how much of a technological marvel it really is. In previous eras, flying was actually a magical experience, and to go on an airplane was to experience great glamour and luxury. In the 1960s and 1970s, people would get dressed up when they went on flights, and being tended to by beautiful flight attendants was all part of living the high life.
Though we may fantasize about flying in that bygone era, the people who actually went through it are open about the parts of the experience that weren’t so great. A post on Quora asked what traveling on planes was like back then, and the responses are fascinating to read. They paint a picture of a time when, despite having greater legroom and a more luxurious atmosphere, flying was not nearly as much fun as it looked.
One user said, ‘When we took off I remember the tail would swerve back and forth until all three wheels were off the ground, it was noisy and since it wasn't pressurized we had to stay below 10,000ft.’ The statement that flights were louder and more turbulent than today was echoed by many, and one user described the takeoff of the flight as being “akin to a rocket launch...an almighty roar that shook the whole plane. The brakes released with a bang, and you slammed back into your seat as the plane leaped forward down the runway.”
While much has been said about the pretty flight attendants, there was a dark side to that. One user noted that they were “selected for their looks and there was a strict weight limit for their height - very sexist by today’s standards.” Someone else mentioned a flight attendant girlfriend of his was required to straighten her teeth to get the job.
Another downside of flying back then was the smell of smoke. A pilot wrote, “There was a smoking section and a non-smoking section on the plane, but the whole place reeked of smoke. You’d get off and all your clothes would smell like smoke. I remember this very clearly from flying as a kid.” When you consider this, today’s flying experience starts to look a little better!