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Anonymous12/28/25, 05:02No.2062036Why was flying back then more upscale and classier?
That cozy, old school cabin photo of a Delta Air Lines L1011 TriStar from the 1980s is getting people talking for one simple reason: it looks roomy. Wider looking aisles, big overhead bins, and that warm lighting that makes the whole cabin feel like a different era of flying.
Delta's own history of the L1011 explains why it felt that way. The airline called it "high, wide and handsome," noting a cabin about 8 feet high and 19 feet wide, plus wider aisles and large entry doors designed to make boarding and deplaning easier.
Delta's first revenue L1011 flight was on Dec. 15, 1973 from Atlanta to Philadelphia, and the airline ultimately flew 70 of the type, the largest L1011 fleet in the industry.
Delta retired the L1011 in 2001, after decades of domestic and international flying, including transatlantic and transpacific routes. And over time, the industry shifted hard toward efficiency and packing more people into each flight, especially after U.S. airline deregulation in 1978 changed how airlines competed. Looking at this cabin, you can see why so many travelers say, "Yeah... they really don't make it like that anymore."
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Anon12/28/25, 05:05No.2062038
because the average american wasn't 250 pounds back then. so packing the pax in like anchovies was more tolerable, and bags didn't cost $75 extra, they were included, so the cabin wasn't overstuffed with carry on bags, so the bins didn't have to be as bulky. also, most jumbo jets have higher ceilings, that's how circles work.t. been on those old planes, back in the "good old days"
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Anon12/28/25, 05:15No.2062039
Airlines hadn't started charging extra for checked baggage yet, flights often weren't completely full, so less overhead bin space was needed. A modern widebody can be ordered the same way (without middle overhead storage), but the demand for that space is so great now that no airline would.The warm lighting is probably because the film/photo was old and the photographer didn't have a filter for fluorescent lighting. They were bright white inside, at least while on the ground.The service was better then, unquestionably. Seat width and pitch was better in economy too. It took quite a while for the full effects of deregulation to manifest, the 80s were holdover regulated years where change was slow to happen because low cost carrier service was still limited compared to the majors.
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Anon12/28/25, 09:33No.2062054
Don’t post this AI rubbish here, please.
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Anon12/28/25, 09:51No.2062055
>Why was flying back then more upscale and classier?
Because it cost a lot more, retard
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Anon01/01/26, 08:22No.2062329
There is a famous economic answer for this:1) Government dictated pricing, all prices were set so high that it was "rent" making (above average returns), and airlines only competed on service2) When airlines were deregulated, prices fell rapidly such that flying became common place and affordable for everyone. For a country as large and spread out as the US, this was the desired social outcome as the government promoted transportation as a public good3) With prices competitive, planes were "right-sized", firms merged until it reached a natural monopoly number, and features priced accordingly4) The ultimate proof in the pudding is empirical evidence over the past 40 years that shows air transportation becoming extremely affordable (compared to historical prices), almost everyone can afford to fly, and flying is no longer a luxury or once-in-a-lifetime experience.If you don't like the race to the bottom, simply pay for premium cabin. Premium cabin prices today mirror what similar service cost way back when, regardless of name.
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Anon01/02/26, 01:01No.2062369
>be a clown who picks some budget airline for being 25 $ cheaper
>wonder why flying was different in the past
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Anon01/06/26, 02:34No.2062668
absolute kino interior
