Out of the Clouds v. Airline
 

Caught the old movie Out of the Clouds on Talking Pictures TV yesterday - a glimpse into the ways of airline travel from London Airport in the early '50s with polite staff, hostesses who spoke the Queen's English et al. Of course the real stars were the BOAC Constellation and Stratocruiser and the BEA Viscount....

But during the ad breaks, I switched over to Airline on another channel. The true awfulness of LoCo airline travel with rude orange women yelling at passengers in harsh Scouse accents, over-booked flights etc. etc was only too evident.

What an interesting contrast - but how have we let airline travel deteriorate to its present level? Holiday charter flights (with BCal and their lovely ladies!) back in the 1970s were more upmarket than current LoCo scheduled flights....

Ah BEagle, I love Talking Pictures TV, wet afternoon, switch it on always something on there of interest. I guess the real reason is costs associated with flying. London to Perth return, according to recent Telegraph article, in the 50s was the equivalent of £18k! Today it's £700. Decades ago it was an event and people dressed up for it. My grandparents even dressed up to travel to Spain on Court Line, these days it's like catching a bus.

The good thing about nowadays compared to the 60s/70s is that many more people can afford to fly.

The downside is that many more people can afford to fly ...

:O

I don't think airlines are any different from any other historical corporate reference points

In the 50's and 60's (and before and a bit after) airlines were run by "airline" people; I acknowledge, not always well. Now however they are exclusively run by bean counters and other folks who actually believed what McKinsey & Co told them

For me the last great UK "airline" exec was Sir Colin Marshall.

Not all LoCo airlines have poor customer service doncha know.

At least one of them is on a par with the likes of John Lewis.

As my mother used to say "You get what you pay for dear"

Caught the last 5 minutes accidentally while 'channel hopping'. Warm glow of nostalgia for Connie, Globemaster and Viscount plus Triumph 2000, Ford Pilot, Humber Hawk etc. Slight oddity with rank/titles e.g. 'Captain' with 3 rings ?? Transatlantic Connies being hand flown in the cruise ... none of your sissy autopilots in those days!:hmm:

Out of the Clouds is on again this week if you missed it.

Awesome film and not too much different from my first days at LHR with BMA in the 70's - Just at the end of the glamour days and a ''can do'' attitude.
I was Duty Officer with a great team of traffic guys, engineers and pax girls.
Same formal uniforms, lots of gold trim, respect and good manners.

Passengers meant everything, and we did everything to ensure they got home or on holiday without fuss.

Today's air travel experience with few exceptions is horrific (except when BA or VS get it right, then it is still quite good)

Just watched this fascinating film made in 1955. Some of the it hasn't aged well so parts are washed out or in black and white. Not good for a colour film. Plot nothing special - best part James Robertson Justice refusing to pilot his stratocruiser as the engine doesn't sound right. When he is told the instruments and mechanic say the engine is okay he replies

The late Ken Fitzroy travelled up to Inverness on the overnight train when he was posted to Lossiemouth. A fellow passenger was James Robertson Justice who proved to be a most eloquent and entertaining travelling companion in the bar.