02 May 2010

The early days of passenger aviation

Coffee, tea or earplugs: Organist Nan Bergin serenaded luxury-class passengers aboard Northwest Airlines’ New York-Chicago-Minneapolis-St. Paul flight in November 1959. (Associated Press photo)
The "Yesterday's News" feature of the Minneapolis-St. Paul StarTribune featured a story about the first stewardesses for Northwest Airlines (in 1939). They worked in a "new Douglas DC-3, 21-passenger skyliner, placed in service by Northwest Airlines on its Chicago-Twin Cities run."

Blogged in part for my mom, who was in the first graduating class of stewardesses for American Airlines (based in Chicago), but mostly for the astonishing photo above (from 1959) of an organist playing for "luxury-class" passengers.  Incredible!

6 comments:

  1. Look! Seats that fit people!

    ReplyDelete
  2. But they had to turn around backwards to see the organist.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Look! People who fit seats! is more like it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jerry in and around DallasMay 4, 2010 at 11:25 AM

    Wonder what her playlist was. Maybe "Fly Me to the Moon?"

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear God, NO!
    Not the organ with the harpoons for pedals!
    There's no escape! The tremulant won't quit! OH NO! IT'S THE LESLIE SPEAKER!
    And there are no iPods and noise-cancelling earphones to ease the misery!

    ReplyDelete

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