This is a very entertaining 21 minute video I found via PlaneBuzz.com. Some might watch this and think “the good old days of flying,” but I disagree. Yes, they have limos and all first class service, but notice how only the very rich were flying? Also, first class accommodations back in 1933 are not what they would be like today. No fold down seats, no in flight entertainment and much noisier. Not to mention the shows it takes about six hours to get from Chicago to New York with all the stops, unlike the short flight it would take today.
Don’t forget the safety! The video talks about the high end safety that American Airways had back in the 1930’s, but the safety record is nothing like it is today. Yea, we might have to pay for a lot of fees, but I much rather fly in a full Boeing 737 from Chicago to New York with peanuts than in a bi-winged Curtis Condor any day. (Well, ok…if I got an opportunity to ride in one today, I would but just for the fun of it).