Bring back the glamour to flying

[JohnM]

I wonder how real these setups were, or how long they lasted if they did exist in reality.

It often seems, like with cars, that the aircraft manufacturers and/or airlines mock up 'concepts' that never see the light of day in exactly the form originally shown - but they make a great talking point in the process.

 

[harvyk]

I wonder how real these setups were, or how long they lasted if they did exist in reality.

It often seems, like with cars, that the aircraft manufacturers and/or airlines mock up 'concepts' that never see the light of day in exactly the form originally shown - but they make a great talking point in the process.

For my understanding, they where fairly common on long haul routes, however a ticket to use such facilities was astronomical (as there was no FF points, everyone had paid a very pretty penny to be there). It was something that airlines could use to enhance their F product over their Y product fairly easily.

In fact Boeing used to advertise their B747's upper deck as the ideal place for a "piano lounge" and the early B747-100 models had very few windows in the top deck I believe it was 3 a side, however same length as the B741 and B742 upper decks, thus it was ideal for such usage, but not really very premium as general seating for premium pax.

 

[meloz]

I wonder how real these setups were, or how long they lasted if they did exist in reality.

It often seems, like with cars, that the aircraft manufacturers and/or airlines mock up 'concepts' that never see the light of day in exactly the form originally shown - but they make a great talking point in the process.

I can assure you the Captain Cook Lounge on QF was real, I travelled on it AKL-SYD. I seem to recall they converted it to Y class later. I see your point and wonder how long EK's showers will last.

Meloz

 

[meloz]

I little research shows the upper deck was actually converted to J class.

Meloz

 

[serfty]

I wonder how real these setups were, or how long they lasted if they did exist in reality. ...

In the early days, such long haul travel was an expensive event with several stops along the way. It would take days to reach destinations. It bacame quite the social thing, in line with, but not as lengthy as a cruise.

I see facilities such as those featured here to be a legacy of those days.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just sitting around in a lounge, well sitting around in a lounge on the ground can get boring after a while (there are only so many G&T's one can knock back), I'd imagine it would get just as tedious once you're in the air as well.

Of course the FA's job may have also included introducing pax as an ice breaker. (I'll ask my grandfather, he did a lot of F flying back in the day)

It was a different culture back then and flying was glamorous. The rich and famous flew First class... they were well used to on board bars (think Stratocruisers that used to fly trans-atlantic). coughtail waiters were also common (along with forward lounges) on early jets such as the 707 and DC8. It was the way people flew, and things such as AVOD were unheard of (people only had regular tvs at home!!)

The problem was leaving Bombay or Dubai at 2am in the morning. No one was wanting to go to the bar then, and you were stuck in your regular 38' pitch seat on the lower deck trying to get some sleep. Not comfortable. From memory, upper deck bars were pretty much gone by the late 70's early 80's with the introduction of sleeper seats in F and the 'new' business class.

 

[harvyk]

I see your point and wonder how long EK's showers will last.

Meloz

Given that airlines are either a. Scrapping F altogether in place of making J their top tier, and thus don't have to compete in the uber luxury space, or b. adding in extra's which add the uber factor into first class to the point that some are calling it "a class beyond first" aka SQ, I expect that the EK showers will be here for a while yet... It will probably get to the point that there will only be a handful of airlines operating a true F service (Domestic F in the US doesn't count), but what you will get for your ticket will be beyond what we could imagine, an almost private aircraft feel about it. Then everything below (inc J) will become an LCC style pay to use. So you purchase a base seat, and add extra's like extra space or a sleeper seat or meals or bags etc, an almost pick and match style experience...

 

[meloz]

Given that airlines are either a. Scrapping F altogether in place of making J their top tier, and thus don't have to compete in the uber luxury space, or b. adding in extra's which add the uber factor into first class to the point that some are calling it "a class beyond first" aka SQ, I expect that the EK showers will be here for a while yet... It will probably get to the point that there will only be a handful of airlines operating a true F service (Domestic F in the US doesn't count), but what you will get for your ticket will be beyond what we could imagine, an almost private aircraft feel about it. Then everything below (inc J) will become an LCC style pay to use. So you purchase a base seat, and add extra's like extra space or a sleeper seat or meals or bags etc, an almost pick and match style experience...

I believe the sand pit will be the last to provide an uber product but their time is near. Call me back in 5 years and we will continue this discussion.

Meloz

 

[UP4014]

QF have updated their Facebook page to the Timeline, some awesome pics to check out:
View attachment 6735

Now that's what I call traveling in style

Is that Pan Am, they certainly (at the start anyway) knew how to fit out a 747.

Matt
(ok I read a bit further and see it's QF)

 

[UP4014]

If you think that is glamour then you haven't flown on Yorkshire Airlines
Yorkshire Airlines - YouTube

Like the Greyhound Bus logo on the wall, nice touch.