Back when flying was a luxury...

Not an abuse.

When I was four (1969ish) I flew from Atlanta to New Orleans for a family funeral, and plane travel was very high class. Understandable, it wasn't something people did everyday, unless you had a lot of money (or a great corporate expense account). But over the years, especially after deregulation, air travel evolved to lower cost, allowing more people to fly. These days, commercial flying is more like buses with wings than luxury transport, unless you want to pay for business/first class, i.e. through the nose. War story from my time in Korea, I was purchasing my ticket home, Economy was (1989 dollars here) around $750.00. I looked into upgrading, if it was only a few hundred more, might be worth it with a 20 hour flight ahead of me. I checked Business Class, $2,000. No, I think I'll go cheap.

I was looking at these picture from a recent Aviation Week, brings back memories when the airlines were luxury, and you paid a fortune for it. Well, you want that, you can still get it, just pay though the nose.

Enjoy these pictures.

Interior of a Fokker Transport used on European airway in 1923.

The Dornier Do.X flying boat, 1929

Fokker F-32 in 1932

Executive Transport in 1935, Woolaroc III.

Private aircraft were designed for better vision from the inside. The original article reads,
"There's plenty of room for the family in the rear seat of the Stinson SR 10C."

Air France Sleep in 1947.

Boeing 707, 1956.

Interesting look at the word in air travel.