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Throwback Thursday: An American Airlines 707 in 1959

Sure, we love all the speed and comfort of modern travel, but it didn't get that way overnight. Every Thursday, we're going to take a look back at travel the way it used to be, whether that's decades or centuries ago. This is Throwback Thursday, travel edition.

Last week we spent some time oohing and aahing over the newest bird in American Airlines' fleet, the Boeing 777-300ER. Rewind to 1959 however, and no traveler could imagine a flying machine shinier or more impressive than the Boeing 707.

At the time, AA handed out pamphlets to their passengers to introduce them to modern jet travel. This is one of the illustrations from such a pamphlet, and it depicts a happy little scene in coach class (yes, even that lounge was in coach) that proves while some things change (banning smoking, smaller seats, no more dressing up for a flight), others remain the same (kids with their shoes on the seat, free newspapers as reading material). Anything else?

[Image scan: Jaunted]

Historical Travel / Retro Travel / Boeing / 707 / Airplanes / Airplane News / → All Tags

Today, the First Day of the Jet Age

While it's true that the birthplace of aviation is the state of Ohio, the birth of the jet age happened on the other end of the country, in Seattle, WA when, 57 years ago today, the public got a first glimpse of Boeing's 367-80 (the "Dash-80" for short), the prototype plane which would become the 707.

While purists will point out that it was actually BOAC (the precursor to today's British Airways) who had the first commercial jetliner with their de Havilland Comet, the Boeing 707 was far more successful (and less crashy). So, we return to that day that stunned the public—August 7, 1955 at the Seafair Gold Cup Hydroplane Race.

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TV Travel / Jaunted On Location / Pan Am / John Travolta / Boeing / 707 / Pan Am TV Show / → All Tags

'Pan Am' Will Take Off in John Travolta's Boeing 707 This Week

John Travolta might not be any use to KFC, but he does have something that the producers of Pan Am want.

In the pilot episode of the hit ABC show, Long Island's Republic Airport filled in for a Cuba airstrip, and this week it will play Haiti for a scene in an upcoming episode.

The cast and crew will spend three days (October 26-28) shooting night scenes on the airport tarmac, which are to be taking place during a 1960's coup.

They'll also be using a special aircraft for the shoot: John Travolta's Boeing 707. The plane normally sports the Qantas Airlines livery, but, for the scenes, will be covered in a vinyl wrap bearing the Pan Am markings.

The plane was expected to arrive at the airport yesterday, but so far there's been no word on whether or not Travolta delivered it himself.

[Photo: IMDB.com]

Travel TV Shows / Pan Am / Retro Travel / Christina Ricci / 707 / TV Travel / Airlines / Flight Attendants / Pan Am TV Show / → All Tags

The Premiere of ABC's 'Pan Am': Bouncy Hair and Aviation History

So, did you watch the premiere episode of ABC's Pan Am last night? It seems like half the world did, from the way Twitter was blowing up about it. Of course you can't go about judging a show from its premiere eppy—it's like judging a book by its heavily-financed cover—but we'll attempt to anyway.

Yesterday evening, we were introduced to Maggie, Kate, Colette, Laura, Dean and Ted. Their complexions are perfect, their Pan Am crew uniforms perfectly starched and their curiosity for the world genuine. Alas, it's not just because they are actors, but because this is the truth of what it was really like back in the heyday of the jet age. Also it's worth noting their hair is very bouncy.

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