When airlines really delivered service [Archive]

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ThePointer

01-12-2007, 02:08 PM

Does anyone remember  when airlines really cared for the passenger?  When I started flying, on the larger planes like the DC10   747,  the airlines would actually give you room even in coach.  You could stretch out and  during the flight get up and walk to the rear of the plane where they had a piano bar lounge set up.   They had couches and seats.  You could actually sing along if drunk enough or just listen.  On a 747 you could walk up the stairs and have the same thing. Now days you get a shoehorn and a good luck from the gate agent.  Now  you are lucky to have 17.5 inch wide seats with a 31 inch pitch.  A European airline has gone so far as to prevent the seats from reclining .

Team_Ramrod

01-12-2007, 02:10 PM

Gotta get more people in those planes.

WRESTLINGFAN

01-12-2007, 03:52 PM

I remember flying from LA to NY in the Lockheed L 10-11 Those were some big planes <img src="http://www.cruisinaltitude.com/images/l1011/dll1011tpa.jpg" border="0" alt="fg" title="fg" width="300" height="200" />

WhistlePig

01-12-2007, 05:17 PM

I remember when every other person was smoking and every seat armrest had an
ashtray built in. Good times.

epo

01-12-2007, 05:45 PM

In the old days First Class had hookers.  Not just one either...a regular lineup to pick from.  Very classy.

PapaBear

01-12-2007, 07:37 PM

WhistlePig wrote: I remember when every other person was smoking and every seat armrest had an ashtray built in. Good times. I think I went through about 2 packs, on my way to boot camp in Orlando! I don't remember the good service, though. My first flight ever was on People's Express...  The airline that created cheap/crappy flights.

ThePointer

01-14-2007, 01:27 PM

PapaBear wrote: WhistlePig wrote: I remember when every other person was smoking and every seat armrest had an ashtray built in. Good times. I think I went through about 2 packs, on my way to boot camp in Orlando! I don't remember the good service, though. My first flight ever was on People's Express...  The airline that created cheap/crappy flights.Do not forget Sir Freddy's   Laker Airways     checkin off airport on queens Blvd and bring your own food. I used to have to load those bags into a truck and drive them to Kennedy airport and load them on the DC-10 departure.  But I did get a chance to fly American and TWA 747 and DC 10's with the lounges.

lleeder

01-14-2007, 01:32 PM

This stuff sounds great I was born in 79 so I don't remember any of it.

DJEvelEd

01-14-2007, 01:41 PM

Thank God I have an excuse not to fly coach. (see avatar) I fly first class and the seat goes back like a bed! When flying 1st class, make sure you get the larger plane so the seats are sure to go back. You can tell which seats recline fully because there are LESS of them on the seating chart.Yes I remember smoking on the flights. It never made sense to me to have a non-smoking section. You're in a fucking TUBE!When I go to Florida I take the Amtrak and I always ask for the handicap room (Yes I have a disabled ID card) and the room is HUGE!!! It has a private shitter/shower too. Last time I went, I smokes a joint in the shower and it stunk up the whole car. The conductor was pissed so I has to grease him with a $20 to avoid rat-holing my stash.

furie

01-14-2007, 01:44 PM

de-regulation killed the customer service

Fat_Sunny

01-14-2007, 01:56 PM

Fat's Writing This From The Continental Lounge At Newark Airport.  Fat Must Travel Tonight On Business To The Place He Hates Most: Germany.  Aaargh.The Main Problem Was That The Women's Lib Movement Plus The Age Discrimination Laws Meant That The Stewardi Cannot Get Fired Once They Get Old.  That Means Instead Of A Shapely, Smooth-Skinned 20-Year Old, You Are Stuck With A Middle-Aged Fat Chick Full Of Wrinkles.International Flights Are The Worst, Because The Longest-Serving Stewardi Get First Pick, So They Choose Them.  The Average Age Of A Stewardess On A Continental Flight To Europe Is About 65.  Seriously!

PilotJeff

01-14-2007, 02:26 PM

While those may have been the golden days, they certainly are gone.  Not sure how many times I have people tell me "Oh, your a pilot for XXXXX Airlines... you must make millions."  Well, lets just set this straight...  Right out of college (about 2 years ago) I was a flight instructor to put in my dues building flight time.  I made $19 per flight hour.  That flight hour was from engine start up to engine shut down.  I spent days at the airport from 7am-8pm, and usually only was paid for about 5 hours of that time.  Thats also after spending around $35,000 on earning all of my licenses.  Then, as a newhire FO (First Officer), I made $21/hr, averaging about $20,000/yr.  The top (close to retirement) Captains at my company only make around 75k per year, spend maybe 2-3 nights at home a week, and spend nights away from our families in places like the downtown Red Roof Inn of Des Moines.  Nice, huh?  We also were forced to take a 20% pay and benefits cut last year too.   Another reason the inflight service has dropped is the high costs of fuel.  Here's an example.  Let's say on an average flight from New York to Orlando, we made about $20,000 in ticket sales and cargo (at times we do carry U.S. mail and other items besides luggage.)  I've been told by the number crunchers we'd spend about $14,000 in fuel getting everyone there.  Add on top of that salaries, benefits, insurance, and everything else and it doesnt leave much room for any inflight services.   Sorry it's so long, but its a common misconception or sometimes an outright lie that is played out in the media time and time again, that most people take for truth.

johnniewalker

01-14-2007, 02:37 PM

Fat_Sunny wrote: Fat's Writing This From The Continental Lounge At Newark Airport. Fat Must Travel Tonight On Business To The Place He Hates Most: Germany. Aaargh.The Main Problem Was That The Women's Lib Movement Plus The Age Discrimination Laws Meant That The Stewardi Cannot Get Fired Once They Get Old. That Means Instead Of A Shapely, Smooth-Skinned 20-Year Old, You Are Stuck With A Middle-Aged Fat Chick Full Of Wrinkles.International Flights Are The Worst, Because The Longest-Serving Stewardi Get First Pick, So They Choose Them. The Average Age Of A Stewardess On A Continental Flight To Europe Is About 65. Seriously! Fat should have gone business class.  I got bumped to business going from london to chicago after two days after they averted that attack at Heathrow, they called me by my name and gave me raw salmon and a fillet mignon for lunch.  Amazing, and a reclining chair.

Tenbatsuzen

01-14-2007, 02:42 PM

Fat_Sunny wrote: Fat's Writing This From The Continental Lounge At Newark Airport. Fat Must Travel Tonight On Business To The Place He Hates Most: Germany. Aaargh.The Main Problem Was That The Women's Lib Movement Plus The Age Discrimination Laws Meant That The Stewardi Cannot Get Fired Once They Get Old. That Means Instead Of A Shapely, Smooth-Skinned 20-Year Old, You Are Stuck With A Middle-Aged Fat Chick Full Of Wrinkles.International Flights Are The Worst, Because The Longest-Serving Stewardi Get First Pick, So They Choose Them. The Average Age Of A Stewardess On A Continental Flight To Europe Is About 65. Seriously! And ironically, what career aspirations did the real Fat Sunny have after retiring from wrestling?  Continental attendant.

Yosammity

01-14-2007, 03:02 PM

DJEvelEd

01-14-2007, 03:09 PM

My friend is a pilot for Continental. She get us "stand-bys" and "buddy passes" and sometimes we flew 1st class for free if it was available. She has a nice place in Colorado and goes back & forth to NJ. She loves flying to Rome, Jamaica, Europe ect... and brings us back nice stuff like French wine & Cubanos. She makes like 200k a year. She's been with them a while though. (maybe she's just talkin shit, as I've never seen her paycheck) Still a nice gig though. Beats being a stewardess.

tele7

01-14-2007, 04:03 PM

My first flight was on an Eastern airlines 727in the 70's.  The pilot even gave me and my brother the Eastern wings pin for our shirts.  You don't get that kind of service anymore.  While in Augusta, we sat at the gate for 40 minutes with no A/C.  It was over 100 degrees in the cabin and many people were about to pass out.  They said they needed the proper paperwork to start the engines as they handed out warm water.  Delta shuttle by the way.My dad's friend flew a DC-8 Stretch for the now defunct Flying Tiger Airlines.  It was skinny and long as hell. <img src="http://www.airchive.com/Memorabilia/Douglas/DC8-9.jpg" border="0" width="409" height="253" />

A.J.

01-15-2007, 10:35 AM

telecaster7 wrote: My first flight was on an Eastern airlines 727in the 70's.  The pilot even gave me and my brother the Eastern wings pin for our shirts.  Me too!

Tenbatsuzen

01-15-2007, 11:05 AM

It's funny - you can find plenty of flights where you can get free tickets for economy and first class.  But try to buy an economy ticket and use the miles to upgrade?  Needle in a haystack.  That STINKS.

mendyweiss

01-15-2007, 11:11 AM

Some hayseed in front of me, asked the pilot as we were leaving the plane "Are you the driver ' ?THe pilot would have shot himself if he had a gun !!

Zorro

01-15-2007, 11:46 AM

Flying makes me gassy!

ThePointer

01-15-2007, 04:26 PM

PilotJeff wrote: While those may have been the golden days, they certainly are gone.  Not sure how many times I have people tell me "Oh, your a pilot for XXXXX Airlines... you must make millions."  Well, lets just set this straight...  Right out of college (about 2 years ago) I was a flight instructor to put in my dues building flight time.  I made $19 per flight hour.  That flight hour was from engine start up to engine shut down.  I spent days at the airport from 7am-8pm, and usually only was paid for about 5 hours of that time.  Thats also after spending around $35,000 on earning all of my licenses.  Then, as a newhire FO (First Officer), I made $21/hr, averaging about $20,000/yr.  The top (close to retirement) Captains at my company only make around 75k per year, spend maybe 2-3 nights at home a week, and spend nights away from our families in places like the downtown Red Roof Inn of Des Moines.  Nice, huh?  We also were forced to take a 20% pay and benefits cut last year too.   Another reason the inflight service has dropped is the high costs of fuel.  Here's an example.  Let's say on an average flight from New York to Orlando, we made about $20,000 in ticket sales and cargo (at times we do carry U.S. mail and other items besides luggage.)  I've been told by the number crunchers we'd spend about $14,000 in fuel getting everyone there.  Add on top of that salaries, benefits, insurance, and everything else and it doesnt leave much room for any inflight services.   Sorry it's so long, but its a common misconception or sometimes an outright lie that is played out in the media time and time again, that most people take for truth.JeffI have followed the aviation industry  for a while and have seen why it has changed.  Throughout the years flying has become a commodity in coach.  The premium services are being restored on longhauls because passengers are willing to pay for it. If you look at the overall industry, fares are still at and below  the 70's period in real terms while costs have gone through the roof.  As the employees gain seniority, the costs associated with them will rise too.  Hence the new carriers  can offer lower fares and better service since their employees are lower paid and do not have as many benefit costs.     From your post it sounds as if you fly for a regional carrier.  Hopefully  things will improve over time.