Your first airline flight

[Another Reader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakewood90712 PSA owned the west coast short haul routes back then, before southwest. PSA had mostly 727 and all ex navy pilots. You differently know you landed, they flew them like they were landing on a carrier

Yep. You could tell the ex military pilots in the 70's. Many were Vietnam "graduates." Besides the take offs and landings, they were the fastest taxiers on the runway. No messing around getting to and from the gate. Pull in, load up, and back out.

[ls99]

KLM, 707, Budapest to Amsterdam. My departure from Hungary. 1965.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Another Reader You could tell the ex military pilots in the 70's. Many were Vietnam "graduates."

Went for a helicopter ride on the Ile de La Réunion, circa 1986; apparently/supposedly some/all of the 'older' pilots were French, pre 1954, Vietnam veterans.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh There are some great stories here!

+1

I've flown on Aer Lingus too, probably around 2001?

My first was Memphis to KC in '78 at 21 for a job interview. Both were a success.

Someone mentioned Alleghany Air, DW and I flew them in '78 too. I remember DW being so afraid of this old plane, when the fog started filling the cabin I didn't know what to do for her. The attendant had it all together, "don't worry honey it aways does that".

[Nodak]

My first flight was on Northwest in the spring of 1969 from Minneapolis MN to Grand Forks ND. If I remember correctly the ticket cost about $15.

[Cobra9777]

Wow, I can't recall for sure. It must have been a Southwest flight from Dallas to New Orleans when I was a freshman or sophomore in college. I remember flying over the holidays to visit family because the fare was like $25. This was 1979 or 1980.

I know we never flew anywhere when I was a kid growing up in the 60s and 70s. We drove everywhere. Although I do recall a helicopter flight around New Orleans when I was about 5, and a Cessna flight over our suburban house when I was maybe 8.

[timo2]

9 years old, from Malta to Naples, with a stop in Sicily. (Dad was in the US Navy)

[bssc]

1960, leaving Tehran headed back to Washington on PanAm. For some reason, we went through Anchorage, where the picture was from. Everyone worn suits and ties back the. For State, it was mandatory.

[BrianB]

Growing up in a small Midwest farm town, travel was by car or bus only. Never even thought about flying!
First flight was in 1980: Minneapolis to Shannon (Ireland) to Copenhagen for a college study abroad program. I don't remember why Northwest Orient used Shannon, but I think all of their Europe flights stopped there.

That year started a life long love of travel - I'm writing this from an airBnB in Amsterdam, first stop on a three week trip for DW and I.

Regarding the question: Northwest Orient became Northwest, then part of Delta. How does that count?

[Meadbh]

FYI, Wikipedia has a list of defunct airlines.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...funct_airlines

[Winemaker]

DF was a cleaner/fueler/mechanic for Capital Airlines which combined with United 3 or 4 years old after I was born. Many trips to DC and FL on DC-3s and Viscounts. Flew first class and always had to wear "church clothes" even as a crumb snatcher, but was too young to remember flying Capital; I do remember flying United as a older toddler/gradeschooler.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakewood90712 Do you remember your first flight? What age ? Is the airline still in business ? ...

No. I think I was 6... in any event, really young and no longer in business. Yellowbird from Montpelier, VT to Boston. I do remember frequently going to the airport to watch the planes landing and taking off... my Dad like such things and it was cheap entertainment for his young son.

[gamboolman]

Age 18, I think American Airlines? Flew to San Diego I think? To go Camp Pendleton to see my best friend graduate from the Marines.
I still remember being shocked at his salty language.
The graduation ceremony and seeing the Marine Base - made a big impression on me.

[ABQ2015]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo January 6, 1970 at the ripe old age of 23. It was in a DC-9 operated by Texas International Airlines (TI), formerly Trans Texas Airlines (TTA), commonly known as "Tree Top Airlines", which merged with Continental and again with United Airlines. So is it still in business? Depends on your perspective. Not only was this my first airline flight, this was the first time I'd ever set foot in an aircraft of any type.

My first flight was also on TI around the same time. I must have been 15 years old and flew from El Paso to Baton Rouge. It was a rather small plane at a very inexpensive fare - I have no idea of the model. My next flight was more than 10 years later in the early 80's on a much larger plane from Albuquerque to Washington, DC. Probably TWA.

[I was misinformed]

Age 21, with a flight from Ottawa to JFK (via Montreal) on Air Canada. Undertaken to attend grad school in exotic New Jersey.

"Air Canada" is still in business, but the government owned national flag carrier I flew on was privatized in the 1980's and went through a bankruptcy in the 2000's.

[jabbahop]

I remember the first time flying without a parent. I was 13 and flew with my younger brother and sister from montreal to Hamburg Germany on a 747 to spend the summer with my father who was on sabbatical there.

Two "interesting" incidents. My brother was 8 needed to go to the bathroom so I pointed the way. After over an hour I noticed (very attentive older brother!) that he hadn't returned . I walked all over and couldn't find him. Finally I started knocking on all the bathroom doors calling his name. Finally I hear a soft cry saying the door was stuck. Sure enough he had pushed the door and knocked it of the track. One of the pilots had to come get him out.

We then get to london for our connection and are escorted by a very pleasant English attendant. She was talking with me and I didn't understand her accent so just nodded politely and said yes. We are finally walked to the baggage claim and I reluctantly asked her where our next plane is going to be? She had a panicked look on her face and read the itinerary tags around our neck realizing three little americans were now going to miss their connection.

We had no way of reaching my dad @ the airport so landed in Hamburg and had to talk with more people with strange accents and figure out how to call him and have him drive the two hours back to the airport to pick us up. A great introduction to international unaccompanied travel.

After a rough start, it was a fantastic summer in Germany tooling around in a VW camper van.

[pb4uski]

My high school girlfriend's little brother's first flight was very eventful. He was flying to basic training and his flight was hijacked.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Not only was this my first airline flight, this was the first time I'd ever set foot in an aircraft of any type.

One more fact: this flight was to San Antonio to enter training to become a pilot in the Air Force. An example of leap before you look.

[HFWR]

1972, age 17, flight from Louisville to Baltimore, with a stop in Cincinnati. Think it was Piedmont.

[Bamaman]

World Airlines charter in 1970 from Memphis to Munich non-stop. It cost $205 round trip, and was part of our going to the University of Innsbruck for the Summer. school.

World Airlines was one of the big charter outfits hauling soldiers to Vietnam.