There’s a black-and-white memory, maybe one you’ve only seen in old films, of what it meant to take a plane. It had nothing to do with today's cattle-call at the gate. Instead, picture clinking glasses in a sky lounge, the murmur of conversation over a steak dinner, and the feeling of having all the space in the world. Flying was once the height of modern style, a civilized affair from takeoff to landing. These photographs are time capsules that capture the lost elegance of the skies.
#2 Lady Having Breakfast In Flight Aboard A Deutsche Lufthansa Plane, 1928
6points
#4 Air Travelers Leaving Washington Airport During National Air Travel Week Are Being Given Cakes, Washington, D.C., 1938
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6points
#6 Interior View Of Sikorsky S-42 Plane, Circa 1934
6points
#7 Passenger Lounge Onboard Pan American Airways Martin M-130 China Clipper, 1936
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6points
#9 Sas Dc-8-33 Interior, Service On Board, Cabin And Seats, Passengers, Circa 1960s
6points
#14 Interior View Of Sikorsky S-40 Plane Miami, Florida, 1931
5points
#16 Cabin Of An L1649 Superstar, Which Was In Service With Lufthansa, From 1957 To 1966
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5points
Some details in these photos feel almost alien today. It’s not just the legroom (which seems to go on for miles) or the full-blown beds on some of these jumbo jets. It’s the social atmosphere. People aren't staring at screens but rather, they're mingling in lounges, enjoying a cocktail, and treating the flight like a sophisticated cocktail party. Each photo tells a part of that forgotten story, which we would so desperately want back.
#17 Imperial Airways Ltd., On The Sea Of Galilee And At Semakh. Flying Boats's Passenger Cabin, 1931
4points
#20 Interior View Of A Pan Am Sikorsky S-43A, 1936
4points