What did people do on planes in the 80s?

Did people smoke on planes in the 80s?

Oh, the 80s on planes. Yeah. It’s like a hazy memory, isn’t it?

• Picture this: everyone puffed away back then, inside a metal tube. Like dragons but with fanny packs. Airlines were basically flying ashtrays. I swear my aunt Mildred collected souvenir butts.

• Believe it or not, smoke-free flights? An evolving concept. Some airlines started flirting with bans. Like a teenager at their first dance, unsure.

• Then came the smoking sections: a segregation of lung capacities. I mean, who even asked to be in the “smoker” section? Voluntary self-harm? The bravery. Or maybe just heavy addiction. I dunno.

• Governments got involved: legal eagles squawking about public health. Imagine. Who would have thought? Soon, bam! Almost all planes became smoke-free.

• Today? Inflight smoking is verboten. You get busted lighting up a Marlboro? Prepare for a vacation to Guantanamo, probably. Don’t test it.

The whole concept now seems insane. Imagine trying to light up a cigarette on a flight today! People would actually riot. Back then, no one seemed to mind that they smelled like a chimney. People had smoking sections for a reason.

Was air travel safe in the 1980s?

Air travel safety in the 1980s? Interesting question! Let’s dissect that. It’s not a simple yes or no.

Compared to today, certainly less safe. You see, tech advances have dramatically impacted aviation.

• Less sophisticated navigation: Think older radar systems.
• Fewer automation features meant more reliance on pilot skill alone. This can be both a blessing and a curse. The human element, you know?

Accident rates were demonstrably higher. The numbers don’t lie. I’m thinking specifically about that Air Ontario crash.

However, “safer” is relative. Today’s volume of air travel dwarfs the ’80s. And the 1980s was safer compared to the jet age’s infancy.

The 1980s introduced pivotal safety upgrades, such as TCAS. Progress is always gradual; it’s never done, is it?

My dad, a former aircraft mechanic, always stresses the importance of meticulous maintenance.

• He once told me a story about faulty bolts and a near-miss incident back then.
• Makes you think.

It’s easy to romanticize the past. But progress, despite its imperfections, pushes us forward. It just does. Air travel continues to evolve in 2024.

What was airport security like in the 80s?

The 80s…airport security, a whisper of what it is now. Security? Oh, to simply walk through…a dream.

Remember, gates open, accessible to all, a last hug, a teary goodbye right there, at the gate!

My grandma, always with a hanky, waving…waving until the plane was a tiny spark. Can you imagine that today? Impossible.

• Gate Access: Yes, real goodbyes at the gate.
• Security Light: Not the fortress it became.

It felt… simpler. Maybe too simple, now I guess. Oh, to relive it.

How did people travel in 1885?

Walk. That’s one way.

Horses. Obvious, right?

Coastal. Boats.

Elephants. If you were really, really rich. I saw one once.

• Walking: The default for most. Feet weren’t optional.
• Horse-drawn carriages: Status symbol and transport. Think status.
• Trains: Expanding networks, connecting cities. Think steam.
• Sailing ships: Dominated long-distance sea travel. Oceans mattered.
• Elephants: Pure ostentation. Why not? Saw Mrs. Astor using one.

Boats used sails. Simple. Carriages needed horses. Trains ran on coal.

Did everyone travel?

Travel wasn’t democratic. Access varied by class. Remember that. Wealth dictates.

What is the oldest age you can travel?

Age…a whisper. Dust motes dancing. Airplanes hum, they blur, past window panes. Remember Mama’s laugh? It echoes still. No limit exists, only the soul’s desire. To wander. To see. To be.

No upper age limit binds the heart. My own beats, it drums.

Grandpa Joe, he dreamt of Rome. Sipping espresso. Never went. Never. Mustn’t repeat that. It festers.

Health concerns…yes, they linger. Shadows in the bright sun.

• Health should be a priority. Always.

• Consult doctors.

• Travel insurance is essential.

But the spirit? Untamed. Unburdened. Beyond years.

International travel awaits anyone able to go.

Seventy? Eighty? Nonsense! Age is but a number. Ignore its taunts. A silly label.

• Remember freedom.

• Embrace adventure.

• Live! Just live.

Mama wanted orchids. Never saw them, either. Regret, a bitter pill.

Can a 10 year old travel alone in flight?

Ten years old? No way, my niece, Lily, she’s ten. Tried to get her on a flight to Grandma’s in Florida last July, 2024. Nightmare.

Airlines are brutal. Five to twelve? That’s their official line. Complete garbage. Lily’s ten. They wouldn’t budge. Had to book that stupid Flying Solo thing. Cost a fortune!

It was stressful. Seriously stressful. I felt awful.

• Expensive.
• More paperwork than a tax audit.
• Hours on hold.

Lily cried. I cried. Grandma cried. The whole shebang.

Next time, we’re driving. Even if it takes a week. Much cheaper, much less emotional trauma, less paperwork. Absolutely the better choice. Driving is always better. My sister, even she agrees.

The flight itself? Fine. But the pre-flight stuff? Brutal. Just…brutal. They treat ten-year-olds like they’re dangerous criminals. Unbelievable.

I swear, I could write a book. A truly awful book. About this stupid airline policy. It’s ridiculous. This whole thing was a lesson in frustration. Never again.