Were you a Pan Am girl?

@@giselo66 yes

I hear you, I’m ex BA 🇬🇧 left the job in 2015 after getting married and regret that decision every day, the job, travelling, the 747, and most of all the camaraderie. Flight attendants are a certain breed of fantastic human beings. But we have the memories. Pan Am was iconic in the industry ❤

I absolutely agree that standards have dropped significantly since the 80s and 90s. I recently flew with another legacy American carrier and was sad to see untidy crew all over the aircraft. Including long hair untied during service. So different now!

Nice comment Craig! I was with United in the mid-1980's and well recall our picking up Pan Am's lucrative Asian routes. Sadly, Pan Am was selling off the rights (to fly) their most profitable routes in order to down-size schedules, generate needed cash, and ultimately survive in the then fairly new "unregulated" airline industry. I think the horrific bombing of the Pam Am 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland (in late 1988) pushed the company over the brink. The travelling public was made fearful of flying and especially avoided Pan Am - though, of course, it could have happened to any world carrier. Though PAA would operate another three years, it would bleed hundreds of millions more in losses, until its last flight in late 1991. A sad day for the entire airline industry.

@@rivaridge7211 The Lockerbie bombing was decisive in dooming not only one flight but the whole airline. It's clear that PAA wasn't chosen by chance. The airline did convey a glorious imagery of the best of the USA across the world, way beyond the circles of aviation enthusiasts and beyond political affiliations. It was the image of glamour and ease that everyone aspired to. It could only exist with that image.

Life was anything but good for Pan Am, it had sold its profitable pacific routes, it's iconic building in NYC, its prestigious coveted London route to Continental Airlines, the InterContinental hotel chain and by 1990 the company was on life support

Pan Am sold its coveted LHR routes to United, not Continental.

Flew Qantas 1986 and it was great.

Flying for me stopped being fun when smoking was progressively banned during the 1990's. At that point the atmosphere seemed to become more tense, less relaxed. The second problem was 9/11. Prior to this airlines controlled their passengers by being nice to them. Post 9/11 airlines changed and adopted a shut up or we will call security or handcuff you attitude.

@@Ben-xe8ps I moved onto air new zealand after QF. I lasted another 15 years but the layovers became shorter, the crew numbers onboard went down to minimum requirement and the flights got longer and they squeezed more seats onto the aircraft! All the fun had been squeezed out of it so I left. I miss those earlier days of flying.

@@qjb75 I am from UK. First time I flew QF was in April 1978 in Y SYD-SFO on a Boeing 747-200. A long time ago but a favourable recollection. The flight was routed MEL-SYD-HNL-SFO-YVR. This was in pre-business class two-class FY configuration days. Seating in Y was still 9 abreast 3 X 4 X 2 in those days with 34 inch pitch so nice and comfortable. I also remember the drinking water dispensers and paper cups next to the lavatories too for some reason. No requirement to clear US immigration nonsense for transit passengers to YVR in those days. Made some more flights with them in 1982 in F on QF1/2 on Boeing 747-200's when the routing was LHR-BAH-SIN-SYD-MEL. No complaints but I don't recall it as being the best F class experience as far as meals were concerned. For example on QF1 the meal ex SYD was lacking, the starter was just Rock Oysters in their shells and I don't recall any soup. Also there was no full meal service ex SIN and we were served a light supper of Caviar and Satay. Sounds delicious and it was ... but when the last full meal was after take off from SYD you really need/expect something a bit more substantial. Also took QF1 BAH-LHR in F once. At that time the left hand side of the cabin (Zone A in the nose) was smoking, the right hand side was non-smoking. A party of all female veiled Bahraini Royals was travelling. Pre-reserved seats were cancelled for normal pax and the all female Royal party were seated in the 4 rows on the left hand side of the aircraft. Obviously none of these veiled women smoked during the flight despite taking the entire smoking section for themselves. Initially the cabin crew were not particularly sympathetic unfortunately to those of us who had been moved from our pre-reserved smoking seats to the right hand seats, but eventually they relented and allowed us to smoke. Never visited NZ or travelled with TE/NZ unfortunately although if I remember correctly Air New Zealand is the only airline on which Queen Elizabeth II has travelled as a passenger on a normal scheduled flight.

@@Ben-xe8ps I thoroughly enjoyed reading your awesome comment it actually took me back to the first time I operated QF1/2 on the 747 300 EUD in 1989 and I was positioned at Door 5 Right (junior crew always got shoved down the back) also known as the Kangaroo route via SIN and BAH. I didnt really like being down the back because of all the smokers in the back few rows. Those were the days! Hehe We also had the 747 200s of course, the 747SP and the 400 was delivered in 1989. Also had 767s which were lovely aircraft to operate on. I also remember the water dispensers on the 747s and on the QF 767s! The BAH-LHR sector always had the most interesting passengers onboard and I learnt so much about the middle east and the culture just from chatting to passengers! I remember chatting to crew that had flown since the 60s and how much aviation had changed including shorter layovers etc which has become even shorter today. But they often reminisced about the good ole days hehe Air New Zealand was a smaller airline obviously and I started flying domestically for them on the 737 200 before moving to long haul 2 years later in 2000. But because it was smaller there was a strong family feel and you got to work with the same crew quite a lot which was what I enjoyed the most!

Well, I'm the guy eating pizza non-stop and I'm doing well, thank you for asking!

@@RancherUSAFLA hats off to you!!!

+K L Indeed it was the best of times for sure!

LOL flying Pan Am was far from awesome.

+Semsem Eini It was good to those who were of the status fortunate enough to afford the luxury of real First Class service.

Flying Pan Am during the days when it was spiraling into bankruptcy and oblivion was, indeed, far from awesome. So, what's your point? The airline that was "top drawer" for 50 years deserves some respect...even from yahoos like you.

Those golden days....smiling faces and humanity..missing in todays generation

Ala Moana Hotel…..😎

@@detlefb.8371 Remember when it was AA’s hotel?

@@locoHAWAIIANkane I sure do! Wasn’t my favorite location, but I got accustomed to it.

I totally agree! Pan Am the best!

People used to have a sense of humor. Now miserable, sensitive, backstabbing, immature brain dead MORONS..across all age groups.

Or just a couple of months... there's no way to know since the weather in Hawaii doesn't give away what season that was.

Yup, before the hi-density 747's and 777's of today!

At those bookings. No wonder they went under. Those older 747s loved fuel! Not cutting PanAm down by any means. Those were the end of the great days of flying.

I totally agree! Pan Am the BEST!

HNL stayed until close to the end. They're wearing the 1989 uniform update.

Pan Am sold the Pacific Division to United in 1985. Went out of business in 1991.

+apiece ofdirt DELTA!!! :)

Yeah.. After its years as a crop-duster carrier.

Better to be part of Delta than that United / Continental bullshit

apiece ofdirt Damn Delta was the only airline that REFUSED to carry people suffering with HIV and AIDS. I for one will NEVER forget how many dying desperate people rushing to go home to their loved oned were refused by Delta. I will NEVER EVER give them one cent of my money. I suggest you do the same!

What if Delta rebranded as Pan Am?

I was a flight attendant for Pan Am and I actually was the one that made the tape. I moved once or twice through the years and one day I remembered making the tape and for a long time I could not find it until I finally did find It about the time that I published the video on this channel.

Late 80’s

Many airlines flew nearly empty planes to their destinations back in the day. National Airlines, Pan AM, Taca, etc all did this. This was most prevalent on the late afternoon and night flights. Today, that model does not exist. Planes have to fly full today to make a profit.

Of course. The Indian foreign national flight attendant who was shot and killed during the Karachi incident.

Why wouldn't we? What's your point?

It's refreshing to read adverse opinions, thank you for that. I personally wasn't there when PA was still flying, but as a former cabin crew member for a Far Eastern airline, I can tell you that messy behavior wouldn't have been allowed at all, at anytime wearing the uniform, and even in the hotel because you can be seen by a customer, unknowingly. I was actually shocked to see how disorderly the crew behaved and even the way they did the pre-flight briefing on board, because I always believed flight attendants were classier in the past... and well, no, not any longer! My personal observation is that, when the employees have a good time, the customers suffer and vice-versa. That's why you don't get this in Asian airlines. The crew work hard, and they/we're not a merry bunch enjoying life and getting paid to do so. We are actually taught from the beginning to acknowledge the paying customer deserves to come first which is imho just common sense. From my experienced perspective, all Western airlines are very permissive with their employees, but maybe Europeans are more sensitive to image than Americans are. Now, I'm not saying it's better to be hard on employees, but I can certainly see who of the customers or the employees were in the most favorable position, according to that video...

@@Bellasie1 Self hatred of culture, breading like mold due to fake news mainstream media propaganda of the authoritarian globalized monopoly elite. Soon you’re all be under authoritarian culture, destroying the relaxed and great lifestyle you completely took for granted. Edit just saw your profile. Asian culture? No thanks!

Were you former Pan Am? I am curious if you knew my mother - Genarina "Ginny" Kennan (based out of: JFK, then SFO until Pacific routes were sold to UA, then back to JFK. She worked a lot with Astrid Meek). Let me know please. Thanks.

NextUp Pan am merged with delta.

Mason Mosolowski Delta bought the Atlantic division from Pan Am. That included routes, airplanes, and pilots and other personnel that were part of ETOPS operation.

I was wondering why they seemed so different from other videos I've seen about Pan Am. Of course most of what I've seen was how Pan Am started, how they picked the stewardesses, the elite uniforms and demeanor. Seeing this video I thought requirements probably changed over the years, because some of the employees seem older and not as thin as they required in the past. I never got to fly as a customer on Pan Am, wish I could have experienced the early glory of it. In my younger years I did fly on Alaska Airlines and Western airlines, back when they still served meals.

Oh, that's interesting. Age requirements have probably been done away with by now. Many years ago I applied to work at an airline right out of high school, but was told you had to be 21 years old to work as a stewardess. I remember they tested how you walked and carried yourself, and had weight requirements. Then I moved to Anchorage and applied to work with Alaska Airlines. By the time they called me for an interview I was expecting my first child so I turned it down. Surprisingly, they called me back a year later to see if I'd be interested in a job, but I was then expecting my second child. I remember there were age limits enforced by airlines back then. A stewardess could only work up to whatever age an airline chose.

Trainwreck? They enjoyed their jobs and had a blast. Many great memories at PanAm. Young crews today will never know.

Really? In what way, Gomer?

+Rob Martin TWA 74-01, American Airlines 01-2011. international, French language LOD, bases w/ TW ORD, STL, LAX....AA ORD, STL, FINAL DFW.

Good for you Rob Martin. You write them up ... I'll bet you were very popular! At Pan Am we had consideration for one another and no one was ever "stuck" in the galley. Some people were terrified of the main galley on the 747, and some like myself would have preferred to fly it every trip but we considered ourselves fair. By the way, I'm the guy eating the pizza in the video and as you can see our Purser's (equivalent I'm Guessing to your In-Flight Managers) did not lead with fear and intimidation. I was a Purser from the late 70's and a Flight Attendant from 1988 until Pan Am went out of business.

Rob, you would NEVER have been hired by PAA...

You're cute

Thanks hon.... Buh-bye.

No UKboy, the lax security by British airport officials which contributed to the Lockerbie incident played a major role in the demise of Pan Am. Don't get it twisted bloke....

Alfred Newman dinner

The American way - fun loving, humorous and joyful - is no doubt alien to you. Shame.

@@nextup6074 Well said. There are people out there that are envious of those that enjoy what they do.