"Fly Cheryl. Fly National"

[bigtampabear]

I started with National in 1974,,then Pan Am till 1984,,,then with American till 2009,now retired, and sick of luggage!!! My dad was a mechanic with Eastern..will always be in my blood...

[2hatelibs]

I did...

[dondiega]

Nice video thanks, I worked for National in Miami and then Pan Am, two of the best jobs I have had in my life, I still think about them all the time.

[ebf1957]

I was at the St. Petersburg Airport flying from Tampa to Chicago and while waiting for my flight I saw a regional airline that had the National Airlines log.

[alienhuman]

I was a life guard in high school at an apartment high rise pool with the pool on the roof. The place was locally called a "Stew Zoo" There were over 300 flight attendants living there. I was normally the only guy at the pool. National stews were the wildest and how should I say.... the most "fun".

[dwbush777]

This really takes me back to when I lived in Panama City, Florida and would watch the National Airlines' B-727s land and take-off.

[stevengornitzky]

I have china and playing cards all with the National Airlines Sunking Logo!

[neweast1]

nice too see those national sunburst 727 on the ramp at lga.

[MrAeronca100]

My old home! the best Job and company you could ever have, I left when Pam Am took over..............retired Fedex now (25 yrs) I will naver forget the fun at National, when people ask me who I worked for I jump to say National, Fedex for me was just a job!

[doulasc]

South Florida will never be South Florida again without National,Eastern and Pan Am.

Those three airlines are what made Florida,Florida.

[todd954]

SKY KING !

[SueSnell]

LOL! Is this for real? Such great photos. So... National's motto was to pick the name of a stewardess - Cheryl, Maggie - and make it into a sexual innuendo? Fly Cheryl... Fly Maggie... genius. Really.

[rectaltemp]

Many of their flight attendants liked "anal" and would tally how many times they got it, introducing the younger girls to it.

[johnxaxhays]

I'm a mechanic at DL in DTW. The turmoil that has engulfed our whole industry is without parallel. My heart bleeds for all of those who sacrificed so much, only to see the bottom drop out of the airline industry knowing my turn may well be next

[MNBluestater]

Sorry to be a killjoy, but "I'm Cheryl...Fly Me"??? C'mon , serious ? Got to be the lowest point in the history of airline advertising and disrespect of "stewardesses..."

[MOMLUVBONE]

@MNBluestater

NA only had 2, 747-200's. We got them from NW. Real fuel guzzlers, but a class ride.

[silentnonrev]

is that a photoshopped 747-400, or is it just the camera angle that makes it look stretched?

I knew a lady who defected from Pan Am to National...she was a bit nonplussed when NA got taken over and she wound up back where she started!

[clipper1145]

my dad usad to work for National in chs i see ther a national 757 livere for fs 2004 wer did you get it how can i get it thank you

[jimdep333]

I flew on the 747 (I believe National operated 2 of them) around 1972 as an 8 year old from JFK to MIA and back. What a memorable experience when the pilot came back, during the flight no less, and pinned plastic wings on my lapel. And yes, my Mother dressed me up back then. Nowadays I've sat next to people wearing pajamas on a red eye and the pilots bolt themselves into the cockpit. It's sure not like I remember as a kid that's for sure.

[cosmotcat]

Agreed. It used to be fun. I flew a 'Steak and Eggs Champagne Breakfast Flight" outta Detroit to Florida one cold, snowy morning. It was great. Now they just herd you on like a bunch of cattle and throw a 'snack' at you.

[022921]

Nice while they lasted.  Unfortunately, never got the chance to fly National to Key West.

[nalsdc8s]

Great video. loved National and still do. No one else compared :)

[deanbush]

I remember the very first "SunKing" DC10 that I ever saw; it was at JFK. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I flew often to Washington, D.C. on the 727-232 and always enjoyed it.

[stewardess4nal]

Bud Maytag was our second CEO, after Ted Baker who started our airline 75 years ago this October. We were the only airline that both CEO's were licensed pilots! I love the comments from the passengers, our goal was to make your flight enjoyable!

It was sad to see our airline merge and eventually the great Pan American close their doors in 1991..

I loved my years as a stewardess/flight attendant.

Thank you all!

The Sun Still Shines!

Suzanne

[flightcrew]

Hi, were you based in MIA? If so, do you remember Nancy Mahon? Thanks...

[TJDOZIER1]

I worked on probably every airplane in this video when I worked for NAL at LAX from 72-76.

[pastlifewife4]

You made the toil of travel a tad bit more tolerable. Thanks National.

[pilot1962]

National Airlines is how an airline is run! My first airlane trip was in August 1976 I was 12 yrs old and flying by meself to Miami on a red eye from LAX. My stops where New Orleans, Tampa and then Miami. My stewardess was CeCe. She made my trip very memorable, I really enjoyed my trip. I flew frequently after that and always on National, it was such a personal ariline!

[Bluebonnett52]

National was about a cool airline...

[ddogg845]

my grandfather worked as a ramp agent for them

[stewardess4nal]

I loved that you honored my airline. I wish I could have you add our "Watch Us Shine" song which is on our web site, NationalSundowners. I have loads of airplanes, Electra, my favorite and the great B-747. I started in 1963 retired in 1977, I grew up with my airline and have remained friends with many, now some work at Delta, who my husband was a pilot with. If you wish to copy any of my pictures from the web site, use our song, just leave a comment and I will help.

[sphmusak]

I flew National alot from LAX to Maimi and Ft Myers. The best dinner I EVER had on an airline was on National. We flew from MIA to LAX and had steak and lobster in coach!! This was back in the day when a 19 year old could drink liquor on a flight.

Oh man, those were the days. Too bad Pan Am took National down with it when it ceased operations.

[ALilyRose]

Can anyone recognize the young woman at 1:20-1:21? Is that Lucy Brown? :(

At 0:24-0:26 the flight attendant on the left in the banner ad campaign was in my class. Her name was Cynthia. We were in the 1st class after the rehire of F/As in 1976. :) It was a really nice group of people.

We were also no longer called "airline stewardesses." We graduated as "flight attendants." Flying was elegant. I thoroughly enjoyed my days there and even later with Pan Am, when I got my first trip to Paris! :D

[cmf1965]

"I'm National...Fly Me!" This airline was owned by Bud Maytag. (Yup...the washing machine!!!). So sad to see it go...

[HRMOKeefe]

Remember Skeeter Royal buzzing the 1973 Great Miami Air Race in a 747 (or was it a DC-10?)

My brother flew for them and loved it, Pan Am was a dumb bureacracy compared to NAL,

[MimosaDrive]

It was a 747 and at an airshow at Tamiami airport. I never saw a 747 climb so steeply.

[etienne818]

I remember National Airlines quite well - they had quite a history - back in the day when flying was an adventure. The Pan Am/National merger was the worst idea ever - PA was by then losing mountains of money and they took National down with them. Sad.

[Sargebri]

Amen to that. The two airlines I flew to New Orleans were National and Delta.

However, the only thing I didn't like about National was the no-frills flying. That meant no meals or stereo. That definitely sucked.

[xpaastw]

Now every flight is a "no frills" flight! We, NAL, used to serve a hot meal between TPA and MSY. Today, you would not be offered anything! Those were the glory days of air travel!

[doulasc]

@etienne818 If Pan Am did not buy National,Frank Lorenzo would have gotten the airline,That would not have been good either.

[eileenfitz1965]

I started flying with National Airlines in 1965..then PanAm...then Delta and Song. I retired last month after 44 years.

National was when I was very young. OMG, it was fun.

We were the sassiest F/A's out there !!

A DC-10 had my name, "Eileen" on it. How cool is that?

I grew-up on Pan Am, and saw the world,it was FABULOUS.

Song was like going back to NAL. Song rocked!

Grew old on Delta. LOL

Eileen Fitzgibbons

[TWTR4EVER]

@eileenfitz1965 I second that emotion! I started with TWA in 1976, based in JFK-International you guys were next door on terminal #6 (The Glass Palace) later on TWA Terminal B. I'm from Miami and did most of my commuting with NA, it was so convenient and you guys were not only great professionals but friendly and not corporate fake friendly, honestly friendly. TW had only one flight a day in and out of Miami, TW#004-JFK/MIA and TW#5-MIA/JFK, you guys and Eastern got me back and forth to work!

[MilliVanilli2007]

@eileenfitz1965 God I would love to hear all your Pan Am stories. I envy you.

[Gooberwalla]

@eileenfitz1965 You worked in the industry during the golden age of air travel.

[maxpowz]

Nice National tribute, which merged into Pan Am in 1980 (which is why you kids out there never heard of it!) The only major airline that flew into my hometown, Ft. Myers, Fla. for many years. An Electra picture would be nice!

[doulasc]

Pan Am slaughtered Nationals route system,I think all Pan Am wanted were their Miami to Europe routes despite the fact they said they

wanted Domestic routes.You can also blame deregulation too.

[WCD73]

My godfather was a steward for National Airlines back in the 70's!!!

[paramorerlove]

awesome video!

you're my best FRIDEN!

[EmmyRossumFanForLife]

awesome!

[296bry296]

lol never heard of the airline lol

[samrammstein13]

I haven't heard of them either

[randomICEstuff]

great tribute!

[hakonbm]

Nice vid!

What is the name of the song?

:-D

[296bry296]

Brahhda IZ- Over the Rainbow

[jhonny2131993]

nice video!