Same tube, different decade

Passenger experience, 40 years back

Looking back forty years, it’s astounding how much in passenger experience has changed — but also how much hasn’t.

The 1970s were the age of the spacious widebody jet, with the Boeing 747, Douglas DC-10, Lockheed L-1011 and Airbus A300 spanning skies around the world. These aircraft were wide throughout, with the now ten-across Boeing 747 seating just nine passengers in each economy row, and the DC-10 that ended up with a standard 2-5-2 layout down back seating only eight people abreast with a civilised cocktail table in the middle.