From in-flight meals to increased security at airports, Stacker looks at how air travel has changed over the last century, according to news and travel media.
1920s: Planes become available for passengers
The 1920s marked the first decade in which aircraft were designed with passengers in mind, Insider reports. However, the experience was far from glamorous. Flying was still slower than train travel, and the planes were loud, cold, and bumpy.
1921: Aeromarine Airways screens first in-flight film
Aeromarine Airways played the short film “Howdy Chicago” on a flight over the Windy City in 1921. It was the first in-flight film in history.
1928: First in-flight hot meal served
Lufthansa offered the first hot-meal service aboard a plane in 1928, on a flight between Berlin and Paris. Airline workers used insulated bottles to keep the food warm, per Food Network.
1930: Air travel reserved for the wealthy
Air travel was largely reserved for the rich and famous in the late 1920s, with just 6,000 Americans flying commercially in 1930, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. However, it would quickly become more popular, and four years later, 75 times the number of passengers would travel by air, USA Today reports.
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1936: United Airlines pioneers first airplane kitchen
United Airlines launched the airline industry’s first airplane kitchen in 1936. The company gave passengers a choice between scrambled eggs and fried chicken, according to Food Network.
1939: First-ever airport lounge opens in LaGuardia Airport
New York’s LaGuardia Airport became home to the first-ever airport lounge when the American Airlines Admirals Club opened in 1939. It was used exclusively for VIPs and extremely loyal passengers.
1940: Boeing flies passengers in pressurized planes
Boeing’s 307 Stratoliner, the first plane with a pressurized cabin for passengers, hit the skies in 1940, reported Air & Space magazine. It kept passengers significantly more comfortable at 20,000 feet than earlier planes.
1941: In-flight entertainment goes live
Live in-flight entertainment became a new offering on airlines in 1941. Some would hire actors and singers to perform aboard the flights, per Imagik Corp.
1942: Casual air travel stops during World War II
The U.S. founded the Air Transport Command in 1942 to coordinate airlines’ role in transporting cargo and personnel during World War II. The military took the use of 200 of the 360 total airlines in the country, along with their staff. As a result, casual air travel was nearly nonexistent in the U.S. during the war, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
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1946: Pan American Airways offers frozen dinners
Advancements in flash-freezing technology allowed Pan American Airways to offer the first modern-style frozen dinners on airplanes in 1946. Flight attendants would warm up the meals in convection ovens before serving them to passengers, according to Food Network.
1948: Activists fight segregation at airports
Efforts to end racial segregation at airports began to take motion in 1948 when a Michigan politician supported a Congressional bill to integrate Washington National Airport. While the bill ultimately failed, the airport’s restaurant was desegregated later that year.
1948: Passengers get first coach fares
Capital Airlines created the first coach fares for flights in 1948. The lower-cost tickets would help a much broader group of passengers experience air travel, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
1949: Passengers get first low-cost airline
Pacific Southwest Airlines launched in May 1949 as the world’s first low-cost airline. The airline began by transporting passengers around California. It would become the inspiration for Southwest Airlines.
1952: More efficient, reliable planes increase tourism across the Atlantic
The Douglas DC-6B, a piston-engine airliner, offered a more efficient, reliable form of air travel. United Airlines was the first to bring them into commercial service in 1952, and Pan Am would use the aircraft to help boost tourism across the Atlantic Ocean, says the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
1953: Passengers get nonstop transcontinental service
American Airlines began using the DC-7 to fly from New York to Los Angeles in November 1953. It marked the first nonstop service between the east and west coasts of the U.S.
1958: Chicago O’Hare Airport tests modern jet bridge
Chicago O’Hare Airport began using the first modern jet bridge, or jetway, in 1958. It offered a sheltered path for passengers to travel between the terminal and the plane and ultimately sped up boarding times, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
1987: American Airlines cuts olives and saves big
American Airlines decided to remove one olive from the salad plates service to first-class passengers in 1987. The move would save the airline a whopping $40,000 per year and has now become a famous tale of cost-cutting in aviation.
2006: Air passengers must limit the liquids they pack
A plot to place liquid explosives onto a series of North America-bound flights from the U.K. was uncovered in 2006. As a result, passengers were faced with new security mandates that severely restricted the quantity of liquids they could bring in their carry-on luggage.
2012: Delta develops basic economy fares
Delta Air Lines introduced a new, lower-cost fare category known as basic economy in 2012. Now an industry standard, these bare-bones fares are typically nonrefundable, have no advance seat assignments, include little to no baggage, and have other restrictions.
2018: Flights get more packed
Air travel saw a huge surge in passengers throughout the 2010s. As a result, planes became increasingly crowded. A 2018 report from The Telegraph found that most planes were flying at about 80% occupancy that year, up from about 70% in 2000.
2020: Airlines struggle during the pandemic
Stay-at-home orders and fears of COVID-19 brought air travel to a near halt in 2020. The International Air Transport Association predicted in November 2020 that the global airline industry would suffer $160 billion in losses as a result of the pandemic. The few travelers who did continue to travel by air in 2020 were met with a series of new rules and changes on planes, including mandates to wear masks and socially distance on some airlines.
2021: Airlines consider vaccine passports
In an effort to jumpstart travel after a major slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines are considering requiring that all passengers get vaccinated against the disease. Alan Joyce, CEO of the Australian airline Qantas, has already announced support for a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and other airlines are considering trying out the system in early 2021.
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1958: Pan Am offers in-flight fine dining
Pan Am took in-flight dining to the next level on its daily commercial route from the Big Apple to Europe in 1958. On those flights, the airline treated guests to a fine-dining experience, complete with fine china, white tablecloths, silver carafes, and extravagant dishes, reports Food Network.
1960: American Airlines develops booking automation system
American Airlines founded the Sabre Corporation in 1960. The business would develop a booking automation system for the airline, doing away with the tedious and time-consuming process of making manual reservations for customers.
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1961: In-flight entertainment monitors advance
In-flight films started to become more regular on flights in 1961 when new in-flight entertainment monitors advanced to meet airline standards, per Imagik Corp. The noise of the plane engines made it difficult for passengers to hear film dialogue, though.
1965: U.S. completes network of overlapping radars
The U.S. finished developing a network of overlapping radars for planes in 1965. It would advance air traffic control and make flights safer.
1965: Marlon D. Green breaks color barrier on major airlines
After winning a Supreme Court battle against Continental Airlines, Marlon D. Green became a pilot in 1965. The African American pilot is credited with breaking the color barrier for crew on major airlines.
1975: Airlines offer in-flight gaming
Braniff Airlines added technology to its planes to allow passengers to play Pong while flying in 1975. It was the first time in-flight entertainment systems included video games, says Imagik Corp.
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1976: Concorde ushers in supersonic era
The Concorde, a supersonic passenger airliner that could fly at double the speed of sound, entered commercial service in 1976. Tickets for flights on the legendary plane were extraordinarily expensive and would allow passengers to travel long distances in significantly less time.
1976: Emily Howell Warner becomes first female captain on a major airline
Frontier promoted Emily Howell Warner to the role of captain in 1976, making her the first woman to hold that position on a major U.S. airline. She had been required to jump through multiple hoops, including extra testing, that her male counterparts didn’t have to endure, according to Plane & Pilot magazine.
1978: Federal government deregulates the airline industry
President Jimmy Carter put his signature on the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978. The act would drive up competition between airlines and help reduce fares, says the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
1979: Airlines award passenger loyalty
Texas International Airlines developed the first frequent-flyer program based on miles flown in 1979, says The Points Guy. It’s credited with launching the first modern program to award air passengers for loyalty.
1984: FAA approves pre-flight safety demonstration videos
The Federal Aviation Administration gave its approval for airlines to use video for pre-flight safety demonstrations in 1984. They would eventually replace live demonstrations on many flights.
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1986: Airlines partner with credit card companies
The airline industry introduced its first branded credit cards in 1986, with the Continental TravelBank Gold Mastercard, says The Points Guy. These early credit cards would increase the ways in which frequent fliers could earn rewards for their loyalty to airlines.
1988: Airplanes get back-of-seat screens
Airplanes began installing individual screens on the back of passenger seats in 1988. It would quickly become a standard on flights, regardless of what class the passenger was sitting in, according to Imagik Corp.
1994: Southwest offers first e-ticket
Southwest Airlines became the first major airline to offer electronic tickets, or e-tickets, in 1994. It would help eliminate the problem of replacing lost paper tickets.
1996: Travelocity offers online flight reservations
Travelocity went online in 1996. The online travel agency was the first to allow passengers to make flight reservations through its website.
1997: Five airlines form the Star Alliance
Five airlines from around the world—United Airlines, Thai Airways International, Air Canada, Scandinavian Airlines, and Lufthansa–teamed up to form the Star Alliance in 1997. The first alliance of its kind, the group would offer consistent code-sharing to give passengers flexibility for earning and redeeming miles within its member airlines.
2000s: High-profile airline mergers change industry landscape
The 2000s would bring about a series of high-profile airline mergers and acquisitions, starting with American Airlines buying Trans World Airlines in 2001. The consolidations would eventually establish American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines as the dominant carriers in the U.S.
2001: Government increases air travel security after 9/11
Congress approved the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in 2001, around two months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The agency rapidly ramped up staffing and deployed tens of thousands of agents to airports to screen passengers and their luggage, says PBS.
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2003: Commercial airlines retire the Concorde
Air France and British Airways both stopped flying the Concorde in 2003. The costs of maintaining the supersonic passenger jet had become too high, and passengers felt the price of the ticket was not worth saving a few hours to cross the Atlantic Ocean, per Popular Mechanics.
2008: TSA deploys full-body scanners at airports
The Transportation Security Administration began setting up advanced imaging technology, or full-body scanners, at airports across the U.S. in 2008. By 2014, nearly 160 airports across the country were using the technology to screen passengers.
2008: American Airlines starts charging for all checked bags
Throughout most air travel history, passengers could expect to have at least one checked bag included in their fare. That changed in 2008, when American Airlines became the first major carrier to charge a fee for every checked bag. Other airlines would quickly follow suit.
2011: TSA PreCheck becomes available
The Transportation Security Administration introduced a new Trusted Traveler program called TSA PreCheck in October 2011. After paying a fee and getting approved, participants could get expedited service through airport security.
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