5 Bizarre Things People Could Do On Airplanes In The Past

Flying during the golden age of air travel, from the 1950s to the early 1970s, was a very different experience from today. It wasn't just the extra leg room, gourmet meals, free-flowing booze, and that everyone on board dressed to impress. There were some aspects that contemporary airline travelers would find downright bizarre. Back then, you could light up a cigarette and fiddle with your shotgun while you puffed away and no one would give you a second glance.

If you got bored with the inflight fashion show put on by the flight attendants — then called airline stewardesses — you could wander upstairs to the piano bar for a libation. After cocktails, you could turn in for the night in the bed above your seat (where luggage is stored today) and wake to breakfast in bed. Yes, things have certainly changed. Here's a look at the bizarre things once allowed in the air.

Smoking cigarettes was once a fairly ubiquitous vice whose peak use happened to coincide with the golden age of airline travel, reaching its apex in the 1960s. Back in the day, you could pretty much smoke anywhere, and that included while you soared above the clouds in a small enclosed space with poor air circulation. If you didn't bring your own cigarettes, a flight attendant would offer you one. There were even some "executive flights" where the flight attendants would pass out cigars to the all-male passengers — yes, only men were allowed on these trips.

In the 1970s, airlines began segregating smokers into sections at the rear of the plane, but that didn't stop secondhand smoke from affecting the staff and non-smoking passengers, including children. It wasn't until 1988 that U.S.-based airlines began banning smoking on domestic flights less than two hours long. By 2000, smoking was a no-go on all foreign and domestic flights into the U.S.

Before 1961 there was nothing really stopping passengers from bringing concealed handguns with them when they flew. That year, in the face of a growing rash of hijackings, Congress amended the 1958 Federal Aviation Act that criminalized carrying a concealed gun except by law enforcement officers. But it didn't prevent passengers from bringing unconcealed firearms. Hunters would often bring shotguns and rifles aboard that they would sometimes store between the plane seats. And since there was no airport security screening until 1974, no one was checking to see if these weapons were loaded. By the late 1970s, you could no longer bring unsecured guns into the secure gate areas, much less onto planes.

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Transportation Security Administration was born and things got even stricter. Before then, you could bring knives with four-inch blades and box cutters. It also meant airport security was more likely to stumble onto such bizarre things as human skulls and raw cow brains passengers attempted to sneak onto flights.

In the 1960s, as jetliners like the Boeing 707 became the standard, airlines began introducing onboard lounges and by 1970, when the jumbo jet came out, they only became more extravagant. Pan American, which had the first Boeing 747, turned its upper deck into a restaurant for first-class passengers. Qantas' 747 featured the Captain Cook Lounge where you could relax in a comfortable chair while sipping a cocktail and chatting with other passengers.

While some of these cocktail lounges and restaurants were reserved for first-class travelers, American Airlines' Luxury Liner offered a piano bar for all its passengers located at the rear of the main deck. You could listen to live music on an electric organ while enjoying a beverage. Other airlines offered similar amenities for its passengers. Continental had Polynesian Pubs on its DC 10s and 747s for economy customers and Trans World Airlines had a small bar and communal table for its coach passengers. Talk about class! 

Inflight entertainment during the golden age of airline travel wasn't what it is today. It wasn't until the 1960s that some airlines began showing movies during flights. In lieu of this, passengers on some airlines in the 1950s got to watch live fashion shows featuring flight attendants sashaying down the aisles in the latest looks. Being an inflight model was only one of the many roles flight attendants were expected to play during this period. And the demeaning aspects of the work started before even getting the job. 

Airlines had sexist draconian rules for their flight attendants, which included physical standards such as the shape of their bodies, their height, and weight. Another aspect of the bizarre mentality of the period was that the airlines also forbade married or engaged women from employment and forced flight attendants out by age 32. Before even being hired they would have to go through rigorous training (around eight weeks) that included two hours of daily exercise, among other requirements. The sexism continued with the flight attendants' outfits. By the late 1960s, the uniforms for various airlines included hot pants, mini skirts, and go-go boots. The fashion designer Emilio Pucci designed a uniform for Braniff International called the Air Strip that had removable parts the flight attendant was expected to take off for different portions of a flight.

Back in the day when flying was still considered a luxury, passengers could never have imagined what future generations would be forced to put up with. Back then, instead of trying to sleep during a long flight in the cramped and uncomfortable conditions of a coach-class airline seat, passengers had a very different experience. After enjoying their cocktail at the roomy onboard lounge, they could crawl into bed. Yes, an actual bed with a mattress and sheets. They were similar to a train berth with a curtain that could be pulled shut for modesty. Some had reading lights.

On several planes in the 1950s, including the Boeing Stratocruisers, the sleeping berths were where the overhead bins for carry-on luggage are located today. And in the morning after a refreshing snooze, the flight attendant would bring you breakfast in bed (and not just a pre-wrapped cookie and coffee, either). While all these luxuries are mostly a thing of the past, the only saving grace is that airplane accidents have made a steep decline over the ensuing years. We suppose it could be considered a fair trade-off.