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re: What was air travel like before 9/11?
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:46 pm to UpToPar
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:46 pm to UpToPar
My job at that time was essentially flying to a new city every week. Lines were short in security and anyone could walk all the way to the gate with you. Made plenty of flights arriving just 30-45 minutes ahead of time.
Once on the plane, it is pretty much the same as now. It was just easier getting onto that plane.
Was stranded in Boise, Idaho over 9/11. Had work to do there so did not feel the pressure of needing to return home like many.
It was strange making that first post 9/11 flight 10 days later. The atmosphere and attitude was still somber and National Guard were manning everything. Airline staff were very nice and happy to be rolling again and many pilots would give a personal note and a thanks for flying again.
The next year was a easy time to travel for business, since most leisure travel was absent. Most flights seemed half full and lines short.
The worst part was they had not really figured out security protocols. Those of us that traveled a lot seemed to get scrutinized more. I was always dreadful when my ticket would randomly appear with the SSSS code, which meant I was going to get searched about 3 different times.
Once on the plane, it is pretty much the same as now. It was just easier getting onto that plane.
Was stranded in Boise, Idaho over 9/11. Had work to do there so did not feel the pressure of needing to return home like many.
It was strange making that first post 9/11 flight 10 days later. The atmosphere and attitude was still somber and National Guard were manning everything. Airline staff were very nice and happy to be rolling again and many pilots would give a personal note and a thanks for flying again.
The next year was a easy time to travel for business, since most leisure travel was absent. Most flights seemed half full and lines short.
The worst part was they had not really figured out security protocols. Those of us that traveled a lot seemed to get scrutinized more. I was always dreadful when my ticket would randomly appear with the SSSS code, which meant I was going to get searched about 3 different times.
1
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:48 pm to LCA131
quote:
Most of the seats were similar in size to a nice leather lazy boy recliner. You could take your own liquor and beer on there. You couldn't take a full size cooler but something like a playmate was okay. All of the flight attendants were good looking, wore short skirts, and were sexy whores. If the plane wasn't full, they'd sell you a ticket at the gate for about five bucks. Most of the meals were grilled steaks oh, things like that. they actually grilled the steaks on the plane. They had a little vent windows that took the smoke out.
About like now
That was what, the 60's?
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:54 pm to LCA131
quote:
Most of the seats were similar in size to a nice leather lazy boy recliner.
For people talking about the hot stewardesses and the wide roomy seats, along with great meals, all that shite was being and had been pretty much completely phased out well before 9/11.
All that shite came about via deregulation of the industry in the 80s, when the airlines started actually competing on price.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:55 pm to UpToPar
As others have mentioned, super easy. My family all met my Dad at the gate when he returned from a 3 month work trip to Riyadh. Nobody cared or noticed that I brought my pet hermit crab with me in the pocket of my shorts.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:56 pm to DarthRebel
quote:
It was strange making that first post 9/11 flight 10 days later. The atmosphere and attitude was still somber and National Guard were manning everything. Airline staff were very nice and happy to be rolling again and many pilots would give a personal note and a thanks for flying again.
I imagine security had really ramped up on the first flights after, right? What was security like on the first flight?
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:58 pm to arseinclarse
Posted on 9/11/19 at 1:59 pm to UpToPar
I was in Japan on 9/11, and they closed the fricking country. That sucked...and we had to do all sorts of shite for international travel we didn’t have to before.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:02 pm to whoisnickdoobs
quote:
They stopped allowing that like 5 or 10 years before 9/11 if I remember correctly.
Nah, because I flew to Miami on Sept 8th and my wife and daughter dropped me off and went to the gate.
I do remember having to take my laptop out of the back and the security people had to watch it boot up. That happened several times.
This post was edited on 9/11/19 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:05 pm to UpToPar
Scruffy remembers flying to the Bahamas with his dad back in the 90s and the guy in front of us has a small package that he put in the scanner.
Interestingly, this little “gun-shaped” package contained a revolver.
They pulled him out of line and told him he could not bring that into the plane.
No one came running. Scruffy didn’t even really fun it that crazy, just interesting that someone would do that.
Definitely found that funny.
This plane also had a curtain separating the passengers from the pilots.
No door.
Interestingly, this little “gun-shaped” package contained a revolver.
They pulled him out of line and told him he could not bring that into the plane.
No one came running. Scruffy didn’t even really fun it that crazy, just interesting that someone would do that.
Definitely found that funny.
This plane also had a curtain separating the passengers from the pilots.
No door.
This post was edited on 9/11/19 at 2:09 pm
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:08 pm to whoisnickdoobs
I was a month from being 13 on 9/11 and I remember picking up/saying goodbye to family members at the gate multiple times at SHV.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:09 pm to UpToPar
quote:
I’m sure many posters here, like me, have no recollection of air travel prior to TSA and 9/11. What was it like? Did you just essentially walk onto an airplane? Was there any security?
We got BJs from the flight attendants(male or female your choice), free booze and food before and during every flight.
It was glorious..
No really it just took less time and if you had a friend or family it was neat to have them hang out with you at the gate until you boarded.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:10 pm to UpToPar
Kids were routinely invited into the cockpit during flights. The pilots would explain the controls to them and give them a flight pin. The door of the cockpit remained open most of the flight and you could see the pilots flying the plane.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:10 pm to TH03
quote:
I was a month from being 13 on 9/11 and I remember picking up/saying goodbye to family members at the gate multiple times at SHV.
As someone else has said, this practice sort of depended upon the airport and hadn't been federally mandated one way or the other. There were some that started restricting gate access beyond the metal detectors before 9/11 and a few that still allowed it. It only became standard regulations afterward.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:11 pm to vistajay
quote:Definitely remember that.
Kids were routinely invited into the cockpit during flights. The pilots would explain the controls to them and give them a flight pin. The door of the cockpit remained open most of the flight and you could see the pilots flying the plane.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:11 pm to UpToPar
Sometimes, once everything was up to cruising altitude and on autopilot, they'd let kids go up onto the flight deck and hang out with the pilots and see the view during the flight. Then they'd give the kids little plastic pilot wings.
It was fricking awesome.
It was fricking awesome.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:12 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
Wider seats, better meals.
Those seats weren't wider. The passengers were less wide.
This post was edited on 9/11/19 at 2:15 pm
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:12 pm to TigerstuckinMS
quote:
Sometimes, once everything was up to cruising altitude and on autopilot, they'd let kids go up onto the flight deck and hang out with the pilots and see the view during the flight. Then they'd give the kids little plastic pilot wings.
It was fricking awesome.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:13 pm to TH03
quote:
Pretty much. And family members/friends could wait at the gate for you to arrive or say goodbye at the gate.
I remember my dad walking all the way up to the gate and seeing me off the first time I flew in the 90s.
It was a lot less complicated.
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:13 pm to Y.A. Tittle
YOU TAKE MY VACATION FOOTAGE DOWN RIGHT NOW!
Posted on 9/11/19 at 2:13 pm to Scruffy
Kids could also visit the pilots.
Edit... geez... somebody beat me to it..
Do you think that today Frank Abagnale could deadhead all around the world the way he did?
Edit... geez... somebody beat me to it..
Do you think that today Frank Abagnale could deadhead all around the world the way he did?
This post was edited on 9/11/19 at 2:15 pm
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