Responding to Floooky 1: Don't know about Stephanie but I (BONNIE) don't fly anymore and continued to work in commercials and film. Have been in Screen Actor's Guild for over 35 years now, became an overseas community liaison officer for the American Embassy, a background investigator and substitute teacher! ;-)
Wow....that widebody had only 8 seats across. It looks so comfortable! Air France, World Airways and Omni have 10 seats across (so did Pan Am and ATA). Sinful.
Who cares? We all fly whichever airline is two cents cheaper than the other. They'll be tying us down with ropes on wooden boards someday soon, and we'll drink water only if there's condensation inside the cabin.
Great commercial. I've always wished I could have flown on an L-1011. I did fly on TWA a couple of times. My first time with TWA was on a really old B727, but hey we got there. Great old airline, sorry it's gone.
@trainluvr Your very welcomed indeed! TWA was a great airline to work for.. I have 35 years with them before I got booted....I also like your sign in name... I'm an Avid Amtrak lover... I always get the room when I travel...have a great day! :)
I feel so much pride every time I watch this OLD commercial and remember how classy and wonderful this airline and airline crew was for TWA for all of my 22 years with them...the management under Carl Ichan was a WHOLE OTHER story however.........! So VERY sad!!!! BONNIE MINER BILLINGTON TWA, Class of 1976
@bonniebillington HI Bonne, Robert here, Class of 1975, ORD, STL, JFK based with TW.... I agree with you very much....TWA was a great airline until HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED chimed in....I continued for two years until I was given my walking papers....retired now altogether... wasn't TWA the best? SALUT Mon Ami!
I feel so much pride every time I watch this OLD commercial and remember how classy and wonderful this airline and airline crew was for TWA for all of my 22 years with them...the management under Carl Ichan was a WHOLE OTHER story however.........! So VERY sad!!!! BONNIE MINER BILLINGTON TWA, Class of 1976
Never flew on one but saw them at the airport. @CE750, you're right. They deregulated and now flying sucks. When you have to cater to a mass audience, you have to cater to the lowest common denominator. Just look at what's on TV. Duhello88- Yes, they were that spacious. I flew on a Pan Am 747 in 1970 and that is an even larger a/c. I can remember when flying was nice.
The L-1011 was/is a great, beautiful aircraft as so many have said. It had superb engineering, and for its time was very advanced. I've known several acft mechs who've told me the RB211 is one of the best engines they worked on. I always remember the solidity and smoothness of the ride. I always felt Douglas/McDD rushed the DC-10 design to beat the L-1011 in service, leading to some troubling crashes early on. Thats just my opinion though
The first time I recall flying on a TWA L-1011 was back in 1974 to go to my aunts wedding in Pittsburgh. I was about 9 years old at the time and had been on smaller planes including the 707 and 727 and I was blown away by the width of the L-1011. I had flown on it many times to go back east to see my relatives throughout the 70's and 80's. Today, the 767 and 777 are comparable to the L-1011. Unfortunately, the experience isn't the same as many airlines are trying to emulate low cost carriers.
I'm only 15 so i've never flown on a L-1011, could someone tell me is it really as wide and spacious as it looks on the ad or is that a set. Obviously no planes these days look like that
@Duhello88 I'm only 14, so I havent travelled the L-1011, and I wish I could, especially with TWA, but I've heard from people who have flown her that she was just as amazing as the advert makes out! But all the people who I talk 2 are airline geeks like me, so that's proberbly a biased opinion!
@Duhello88 I'm 25 years old now and I remember flying on one of these beauties when I was 10 or 11, and I can tell you it really is that spacious. That was an interesting flight for me because I was sitting RIGHT in the middle surrounded by people and i accidentally spilled scolding hot tea on my lap! I wish I got to fly on one of these again as it really was such a cool and well built airplane.
@Duhello88 Well, the L-1011's RR RB211 were very loud, especially the third engine. I think the plane was comfy, as I can't remember. I have an image of me sitting in Delta's L-1011's ecomony section. The seat cusion had flowers on it and was different. The L-1011 was a plane of the 70s, so was it's cabin design. It was designed for longhaul routes like Frankfurt-Atlanta or Düsseldorf-Bahrain-Male. I also remember a flight FRA-IAD and back with that plane. (2 to follow.)
(2nd part) The L-1011 was the plane for the best days of aviation. Now everything is rushed over. Planes are carrying the max config of seats. The L-1011 was the plane for the Atlantic Ocean, now airlines are also taking 757s over the pond. It's ridicolous how aviation changed after 9/11. It's sad the see the 727, DC-10, L-1011 and B741/2 going. But also governmental requirements are putting these planes out of service.
@Duhello88 Ive flown on L1011's with TWA and Delta. They really were that big and wide, though delta squeezed another seat into the middle section. But those planes really were big comfortable and if I recall very quiet.
Ive been flying since the late 60's and the Airline industry did not change until 911. Everything changed no more meal service no more silverware Playing cards it's sad your lucky if they throw you a bag of peanuts on a coast to coast flight ! American Airlines served a Steak Dinner on a 2 hour flight to Chicago from Rhode Island I don't really enjoy flying like I used to I miss the L-1011's I flew them on DELTA and TWA great aircraft Spaceous seats great service !
Wow, that's a great ad. They knocked it out of the park with that one. What the hell happened to TWA? What a great product. Only republican criminal treachery could cause a fantastic product like TWA to go out of business.
@madnavigator Yeah, I know. Didn't Ichan have some sort of insane severance deal where he got to sell tickets for cheaper than it cost T-way to produce a revenue passenger mile? Something like that? I heard that played a big part.
"Most advanced flight control system in commercial aviation" - ten years later, with the advanced two-crewed 757s and 767s, and the digital fly-by-wire A320 just stating to come off the production line, those flight control systems became inferior very quickly!
"It's got quiet Rolls-Royce engines" - not ones like on 787s, A380s and Qantas 747s that go bang all of a sudden!
@lcmortensen Uh, sorry, but the Airbus A380 uses Rolls-Royce engines that do indeed go "BANG" once in a while! Engines are not perfect, so it falls to the designer of the aircraft they're mounted on to ensure that it will continue to fly in a safe manner, should one decide it's time to give up the ghost!
@mygoatisdead I'm anti-social because I would rather do something fun or productive, rather than watch some boring old film on a CRT screen? LOL stfu you ignorant old fart. :/
@MEareCAT you do something productive? You must be thinking about you jacking off onto some Hello Kitty poster, you stupid little boy. It's a shame you need to get so defensive, when I'm obviously commenting on the merits and community "feel" of everyone engaged in a movie on a plane, instead you're a fucking lemming searching your Iphone for the latest Twilight werewolf poster.
P.S. I'm not old, I'm in my prime -- approaching 40 but still livin large. So suck it
So glad I grew up loving planes and flying during those days. The only thing that comes even close is Jetblue E-190 as far ad coach comfort and a big window. It's too bad there's no meal service on this short/medium range aircraft.
@hotelgulf718 >>>Poor service has to do with the downfall of the USA domestic airline industry! I just returned from a 40 day European trip on which I flew JFK to VCE (New York to Venice) on Delta Airlines, outstanding service, visited Croatia (Dubrovnik) Istanbul (Turkey) Corfu, Mykonos, Santorini, Athens (Greece) Madrid, Seville & Ibiza (Spain) I flew Aegean Airlines between Athens & Madrid full breakfast flight on A320 unlike here in the USA four flight attendants 3 in back 1 on front!
@TWTR4EVER Jimmy Carter's deregulation has to do with the downfall of USA domestic service. Google it. One wave of his presidential pen has us at a point that whoever can afford a Greyhound bus ticket can now afford to fly. Don't blame the airlines about the greyhound in the sky mentality. Blame that horse's ass jimmy carter.
@jimdep333 I totally disagree with you blaming President Jimmy Carter & Deregulation for the downfall of the Airline Industry!
WE AMERICANS BELIEVE ON "FREE ENTERPRISE" not "MONOPOLIES" as we have empowered Boeing in the Commercial Aviation manufacturing!
As I started my career in TWA right around the birth of Deregulation (1976) I lived & witnessed GREEDY, INCOMPETENT CEO's of the day choosing to over expand based on greed & poor vision instead of making alliances to strengthen each other!
I got to fly on the L-1011 as a Flight Attendant for Delta when I started in 1998..but they retired shortly after I started..I was born in 1977 so I guess I came alone too late to enjoy that great plane!! :(
@cameplaitbeaucoup More people checked baggage back then, no fees. Also most carry on luggage was stowed under the seat in front of you. The L-1011 was coming out of a generation of aircraft that had overhead open "racks" only to be used for pillows, blankets and coats. Also middle seat passengers could use the then "oversize overhead compartments" along the side seats.
@500tristar >> I graduated TWA's Breech Academy in MCI late spring 1976 when on line based in JFK-International and FAA certified on DC-9, B707, B727, B747, L1011 our B707 that belonged to that earlier generations of planes have been already retrofitted with ample overhead bins just like the early B727-100 & DC-9/ 30.
What a great airplane, the Tristar. TWA had a great fleet of these beauties, it was always nice seeing those L'10s at LAX along with the 747-131's, going to the East and Europe. Those were great days in the 70s, I do not know what is happening now, air travel is a total joke, people have no class or appreciation.
A TWA L-1011 flight was my first flight that I can clearly remember as a child. It was from San Francisco to Kennedy. The L-1011 surely was a beautiful machine.
@applesweeter Why do passengers really look forward to recieving a meal on longer flights only to be dissapointed by the poor quality and taste when they eat it?
In Asia, most airlines give the best food for passengers as a competitive advanetages in market. They will provide a tasteful meal even for a 3 hours flight.
@applesweeter Oh, I am referring to US airlines like AA, Delta, NWA and United on international flights, and even just 10 years ago on many domestic flights.
Thank goodness AA bought TWA, or all those people would have lost everything!! TWA would never have survived after 9-11!! At least now, they got retirement!
@dfwjcj Screw you and AA/AMR! We would have rather gone down on our demise than join AA/AMR! Our pensions were solid, that's one of the assets AA/AMR was attracted too, we didn't need American for our retirement, what are you on? Lithium? What a fool!! United/Continental & Delta/NorthWest are going to have American for breakfast, I for one can't wait to see American in ruins!
How nostalgic. I flew on a RAF Tristar to Bermuda in November 1991. At least the RAF still retain them. Beautiful machine. The Deltic of aviation with those RB211 engines.
@trainluvr An Eastern Airlines L-1011 from JFK to San Juan P.R. was my second jet aircraft trip 7-15-80,I was 13 yrs. old & hated flying then,I miss those planes. P.S. I operate subway trains for a living in N.Y.C.
I never flew with a L-1011, but I love those seventies and eighties jetairliners and commercials. My first airtrip was from Hamburg (Germany) to Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) with B727 in 1977 - good old times!
@sactiger That she was, not only beautiful a Flight Attendants dreams to work it! Everything ran smooth as silk unlike her imitator the DC-10/ MD-11! We at TWA only had L1011 but from friends who flew for PA (Pan Am) who operated both, the L1011 & the DC-10/MD-11 this was a well known fact among the industry!
I believe the DC-10-30 back in the day for many airlines also had 5 seats in the middle. The thing is that I think back then, economy class really was not as horrible as it is today. And of course, we were served food and drinks.
I remember this commercial from childhood. Instead of L-1011 service to the east, here in Ohio it was L-1011 service to California. I wanted to go to LA so badly when I was in high school. When I did go to California I flew into SFO on an American Airlines 767
I love the fact that the TriStar and DC10-10 had the cool lower deck galleys. Nowadays, after a 3 hour meal service, we're starving and in roll the passengers to the galley to stand and watch you eat!
Trivia, so if this commercial was shown in NY did they change the audio to " Flights to the west " ?. And wow I remember the days of full meal service in coach, steak, very nice. Many people used to bash airline meals, I'm probably one of a few that actually liked it. I wonder if this type of service will ever come back some day, or is it really gone forever like the dinosaurs ?
The L1011 was a great aircraft created at our peak of ingenuity. Now the rage is twin engines with plastic composites B787& A350 we'll see how this goes, because we humans have a way of bringing everything full circle and this new generation aircrafts have "Comet" written all over them, new technology, barely tested and too many chances! Both projects are plagued with delays on delivery, The L1011-500 & B747SP still my favorites!
TWA flew from Los Angeles(Lax) San Francisco (SFO) Seattle(SEA) Portland(PDX) San Diego(SAN) to the east, Boston(BOS) New York (LGA & JFK) Washington (IAD &DCA) transcontinental flights!
Yes, we did serve Filet Mignon in Coach Class in our Transcontinental Flights! (1970's) It was a small 4oz with a small baked potato and small salad and small piece of apple pie, movie, decent leg room and no drama! Those were the last days of true airline service!
@TWTR4EVER and also widebody on transcontinental, today many airlines use B737 or Airbus 320 to fly New york-SFO for example....5hours seated in cramped condition...no room for gourme dinning.
@am1966ath Last week I flew from FLL to SFO on a A320 from Virgin America, you're right on the money with your comment! I'll tell you something, I'll fly Virgin America because after what American Airlines did to TWA, I will not patronize them and the only other nonstop choice is out of MIA on AA, AMERICAN AIRLINES NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@TWTR4EVER TWA and PANAM were airlineses from another time. With deregulation 1978, flying in the US became greyhoundbus on vings. This development we now have in Europe as well. Big carriers like KLM or Lufthansa you can fly for 3-4jours from say Amsterdam to Istanbul or Frankfurt to Alexandria,
in cramped B737 or 319 where before they had airbus300 or even DC8
with china,crockery,glass and warm meals they now serve sandwich.
@am1966ath No doubt that deregulation in 1978 brought new challenges to all carriers specially TW & PA but BI (Braniff) was one of the first to suffer and they were a solid carrier who always gave PA a run for their money on the Central & South America routes, they had a co-share Concorde route together with BA but competing in the USA domestic market prove to be the undoing of all! I always thought to maintain feeders for the International routes but never to try to compete domestic!
@TWTR4EVER also low fares is a hoax, you get cheap fares when booking a lifetime in advance..otherwise you pay a huge fare and sit with people who has paid a third of what you have paid. No catering.
I dont like that the use 320 or 757 to Hawaii...with all that water for 5hours they should use a B777 or 747.
@am1966ath Now a days is not about comfort or safety, only profits! If they could get the FAA to certify and Commuter Jet (Brasilia) they will fly you to Hawaii on it!
@am1966ath I graduated Breech Academy in MCI on 5/76 I was based in JFK as I was language qualified both in spanish and portuguese, I flew mainly JFK/MAD/JFK or JFK/LIS/BCN/LIS/JFK The first was B747-100 or 200 the second was L-1011 (my favorite after the B747SP)
@KYLEAKAFLYBOIK The L1011, L1011-500, B747-100, B747-200, B747-SP they all had projection screens and TV sets that through the old format of VHS/ PAL according to the nationality of the airline carrier showed movie features and even aircraft emergency procedures of each particular aircraft.
i am not an expert, but i paid almost $900 for an urgent flight from Miami to NY on TWA and the plane was a piece of crap and i got 1 bag of peanuts and a plastic glass of coke. Terrible condition that DC9,
All airlines have aging pieces of equipment and we had many, that was part of the mistakes that our dubious CEO's imposed on us, the Acquisition of Ozark Airlines instead of updating the fleet was a mistake, you provably flew in one we inherit from them! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, I'm sure our cabin crew were more than willing to assist you besides a coke! We were all trained on dealing with passengers in distress.
You would think they would want to have a subsidiary operating. Retail chains do that all the time. AA got its hands on another old carrier---O.Roy Chalk's Trans-Caribbean. They sold it for stock rather than cash, so that once made Chalk the largest shareholder. Sooner or later, American Airlines will be bought or have to merge.
AMR/AA don't like competition! There aim is to acquire, absorb Annihilate! There were crew from TansCaribbean in TWA, I'm good friends with one! As soon as American took over she left for TWA in the 1970's, what an irony! American will have to deal with US (USAir) CO (Continental) or UA (United) As DL/NW(Delta/Northwest) merged, those remaining will have to in order to survive, is "survival of the fittest" and who ever has to deal with AA better be ruthless! They don't merge, they acquire!
From previous history AA don't do mergers they are the acquisition experts (TransCaribbean & TWA) in both cases a good bulk of the workforce sooner better than later gets vanished! I despise them totally, today I will take all options before even considering then on my travels! What they did to TWA is despicable! Jet Blue has many of TWA crews and are very well appreciated!
Yes, many of us are having second lives at JetBlue and I for one am having a blast! It is great to be back in the air, especially when running into old friends! Great memories, an new ones to be made. No one is going to clip these wings! :)
nycflyer>>>Congratulations! Is not that I feel old but at 53 to start all over again up the seniority roaster and commuting with all the uncertainty in the industry, I thought of Virgin America now that they're committing to FLL? That's a maybe!
I hear you, it is hard to start over! here I am after twenty years flying and only 2 years seniority to show for it! I flew briefly at TWA-'96-'97, then furlough time so off to DAL for 6 years. Took a break after 9/11 and missed it terribly. I am SOO glad to be back, even though it is VERY different than I remember. Seems it is in the heart and i just can't let go! i think you would have a ball, and I recommend jetBlue highly. I hear good stuff about VA too. hope to see you up in the air!
nycflyer>>>I was with TW 76/86 left during the Carl Icahn Flight Attendant Strike for TR (Trans*Brasil Airlines) and remain with them until they folded in 2001 I do miss flying and the lifestyle but things have change, they were changing by 2001 for sure and the thought of starting with no seniority and maybe having to commute it doesn't inspired me at all! Do you live on your base?
@TWTR4EVER I am based at JFK, but I commute from LAX or BUR. It is a lot, but I fly part time, 9 days a month, so I put it all together and come back once a month. I couldn't do it full time, it is just too far. But once a month is nice. Actually I make a little mini vacation out of it, and it is nice to get away from home and all its responsibilites for just a few days before or after a trip!
nycflyer>>>How does Jet Blue works the bidding? Part time in my day was reserve and you had very little to say or chose your routes never mind living away from your base!
Yeah , it is a shame when management lets the whole team down. But, PanAm came back a few times, didn't it???? I also noticed that railroad up Northeast is called PanAmerican and uses the actual, old Pan Am air logo. The PanAm boxcars pass through my area from time to time.
Braniff, Pan Am, National they all tried comebacks but without the assets, (gates, landing rights, hangars) is a losing battle against those who own the assets you once had! TW I doubt they'll be able AMR/AA owns the name and trust me, they want her dead and buried!
Cattle is correct!!!! Back then there were so many carriers that we lost. Remember National, Braniff, and lets not forget Eastern?? It is sad that the grand days of luxury don't exist as much anymore on rail, or in the air. Remember the days of real meals, and serving peanuts? I still CANNOT believe that both TWA and PanAm had to fold. There must have been some way to compete. I heard TWA was in part from the greed of one man. I still don't see why it had to happen. A real shame.
I was base in JFK-1 but my family lived in Miami, we only had one flight a day TW#4 left around 7:30pm and TW#5 coming back MIA/JFK so my commuting was done on Eastern & National that use to be next to us on JFK terminal 6 that later became our second terminal!
Carl Icahn's arrival in 85/86 resume of his previous acquisitions was the warning of our demise! In 86/87 The Flight Attendant strike was brutal and he let the company bleed so he could really liquidate her! At the end W.F.Compton was the final blow! The TW/IAM union and the AMR/AA union manage to put TW personal in the bottom of the seniority list! They use 9/11 to furlough TW personal and by overworking AA crews they surpass the legal 5 year time limit to bring them back! They are gone!
PanAm and TWA have always been my favs!!!! I once called around to see which airline had the best price for the same trip between two points. Back then, my several calls to each airline gave me the impression that US Air had the best prices at the time, followed by Piedmont. Piedmont had the nicest operators hands down!!!! I experienced that TWA and PanAm had rude customer service and very high prices, ........which may not have helped them compete in the market very well. Sad they folded.
Price is not always a good choice, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR! USAir and Piedmont were regional carriers, USAir became out of Alleghany Airlines they were a feeder of TWA for International, great for a pedal hop between Charlotte and New York, across the atlantic? I don't think so! They came into our Terminal 5 in JFK! Pan Am & TWA were the reliable airlines for transcontinental or transatlantic flights, never we meant to compete with local carriers until deregulation in the 1970's!
Yep, TWA and PanAm could never compete with the lower cost carriers that popped up. You may have paid for great service on TWA, but middle class travelers save all year for a trip and "cannot afford" extra frills. That is why Southwest has become the power house with US travel. As for transcon service, United and Lufthansa have always given carriers a run for their money. Luckily, United (a super carrier) and Lufty are still flying today. I am surprised American has made it this far.
AMR/AA tells their passengers they're special, while treating them like cattle, and because they've mastered an aura of professionalism that is really a bully at work, people buy it,
I don't, I will not fly AA!!! Domestic WN(Southwest) &B6(JBlue) are reliable, but for long trips CO/DL (Continetal &Delta) never AA(American Airlines)!
Truly my favorite, JFK Base/ L1011-500/ TW 904 JFK/MAD / Favorite Layover! Left for TR (TRANS*BRASIL AIRLINES) after the CARPETBAGGER CARL ICAHN strike of 86/87 and was with the until they also folded in 2000. Today I'm retired living in SOBE / Florida! I still call TW home, AA NEVER!
When the Eastern Airlines strike got me booted from my Boston-Miami flight in '89, I got put on a Delta L-1011 in first class. Roger Rabbit was the inflight movie. That plane was a hot rod. Seemed like we were hardly rolling on the packed snow at Logan when we rotated up.
2-4-2 was positive luxury! I am sure that the BA Tristars flew with a 3-4-3 config in Economy!
AndrewJM70 6 days ago
Responding to Floooky 1: Don't know about Stephanie but I (BONNIE) don't fly anymore and continued to work in commercials and film. Have been in Screen Actor's Guild for over 35 years now, became an overseas community liaison officer for the American Embassy, a background investigator and substitute teacher! ;-)
bonniebillington 1 month ago
@bonniebillington Thanks Bonnie, sounds like quite a life. Cheers. :-)
floooky1 1 week ago
I find it interesting that they now put 9 people where 6 used to sit................cheap ass American air carriers!!!
jaytduce 1 month ago
long live the 1011!
onebadlt123 2 months ago
My left ear is lonely...
myrandomspaces 4 months ago
damned shame Lockheed stopped making airliners!
slh950 4 months ago
WOW! just the opposite of today!
canamwing 4 months ago
Wow....that widebody had only 8 seats across. It looks so comfortable! Air France, World Airways and Omni have 10 seats across (so did Pan Am and ATA). Sinful.
Drillin4Oil 5 months ago
TWA = That Wonderful Airline
kalvin197 5 months ago
Do you think that Stephanie 0:12 looks like Karen Black from Airport 1975?
jacksonkidd 5 months ago
Who cares? We all fly whichever airline is two cents cheaper than the other. They'll be tying us down with ropes on wooden boards someday soon, and we'll drink water only if there's condensation inside the cabin.
gvt2u 6 months ago
So what ever became of Bonnie and Stephanie?
floooky1 6 months ago
The 1011 was a great plane, even in coach but before they got greedy and stuck that 5th seat in the center of the middle 4.
strafrag1 6 months ago
I like the mock up of the flt deck, cardboard consoles lol
scoop2004 8 months ago 2
Notice the 2x4x2 seating configuration. Once deregulation took place and cheap fares became the norm, that went to 2x5x2 seating.
expoboy52 8 months ago
Great commercial. I've always wished I could have flown on an L-1011. I did fly on TWA a couple of times. My first time with TWA was on a really old B727, but hey we got there. Great old airline, sorry it's gone.
howzitgoin1970 8 months ago
funky music
gloomyoutlook 8 months ago
The legendary Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, unique among such airliners.
johneddy98033 8 months ago
Hi...this commercial was filmed about 1976 I believe....WOW I flew with Stephanie and Captain EC :)
robnrick1 8 months ago 3
Thanks, I'll change the title from 1977 to 1976.
trainluvr 8 months ago
@trainluvr Your very welcomed indeed! TWA was a great airline to work for.. I have 35 years with them before I got booted....I also like your sign in name... I'm an Avid Amtrak lover... I always get the room when I travel...have a great day! :)
robnrick1 8 months ago
I feel so much pride every time I watch this OLD commercial and remember how classy and wonderful this airline and airline crew was for TWA for all of my 22 years with them...the management under Carl Ichan was a WHOLE OTHER story however.........! So VERY sad!!!! BONNIE MINER BILLINGTON TWA, Class of 1976
bonniebillington 8 months ago
@bonniebillington HI Bonne, Robert here, Class of 1975, ORD, STL, JFK based with TW.... I agree with you very much....TWA was a great airline until HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED chimed in....I continued for two years until I was given my walking papers....retired now altogether... wasn't TWA the best? SALUT Mon Ami!
robnrick1 8 months ago
I feel so much pride every time I watch this OLD commercial and remember how classy and wonderful this airline and airline crew was for TWA for all of my 22 years with them...the management under Carl Ichan was a WHOLE OTHER story however.........! So VERY sad!!!! BONNIE MINER BILLINGTON TWA, Class of 1976
bonniebillington 8 months ago
Never flew on one but saw them at the airport. @CE750, you're right. They deregulated and now flying sucks. When you have to cater to a mass audience, you have to cater to the lowest common denominator. Just look at what's on TV. Duhello88- Yes, they were that spacious. I flew on a Pan Am 747 in 1970 and that is an even larger a/c. I can remember when flying was nice.
16924fps 9 months ago
the good old days... what happened? ... Deregulation
CE750 11 months ago
The L-1011 was/is a great, beautiful aircraft as so many have said. It had superb engineering, and for its time was very advanced. I've known several acft mechs who've told me the RB211 is one of the best engines they worked on. I always remember the solidity and smoothness of the ride. I always felt Douglas/McDD rushed the DC-10 design to beat the L-1011 in service, leading to some troubling crashes early on. Thats just my opinion though
aztlaxpuroazul 11 months ago
The first time I recall flying on a TWA L-1011 was back in 1974 to go to my aunts wedding in Pittsburgh. I was about 9 years old at the time and had been on smaller planes including the 707 and 727 and I was blown away by the width of the L-1011. I had flown on it many times to go back east to see my relatives throughout the 70's and 80's. Today, the 767 and 777 are comparable to the L-1011. Unfortunately, the experience isn't the same as many airlines are trying to emulate low cost carriers.
greggzimmer1 11 months ago
I'm only 15 so i've never flown on a L-1011, could someone tell me is it really as wide and spacious as it looks on the ad or is that a set. Obviously no planes these days look like that
Duhello88 11 months ago
@Duhello88 I'm only 14, so I havent travelled the L-1011, and I wish I could, especially with TWA, but I've heard from people who have flown her that she was just as amazing as the advert makes out! But all the people who I talk 2 are airline geeks like me, so that's proberbly a biased opinion!
ThomsonAirwaysStaff 11 months ago
@Duhello88 I'm 25 years old now and I remember flying on one of these beauties when I was 10 or 11, and I can tell you it really is that spacious. That was an interesting flight for me because I was sitting RIGHT in the middle surrounded by people and i accidentally spilled scolding hot tea on my lap! I wish I got to fly on one of these again as it really was such a cool and well built airplane.
revokdaryl1 10 months ago
@Duhello88 Well, the L-1011's RR RB211 were very loud, especially the third engine. I think the plane was comfy, as I can't remember. I have an image of me sitting in Delta's L-1011's ecomony section. The seat cusion had flowers on it and was different. The L-1011 was a plane of the 70s, so was it's cabin design. It was designed for longhaul routes like Frankfurt-Atlanta or Düsseldorf-Bahrain-Male. I also remember a flight FRA-IAD and back with that plane. (2 to follow.)
CanadianMapleLeaf01 8 months ago
(2nd part) The L-1011 was the plane for the best days of aviation. Now everything is rushed over. Planes are carrying the max config of seats. The L-1011 was the plane for the Atlantic Ocean, now airlines are also taking 757s over the pond. It's ridicolous how aviation changed after 9/11. It's sad the see the 727, DC-10, L-1011 and B741/2 going. But also governmental requirements are putting these planes out of service.
CanadianMapleLeaf01 8 months ago
@Duhello88 Ive flown on L1011's with TWA and Delta. They really were that big and wide, though delta squeezed another seat into the middle section. But those planes really were big comfortable and if I recall very quiet.
white93taurusgl 7 months ago
lol @ 8 abreast in economy
mythicalness 11 months ago
L1011 stands for Best Plane EVAAAAARRRRRR!!!!
DYLAV8R 1 year ago
Ive been flying since the late 60's and the Airline industry did not change until 911. Everything changed no more meal service no more silverware Playing cards it's sad your lucky if they throw you a bag of peanuts on a coast to coast flight ! American Airlines served a Steak Dinner on a 2 hour flight to Chicago from Rhode Island I don't really enjoy flying like I used to I miss the L-1011's I flew them on DELTA and TWA great aircraft Spaceous seats great service !
Retrofan13 1 year ago
Eventhough it was a Delta plane, I thank god that I got a chance to ride on the only jetliner Lockheed ever made.
panamcunard 1 year ago
Lockheed's golden days...
loudness96 1 year ago
To TWA, being the best isn't everything. It's the only thing!
Jiltedin2007 1 year ago
Wow, that's a great ad. They knocked it out of the park with that one. What the hell happened to TWA? What a great product. Only republican criminal treachery could cause a fantastic product like TWA to go out of business.
JetMechMA 1 year ago
@JetMechMA Notorious corporate raider Carl Icahn ran the airline into the ground and then American Airlines swallowed it up.
madnavigator 1 year ago
@madnavigator Yeah, I know. Didn't Ichan have some sort of insane severance deal where he got to sell tickets for cheaper than it cost T-way to produce a revenue passenger mile? Something like that? I heard that played a big part.
JetMechMA 1 year ago
@madnavigator kinda funny they named a stadium here in NYC after him...
DYLAV8R 1 year ago
Ah, the good old days.
enigma800 1 year ago
"Most advanced flight control system in commercial aviation" - ten years later, with the advanced two-crewed 757s and 767s, and the digital fly-by-wire A320 just stating to come off the production line, those flight control systems became inferior very quickly!
"It's got quiet Rolls-Royce engines" - not ones like on 787s, A380s and Qantas 747s that go bang all of a sudden!
lcmortensen 1 year ago
@lcmortensen Jolly damm nuisance that 'going bang' problem...!
ChuffChuffWoo 1 year ago
@lcmortensen Uh, sorry, but the Airbus A380 uses Rolls-Royce engines that do indeed go "BANG" once in a while! Engines are not perfect, so it falls to the designer of the aircraft they're mounted on to ensure that it will continue to fly in a safe manner, should one decide it's time to give up the ghost!
cecilturtle 1 year ago
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white93taurusgl 7 months ago
@lcmortensen You're right but at the time the L1011 was an aircraft that was way ahead of its time.
white93taurusgl 7 months ago
Yes, I remember Easter serving Mignon too. Much better times. I miss them.
Hogums 1 year ago
And remember when EVERYONE SMOKED ON THE PLANE! Yuck!
aryke1 1 year ago
They also didn't publicly curse when posting publicly online. What's up with all the fowl language?
hotelgulf718 1 year ago
stake???? YUMMY!!!
rocker78able 1 year ago
Steak in coach? No wonder they went bankrupt
technoguy97 1 year ago
Back then EVERYONE watched the movie, it was such a treat! Now everyone's anti-social as shit, head stuck in a Kindle, or some stupid Iphone app.
mygoatisdead 1 year ago 6
@mygoatisdead I'm anti-social because I would rather do something fun or productive, rather than watch some boring old film on a CRT screen? LOL stfu you ignorant old fart. :/
MEareCAT 1 year ago
@MEareCAT well said! nothing worse than an ignorant-and bitter-old fart. and, really, who is more anti-social than that??
ThisIsBilbo 1 year ago
@ThisIsBilbo Like MEareCAT, you're a fucking lemming too. Don't forget to shove your Harry Potter glowstick up your ass later ok? Thanks.
mygoatisdead 1 year ago
@MEareCAT you do something productive? You must be thinking about you jacking off onto some Hello Kitty poster, you stupid little boy. It's a shame you need to get so defensive, when I'm obviously commenting on the merits and community "feel" of everyone engaged in a movie on a plane, instead you're a fucking lemming searching your Iphone for the latest Twilight werewolf poster.
P.S. I'm not old, I'm in my prime -- approaching 40 but still livin large. So suck it
mygoatisdead 1 year ago
@mygoatisdead The last time I flew, they played the movie Chicago. Yucky.
lemonrind 1 year ago
they fuckin served steak on coach class, Christ!
mygoatisdead 1 year ago
So glad I grew up loving planes and flying during those days. The only thing that comes even close is Jetblue E-190 as far ad coach comfort and a big window. It's too bad there's no meal service on this short/medium range aircraft.
hotelgulf718 1 year ago
@hotelgulf718 >>>Poor service has to do with the downfall of the USA domestic airline industry! I just returned from a 40 day European trip on which I flew JFK to VCE (New York to Venice) on Delta Airlines, outstanding service, visited Croatia (Dubrovnik) Istanbul (Turkey) Corfu, Mykonos, Santorini, Athens (Greece) Madrid, Seville & Ibiza (Spain) I flew Aegean Airlines between Athens & Madrid full breakfast flight on A320 unlike here in the USA four flight attendants 3 in back 1 on front!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago 12
@TWTR4EVER Jimmy Carter's deregulation has to do with the downfall of USA domestic service. Google it. One wave of his presidential pen has us at a point that whoever can afford a Greyhound bus ticket can now afford to fly. Don't blame the airlines about the greyhound in the sky mentality. Blame that horse's ass jimmy carter.
jimdep333 9 months ago
@jimdep333 I totally disagree with you blaming President Jimmy Carter & Deregulation for the downfall of the Airline Industry!
WE AMERICANS BELIEVE ON "FREE ENTERPRISE" not "MONOPOLIES" as we have empowered Boeing in the Commercial Aviation manufacturing!
As I started my career in TWA right around the birth of Deregulation (1976) I lived & witnessed GREEDY, INCOMPETENT CEO's of the day choosing to over expand based on greed & poor vision instead of making alliances to strengthen each other!
TWTR4EVER 9 months ago
@TWTR4EVER TWA was Never the same after the Authorities incarcerated you, Was delighted to hear you made Parole!,
TheReturnOfBigBear 5 months ago
oh yes, obviously, all the flight attendants are female and the pilots are male
B767rules 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I got to fly on the L-1011 as a Flight Attendant for Delta when I started in 1998..but they retired shortly after I started..I was born in 1977 so I guess I came alone too late to enjoy that great plane!! :(
paulanthonydfw 1 year ago
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paulanthonydfw 1 year ago
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paulanthonydfw 1 year ago
Steak meals in coach. Flying now is a total scam(:
travelplus1 1 year ago
I wish TWA was still around, damn you Carl Icahn !
indyfan22k 1 year ago
Is that really a plane? I don't see the over bin compartment on the middle section!
misled1982 1 year ago
love the Star Trek notes thrown into this around 0:27
nedmarc 1 year ago
I always wondered how you were to say the name of the L-1011!
cjracer1000 1 year ago
there's no over head compartments for the middle seats
cameplaitbeaucoup 1 year ago
@cameplaitbeaucoup More people checked baggage back then, no fees. Also most carry on luggage was stowed under the seat in front of you. The L-1011 was coming out of a generation of aircraft that had overhead open "racks" only to be used for pillows, blankets and coats. Also middle seat passengers could use the then "oversize overhead compartments" along the side seats.
500tristar 1 year ago 2
@500tristar >> I graduated TWA's Breech Academy in MCI late spring 1976 when on line based in JFK-International and FAA certified on DC-9, B707, B727, B747, L1011 our B707 that belonged to that earlier generations of planes have been already retrofitted with ample overhead bins just like the early B727-100 & DC-9/ 30.
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago 7
@cameplaitbeaucoup
500tristar 1 year ago
What a great airplane, the Tristar. TWA had a great fleet of these beauties, it was always nice seeing those L'10s at LAX along with the 747-131's, going to the East and Europe. Those were great days in the 70s, I do not know what is happening now, air travel is a total joke, people have no class or appreciation.
DansJets 1 year ago 2
A TWA L-1011 flight was my first flight that I can clearly remember as a child. It was from San Francisco to Kennedy. The L-1011 surely was a beautiful machine.
white93taurusgl 1 year ago
steak i love steak why cant airlines be like this
TheROADRUNNER36 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Dear All,
I have some question about psychology:
(1) Why do we love flying?
(2) What do we like about the golden age of flying?
(3) What do we enjoy today's flying comparing with that in the golden day?
(4) Why do ailrine commercial song make us feel happy and relax?
THANK YOU IN ADAVNCE for your creative ideas and brainstorm!!! :)
applesweeter 1 year ago
@applesweeter Why do passengers really look forward to recieving a meal on longer flights only to be dissapointed by the poor quality and taste when they eat it?
TomsFriendKake 1 year ago
@TomsFriendKake
I am curious.
Which airline did you travel with?
In Asia, most airlines give the best food for passengers as a competitive advanetages in market. They will provide a tasteful meal even for a 3 hours flight.
applesweeter 1 year ago
@applesweeter Oh, I am referring to US airlines like AA, Delta, NWA and United on international flights, and even just 10 years ago on many domestic flights.
TomsFriendKake 1 year ago
Thank goodness AA bought TWA, or all those people would have lost everything!! TWA would never have survived after 9-11!! At least now, they got retirement!
dfwjcj 1 year ago
@dfwjcj Screw you and AA/AMR! We would have rather gone down on our demise than join AA/AMR! Our pensions were solid, that's one of the assets AA/AMR was attracted too, we didn't need American for our retirement, what are you on? Lithium? What a fool!! United/Continental & Delta/NorthWest are going to have American for breakfast, I for one can't wait to see American in ruins!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago 2
Well better than the Death Can - 10.
ThreeSevenSpeedway 1 year ago
wow now i see why they use that airplane its HUGE i thought it was 747! O_o
juanlmesl 1 year ago
they keep saying "to the east" what about coming back? ha
APFlynn 1 year ago
I don't care what anyone says.. i love the colors and I bet those stewardess were the flirtatious types
MrChameleon2010 1 year ago
How nostalgic. I flew on a RAF Tristar to Bermuda in November 1991. At least the RAF still retain them. Beautiful machine. The Deltic of aviation with those RB211 engines.
1100HondaCB 1 year ago
@trainluvr An Eastern Airlines L-1011 from JFK to San Juan P.R. was my second jet aircraft trip 7-15-80,I was 13 yrs. old & hated flying then,I miss those planes. P.S. I operate subway trains for a living in N.Y.C.
bwork66 1 year ago
That guy at the end looks like Shepard Smith.
LNSmithee 1 year ago
@LNSmithee That's longtime sports announcer Don Criqui, who's still doing NFL for CBS.
DNSKansas 1 year ago
too bad the L-1011 is practically extinct now :(
fraroc 1 year ago
@fraroc yea it sucks i love that plane
MrPaki1996 1 year ago
"It's got quiet Rolls Royce engines and the most advanced flight control system in commercial aviation, so its flights are incredibly smooth"
Captain E.C. Edwards TWA
SFConifer 1 year ago
L-1011 I really hated go Dc-10 and and md-11
RickMakesGoodVideos 1 year ago
Look at the colors of those seats!! Groovy!
NESherv 1 year ago
Rolls Royce engines? Well, hot damn!
gloomyoutlook 1 year ago
A steak meal in coach on a domestic flight? What's that? (:-)
Great video!!! I love these flashbacks to better times in aviation and re-visiting what are now "classic" airliners.
diapermanful 1 year ago
hurray for trijets!!!!!! YES!!!
WalkingDeadFlyer 1 year ago
Love it ! Quite RR engines:P
FlyC152 1 year ago
love the tristar, what a ship, al al al al
interfaceboyz 2 years ago
Seats have "SPECIAL" thick cushioning
Ronf465 2 years ago
TWA for Ever.
razban01 2 years ago 2
I never flew with a L-1011, but I love those seventies and eighties jetairliners and commercials. My first airtrip was from Hamburg (Germany) to Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) with B727 in 1977 - good old times!
prettycode 2 years ago
To the east like New York? Or like Tokyo?
jetbluensw 2 years ago
This commercial was U.S. domestic, so they meant eastern U.S., like New York's JFK airport (TWA also didn't have flights to Asia).
sparkingwave 2 years ago
Oh. Ok. Thx.
jetbluensw 2 years ago
What's not to love about a TWA L1011? : )
twal1011 2 years ago 2
I loved the L-1011! She was a beautiful aircraft.
sactiger 2 years ago 27
@sactiger That she was, not only beautiful a Flight Attendants dreams to work it! Everything ran smooth as silk unlike her imitator the DC-10/ MD-11! We at TWA only had L1011 but from friends who flew for PA (Pan Am) who operated both, the L1011 & the DC-10/MD-11 this was a well known fact among the industry!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago 6
@sactiger Very safe, too.
Capt777harris 11 months ago
I believe the DC-10-30 back in the day for many airlines also had 5 seats in the middle. The thing is that I think back then, economy class really was not as horrible as it is today. And of course, we were served food and drinks.
thibaulthalpern 2 years ago
I miss TW and DL TriStars.
swmdal 2 years ago
Those Rolls Royce may havy been quite in the air, but a start up and taxi the RR engines was loud. It was a great sound!
panamcunard 2 years ago
I remember this commercial from childhood. Instead of L-1011 service to the east, here in Ohio it was L-1011 service to California. I wanted to go to LA so badly when I was in high school. When I did go to California I flew into SFO on an American Airlines 767
mauieric 2 years ago
Im not sure if i would call those RR's "quiet" Although they made a outstanding noise!
SsJets104 2 years ago
...makes me feel OLD. HA.
brandondallas 2 years ago
I love the fact that the TriStar and DC10-10 had the cool lower deck galleys. Nowadays, after a 3 hour meal service, we're starving and in roll the passengers to the galley to stand and watch you eat!
milehighhostie 2 years ago
Trivia, so if this commercial was shown in NY did they change the audio to " Flights to the west " ?. And wow I remember the days of full meal service in coach, steak, very nice. Many people used to bash airline meals, I'm probably one of a few that actually liked it. I wonder if this type of service will ever come back some day, or is it really gone forever like the dinosaurs ?
varigdc10 2 years ago
Here in Ohio it was " L-1011 service to California
mauieric 2 years ago
I miss hearing Tristar start their engines, I love that sound!
panamcunard 2 years ago
The L1011 was a great aircraft created at our peak of ingenuity. Now the rage is twin engines with plastic composites B787& A350 we'll see how this goes, because we humans have a way of bringing everything full circle and this new generation aircrafts have "Comet" written all over them, new technology, barely tested and too many chances! Both projects are plagued with delays on delivery, The L1011-500 & B747SP still my favorites!
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
What specific route are they referring to when they say "1011 flights to the East?"
floooky1 2 years ago
TWA flew from Los Angeles(Lax) San Francisco (SFO) Seattle(SEA) Portland(PDX) San Diego(SAN) to the east, Boston(BOS) New York (LGA & JFK) Washington (IAD &DCA) transcontinental flights!
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
Thanks, living on the East coast it sounded a little strange until I figured out this aired on the West coast.
The print version of this ad specified the steak as filet Mignon...in coach.
floooky1 2 years ago
Yes, we did serve Filet Mignon in Coach Class in our Transcontinental Flights! (1970's) It was a small 4oz with a small baked potato and small salad and small piece of apple pie, movie, decent leg room and no drama! Those were the last days of true airline service!
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago 32
@TWTR4EVER and also widebody on transcontinental, today many airlines use B737 or Airbus 320 to fly New york-SFO for example....5hours seated in cramped condition...no room for gourme dinning.
am1966ath 1 year ago
@am1966ath Last week I flew from FLL to SFO on a A320 from Virgin America, you're right on the money with your comment! I'll tell you something, I'll fly Virgin America because after what American Airlines did to TWA, I will not patronize them and the only other nonstop choice is out of MIA on AA, AMERICAN AIRLINES NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago
@TWTR4EVER TWA and PANAM were airlineses from another time. With deregulation 1978, flying in the US became greyhoundbus on vings. This development we now have in Europe as well. Big carriers like KLM or Lufthansa you can fly for 3-4jours from say Amsterdam to Istanbul or Frankfurt to Alexandria,
in cramped B737 or 319 where before they had airbus300 or even DC8
with china,crockery,glass and warm meals they now serve sandwich.
am1966ath 1 year ago
@am1966ath No doubt that deregulation in 1978 brought new challenges to all carriers specially TW & PA but BI (Braniff) was one of the first to suffer and they were a solid carrier who always gave PA a run for their money on the Central & South America routes, they had a co-share Concorde route together with BA but competing in the USA domestic market prove to be the undoing of all! I always thought to maintain feeders for the International routes but never to try to compete domestic!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago
@TWTR4EVER also low fares is a hoax, you get cheap fares when booking a lifetime in advance..otherwise you pay a huge fare and sit with people who has paid a third of what you have paid. No catering.
I dont like that the use 320 or 757 to Hawaii...with all that water for 5hours they should use a B777 or 747.
am1966ath 1 year ago
@am1966ath Now a days is not about comfort or safety, only profits! If they could get the FAA to certify and Commuter Jet (Brasilia) they will fly you to Hawaii on it!
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago
@TWTR4EVER I remember what flying was like in say 1978..a whole other experience.
am1966ath 1 year ago
@am1966ath I graduated Breech Academy in MCI on 5/76 I was based in JFK as I was language qualified both in spanish and portuguese, I flew mainly JFK/MAD/JFK or JFK/LIS/BCN/LIS/JFK The first was B747-100 or 200 the second was L-1011 (my favorite after the B747SP)
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago
@TWTR4EVER TWA was a great airline but it could not survive with a tarnished reputation and without the the Heathrow-slots.
am1966ath 1 year ago
@TWTR4EVER they had TVs on airplanes back in the 70s?
KYLEAKAFLYBOIK 1 year ago
@KYLEAKAFLYBOIK The L1011, L1011-500, B747-100, B747-200, B747-SP they all had projection screens and TV sets that through the old format of VHS/ PAL according to the nationality of the airline carrier showed movie features and even aircraft emergency procedures of each particular aircraft.
TWTR4EVER 1 year ago 5
probably to JFK, la guardia, Dulles kansas city or chicago
mr1940s 2 years ago
i am not an expert, but i paid almost $900 for an urgent flight from Miami to NY on TWA and the plane was a piece of crap and i got 1 bag of peanuts and a plastic glass of coke. Terrible condition that DC9,
a real shame. No wonder gone broke,
.
eloyex 2 years ago
All airlines have aging pieces of equipment and we had many, that was part of the mistakes that our dubious CEO's imposed on us, the Acquisition of Ozark Airlines instead of updating the fleet was a mistake, you provably flew in one we inherit from them! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, I'm sure our cabin crew were more than willing to assist you besides a coke! We were all trained on dealing with passengers in distress.
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
You would think they would want to have a subsidiary operating. Retail chains do that all the time. AA got its hands on another old carrier---O.Roy Chalk's Trans-Caribbean. They sold it for stock rather than cash, so that once made Chalk the largest shareholder. Sooner or later, American Airlines will be bought or have to merge.
BurgerChefGuy 2 years ago
AMR/AA don't like competition! There aim is to acquire, absorb Annihilate! There were crew from TansCaribbean in TWA, I'm good friends with one! As soon as American took over she left for TWA in the 1970's, what an irony! American will have to deal with US (USAir) CO (Continental) or UA (United) As DL/NW(Delta/Northwest) merged, those remaining will have to in order to survive, is "survival of the fittest" and who ever has to deal with AA better be ruthless! They don't merge, they acquire!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
From previous history AA don't do mergers they are the acquisition experts (TransCaribbean & TWA) in both cases a good bulk of the workforce sooner better than later gets vanished! I despise them totally, today I will take all options before even considering then on my travels! What they did to TWA is despicable! Jet Blue has many of TWA crews and are very well appreciated!
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
Yes, many of us are having second lives at JetBlue and I for one am having a blast! It is great to be back in the air, especially when running into old friends! Great memories, an new ones to be made. No one is going to clip these wings! :)
nycflyer 2 years ago
nycflyer>>>Congratulations! Is not that I feel old but at 53 to start all over again up the seniority roaster and commuting with all the uncertainty in the industry, I thought of Virgin America now that they're committing to FLL? That's a maybe!
Were you TW/JFK?
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
I hear you, it is hard to start over! here I am after twenty years flying and only 2 years seniority to show for it! I flew briefly at TWA-'96-'97, then furlough time so off to DAL for 6 years. Took a break after 9/11 and missed it terribly. I am SOO glad to be back, even though it is VERY different than I remember. Seems it is in the heart and i just can't let go! i think you would have a ball, and I recommend jetBlue highly. I hear good stuff about VA too. hope to see you up in the air!
nycflyer 2 years ago
nycflyer>>>I was with TW 76/86 left during the Carl Icahn Flight Attendant Strike for TR (Trans*Brasil Airlines) and remain with them until they folded in 2001 I do miss flying and the lifestyle but things have change, they were changing by 2001 for sure and the thought of starting with no seniority and maybe having to commute it doesn't inspired me at all! Do you live on your base?
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
@TWTR4EVER I am based at JFK, but I commute from LAX or BUR. It is a lot, but I fly part time, 9 days a month, so I put it all together and come back once a month. I couldn't do it full time, it is just too far. But once a month is nice. Actually I make a little mini vacation out of it, and it is nice to get away from home and all its responsibilites for just a few days before or after a trip!
nycflyer 2 years ago
nycflyer>>>How does Jet Blue works the bidding? Part time in my day was reserve and you had very little to say or chose your routes never mind living away from your base!
TWTR4EVER 2 years ago
Yeah , it is a shame when management lets the whole team down. But, PanAm came back a few times, didn't it???? I also noticed that railroad up Northeast is called PanAmerican and uses the actual, old Pan Am air logo. The PanAm boxcars pass through my area from time to time.
BurgerChefGuy 2 years ago
Braniff, Pan Am, National they all tried comebacks but without the assets, (gates, landing rights, hangars) is a losing battle against those who own the assets you once had! TW I doubt they'll be able AMR/AA owns the name and trust me, they want her dead and buried!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
Cattle is correct!!!! Back then there were so many carriers that we lost. Remember National, Braniff, and lets not forget Eastern?? It is sad that the grand days of luxury don't exist as much anymore on rail, or in the air. Remember the days of real meals, and serving peanuts? I still CANNOT believe that both TWA and PanAm had to fold. There must have been some way to compete. I heard TWA was in part from the greed of one man. I still don't see why it had to happen. A real shame.
BurgerChefGuy 2 years ago 2
I was base in JFK-1 but my family lived in Miami, we only had one flight a day TW#4 left around 7:30pm and TW#5 coming back MIA/JFK so my commuting was done on Eastern & National that use to be next to us on JFK terminal 6 that later became our second terminal!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
Carl Icahn's arrival in 85/86 resume of his previous acquisitions was the warning of our demise! In 86/87 The Flight Attendant strike was brutal and he let the company bleed so he could really liquidate her! At the end W.F.Compton was the final blow! The TW/IAM union and the AMR/AA union manage to put TW personal in the bottom of the seniority list! They use 9/11 to furlough TW personal and by overworking AA crews they surpass the legal 5 year time limit to bring them back! They are gone!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
PanAm and TWA have always been my favs!!!! I once called around to see which airline had the best price for the same trip between two points. Back then, my several calls to each airline gave me the impression that US Air had the best prices at the time, followed by Piedmont. Piedmont had the nicest operators hands down!!!! I experienced that TWA and PanAm had rude customer service and very high prices, ........which may not have helped them compete in the market very well. Sad they folded.
BurgerChefGuy 2 years ago 2
Price is not always a good choice, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR! USAir and Piedmont were regional carriers, USAir became out of Alleghany Airlines they were a feeder of TWA for International, great for a pedal hop between Charlotte and New York, across the atlantic? I don't think so! They came into our Terminal 5 in JFK! Pan Am & TWA were the reliable airlines for transcontinental or transatlantic flights, never we meant to compete with local carriers until deregulation in the 1970's!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
Yep, TWA and PanAm could never compete with the lower cost carriers that popped up. You may have paid for great service on TWA, but middle class travelers save all year for a trip and "cannot afford" extra frills. That is why Southwest has become the power house with US travel. As for transcon service, United and Lufthansa have always given carriers a run for their money. Luckily, United (a super carrier) and Lufty are still flying today. I am surprised American has made it this far.
BurgerChefGuy 2 years ago
AMR/AA tells their passengers they're special, while treating them like cattle, and because they've mastered an aura of professionalism that is really a bully at work, people buy it,
I don't, I will not fly AA!!! Domestic WN(Southwest) &B6(JBlue) are reliable, but for long trips CO/DL (Continetal &Delta) never AA(American Airlines)!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
Truly my favorite, JFK Base/ L1011-500/ TW 904 JFK/MAD / Favorite Layover! Left for TR (TRANS*BRASIL AIRLINES) after the CARPETBAGGER CARL ICAHN strike of 86/87 and was with the until they also folded in 2000. Today I'm retired living in SOBE / Florida! I still call TW home, AA NEVER!
LURQUIZA 2 years ago
Planes were so great back then....
AND I SERIOUSLY MISS TWA
emilyrichgal2 2 years ago
This is like the A380 back then.
donuycana 2 years ago
When the Eastern Airlines strike got me booted from my Boston-Miami flight in '89, I got put on a Delta L-1011 in first class. Roger Rabbit was the inflight movie. That plane was a hot rod. Seemed like we were hardly rolling on the packed snow at Logan when we rotated up.
ginsunh 2 years ago