7 Things We Don’t Miss About The ‘Golden Age’ Of Air Travel

The so-called ‘golden age’ of air travel conjures up luxurious images of silver service, endless champagne, and even cocktail lounges onboard – a far cry from the often stressful travel experience passengers around the world face today.
The golden age of air travel is generally considered to be around the 1950s and 1960s, when commercial air travel began. Airlines such as Pan Am were household names, with its flight attendants portraying the epitome of glamor, inspiring countless others around the world to follow in their footsteps.
However, while that may have been the case, it is easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses, and it is important to remember that there were also some downsides to the golden age of air travel. What seven things from the golden age do we not miss in today’s modern era of air travel?
1 Smoking onboard
Smoke-filled cabins were the norm
While it may seem hard to believe nowadays, smoking onboard was prevalent until the 1980s, when airlines began to introduce nonsmoking policies. They were also lobbied by flight attendant unions, concerned about the regular exposure to cigarette smoke their members suffered. In the US, smoking onboard an aircraft was outlawed in phases:
1988 – domestic flights less than two hours long
– domestic flights less than two hours long 1990 – domestic flights less than six hours long
– domestic flights less than six hours long 2000 – all domestic and international flights, regardless of length.
However, some airlines had already taken steps towards a smoking ban prior to that. United Airlines was the first carrier to introduce a nonsmoking cabin in 1971. Delta Air Lines became the first US carrier to ban smoking on international flights in 1994. Meanwhile, Air Canada introduced its own nonsmoking policy on all flights in 1990.
Despite smoking onboard now being prohibited in the vast majority of countries worldwide, passengers are often curious to find ashtrays still built into aircraft cabins. This is so that, in the event of the no-smoking law being violated, passengers still had a place to safely dispose of their cigarettes.
2 Flight safety issues
Safety is now a priority
Aviation safety has improved immensely since the dawn of commercial aviation, to the extent that many of us now take it for granted. However, that has not always been the case, and some of the most high-profile and deadly air crashes occurred during the so-called golden age.
Among the most deadly air crashes of the 1960s and 1970s were:
Pan Am Flight 214 (1963) – the Boeing 707 was traveling from San Juan (SJU) to Philadelphia (PHL) via Baltimore (BWI). However, on the aircraft’s second leg, it was struck by lightning, with all 81 passengers and crew members killed in the resultant crash.
– the Boeing 707 was traveling from San Juan (SJU) to Philadelphia (PHL) via Baltimore (BWI). However, on the aircraft’s second leg, it was struck by lightning, with all 81 passengers and crew members killed in the resultant crash. South African Airways Flight 228 (1968) – another Boeing 707, this time flying from Johannesburg (JNB) to London Heathrow (LHR), with a stopover in Windhoek (WDH), Namibia. The aircraft came down shortly after take-off from Windhoek, resulting in the deaths of 123 of the 128 people onboard. The investigation into the crash cited pilot error as the likely cause.
– another Boeing 707, this time flying from Johannesburg (JNB) to London Heathrow (LHR), with a stopover in Windhoek (WDH), Namibia. The aircraft came down shortly after take-off from Windhoek, resulting in the deaths of 123 of the 128 people onboard. The investigation into the crash cited pilot error as the likely cause. Air New Zealand Flight 901 (1979) – the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 was operating a sightseeing flight over Antarctica when it flew into Mount Erebus, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew members onboard. Following investigation, it was concluded that a combination of errors in communication led to the crash.
However, from the 1980s onwards, safety became more of a priority, and airlines invested heavily in the necessary training, equipment, and procedures to ensure a safe operation. As a result, air travel is, thankfully, one of the safest forms of travel today.
You might also like: What Caused An Air New Zealand Flight To Crash Into An Antarctic Mountain In 1979 On November 28, 1979, Flight TE 901 crashed into Mount Erebus, triggering one of the most controversial investigations in the country’s history.
3 Recliner business class seats
Replaced by private suites
Passengers used to shell out thousands of dollars to travel in business class, only to end up sitting in a recliner chair similar to one many of us may find at home. Those days are long gone, and business class cabins today reflect the latest in comfort, technology, and service. Business class cabins have improved so much that there is often little difference compared to the experience found in first class cabins.
Photo: Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways’ QSuite is one of the most luxurious business class suites available today. Singapore Airlines and Emirates also offer industry-leading business class cabins, where private suites, fine dining, exceptional service, and even onboard showers, are the norm.
You might also like: 5 Incredible Features Of The Qatar Airways Qsuite A brief dive into what is often dubbed the world’s best business class.
4 Long, multi-stop connections
Adding hours to journey times
In the golden age of air travel, long-haul flying really did take a long time. Aircraft could only fly for a few hours before needing to stop to refuel, resulting in lengthy multi-stop schedules. For example, typical stops on the Kangaroo Route between Europe and Australia included:
Athens
Karachi
Mumbai
Bangkok
Singapore.
You might also like: The History Of The Kangaroo Route The London to Sydney air route got its name from the frequent number of stops required for the journey.
However, advances in technology have meant that modern aircraft are now capable of flying for much longer without the need to stop and refuel. Singapore Airlines operates the longest non-stop flights in the world from Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) and Newark (EWR). The Star Alliance carrier deploys its specially configured Airbus A350-900ULRs on the route.
Photo: Airbus
However, Singapore Airlines’ New York services will be surpassed in 2026, when Qantas launches its Project Sunrise direct flights from Australia to London and New York. Airbus has built a special version of the A350-1000 with an extra fuel tank to facilitate these ultra-long-haul flights.
5 Sub-par airport experiences
Nothing like the megahubs of today
While air travel may have seemed luxurious at the time, little was luxurious about the airport experience in the golden age. Airports were little more than functional terminal buildings. However, today, airports have become destinations in their own right.
Photo: Jewel Changi Airport
Megahubs like Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) are prime examples of airports that are leading the way in providing the ultimate passenger experience, regardless of their class of travel.
You might also like: Construction Starts In 2025: A Closer Look At Singapore Changi Airport’s New Terminal 5 The ambitious expansion will help Singapore Changi Airport stay ahead of the game for years to come.
6 Lack of security
Resulting in serious incidents
While many passengers may complain about the lengthy security lines found at many airports today, the consequences of limited security checks can be serious. Throughout the golden age of air travel, many hijackings and terrorist incidents occurred, serving as a reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to security.
Among the most high-profile incidents were:
Air India Flight 182 (1985) – the Boeing 747-200 was traveling from Montreal (YXM) to London Heathrow (LHR), and onwards to Delhi and Mumbai, when it was blown up over the Atlantic Ocean by a terrorist bomb. All 329 people onboard were killed.
– the Boeing 747-200 was traveling from Montreal (YXM) to London Heathrow (LHR), and onwards to Delhi and Mumbai, when it was blown up over the Atlantic Ocean by a terrorist bomb. All 329 people onboard were killed. Pan Am Flight 103 (1988) – also known as the Lockerbie bombing, this Boeing 747-200 was traveling from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK) when it was destroyed midair by a bomb over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. All 243 passengers and 16 crew members died in the incident.
You might also like: Tragedy On Pan Am Flight 103: 34 Years Since The Lockerbie Bombing The disaster is the deadliest aviation accident to ever have occurred on UK soil.
7 Expensive flights
Low-cost travel is now commonplace
In the past, air travel was prohibitively expensive, only affordable for the richest in society. However, the advent of low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines kicked off a trend toward lower-priced air travel, particularly on short-haul routes. The democratization of aviation and the launch of low-cost carriers around the world have opened up air travel to the masses, and for many, it is now as familiar as getting on a bus or a train, and passengers do not think twice about paying extra for anything over the basic fare, such as baggage and seat selection.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
However, one area where low-cost carriers have so far struggled to make a real impact is in long-haul travel – it remains to be seen whether the likes of Norse Atlantic Airways and French bee can carve out a successful operation in a cut-throat market.