For glamorous, long-distance travel in the 1930s, there was nothing to match the grandeur of the Flying Boat. Whilst ocean steam liners and sleeper trains have their charms, surely no other travel vehicle can beat the Pan Am Clipper Class.
The Clippers were divided into cabins, with couches rather than airplane seats. These compartments would transform at night into deluxe sleeper cabins.
There were sleeping compartments, lounges, changing rooms, and a bridal suite (De Lux Compartment) for trans-Atlantic travel.
Look at this madness. Clipper passengers were eating at real tables, not on their seats…
The crew of 10 people could accommodate up to 74 daytime passengers.
On night flights, the 74 seats were transformed into 40 private rooms
The honeymoon suite was located towards the rear of the plane. It was a makeup room and living room convertible into a honeymoon suite.
The crew members were sleeping on cots
The cockpit had steering wheels similar to automobiles
The men’s washroom was basic, but there was room for an urinal …
The ladies’ washroom had a make-up station.
Whilst today’s commercial aircraft squeeze passengers into about six square feet, on a Pan Am Clipper, each passenger could luxuriate, six-course dinners were served on fine china, and the only tickets sold were First Class.
Yes, I remember the good old days when people actually dressed up to fly. Much more fun than the present days.
But how much was a seat? I’m willing to bet it was equivalent to at least $10,000 in modern day currency
Yes might of been glamorous but not safe. I see so many safety violations in these pictures. Airplanes back then we’re treated as a restaurant. Airlines are not a restaurant at 40000 feet. They are a mode of transportation to get you from point A to point B safely.
I read somewhere that the the B347 had the largest wings of any commercial airliner until the advent of the B747. The wings were developed for the 1934 XB-15 experimental bomber. Boeing, like any aircraft manufacturer at the time, repurposed wing designs since they were such an investment in engineering in the wind-tunnel perfected, pre-computerized design process. The B-17 wings went into the B307; the B-29 wings were adapted to the B377; even the basics of the B-47 wing when into B707.
Good old days? Not. With the noise and vibration of those piston engines and bouncing through the weather at half today’s speed. I’ll take business class on an Emirates A380 any day. Expect the price/mile on the A380 is far less in inflation adjusted dollars.
Great to look back at when travel was exciting and glamorous.
I love planes and want to fly in this boat
I was a Pan Am Clipper Club frequent Flyer. The day they bankrupt I was waiting to bard a plane to go to Miami. It was a pleasure to travel during those times. You will never get an upgraded if you were not dressed properly. Those were great times to fly.
Now passenger planes are just Gray Hound buses with wings.
I wonder what happened when they got into turbulences during dinner.
Amazing!