Sixty years ago, commercial air travel was nothing like how it is today.
Nostalgia for the days of more spacious cabins, dressier passengers, and luxury food service is a common sight on social media. In some ways, those viral posts make a compelling point. Flying is often drudgery today. Long lines and insufficient legroom—and of course the irritating Transportation Security Administration (TSA)—make flying sometimes feel more like a chore than a miraculous accomplishment of human ingenuity.
Who wouldn't rather be on a plane in the 1960s instead of one today?
The answer: you.
Those old-school airlines might have been luxurious, but those flights were unaffordable for the vast majority of Americans. If you lived back then, you wouldn't be flying in style. You'd probably not be flying at all.
0:00- Introduction
1:33- Part 1: "The Good Old Days"
4:33- Part 2: "No Assholes Need Apply"
8:24- Part 3: You Are Now Free To Move About the Country
Producer: Eric Boehm
Video editor: Regan McDaniel
Graphics: Adani Samat and Lex Villena
Audio Production: Ian Keyser
Color correction: Cody Huff
Music Credits:“A Soaring Swan Sister,” by Ardie Son via Artlist; “Eminence Landscapes,” by Ian Post via Artlist; “Endless Fields,” by Ian Post via Artlist; “Skipping,” by Ian Post via Artlist; “Yule,” Ian Post via Artlist; “Lemonade,” by Shtriker Big Band via Artlist; “Autumn Pizzicato,” by Veaceslav Draganov via Artlist.
Photo Credits: Pexels.com; Archive.org; Eleven Labs.