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Nostalgia corner – 40 years of BA First Class and Life at Heathrow in 1964

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I spent two days at a Loyalty Fraud conference this week (and a day at World Travel Market) so today you are getting a bit of ‘filler’.  However, in terms of filler, this is pretty cool.

If you have 9 minutes to spare today, this video is well worth a watch:

(EDIT: the video has now been removed from YouTube, sorry.)

It shows you what life was like at Heathrow back in 1964 ….

The world really has moved on in the last 50 years.

This old article from the Daily Mail is also worth a read – a series of photographs showing how First Class travel on British Airways has changed over the last 40 years.

Comments (20)

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  • Cate says:

    Thanks Rob, these videos are gems *thumbs up*

  • Talay says:

    “Heathrow is known the world over as the pilot’s ideal of what an airport should be” !

  • Stu P. says:

    This might be of interest while we are looking back! We don’t wear jackets and ties now:-)

    https://www.nats.aero/static/history-shows-why-modernising-uk-airspace-is-so-vital/

  • Mikeact says:

    In 1963, at 21, I got my first serious job after messing around for a few years..(My dad gave me a stern talking to).I couldn’t believe it when within a very few weeks I was sent to the US HQ. I don’t remember a lot about it, a bus journey somewhere to London airport, bussed out to what seemed a massive plane, got on board and had to turn right ! Loads of cigarette smoke, and I settled down with reading material that the company insisted I digest before the first meeting. I don’t recall any security whatsoever but I do recall a nice tray with lunch and no problem with drinks. And so started a long affair with 42 years spent flying the world. When I look back, the number of airlines, big and small, that have disappeared, particularly in the US is really sad as some of them offered a great personal service…. I guess it all really started to change when American introduced the first loyalty program, and the skies were opened up to one and all creating numerous competition. I have had many highlights and sadly, lowlights, but, I have always got to where I was going and returned home safely , thanks in part to each and every carrier I have flown….and believe me, some of my trips around Africa and ‘Russia’ left a lot to be desired, (I don’t think BA would allow live chickens on board !) Happy and safe travels one and all.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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