The Wings of Man

In 1927, the fledgling Eastern Airlines began operation as a US Mail carrier. The enterprise would soon expand into the passenger business under the direction of the famous WW I ace Eddie Rickenbacker and later astronaut Frank Borman. First known as “The Great Silver Fleet”, “The Wings of Man” became the famous tag for the airline that “earned its wings every day”.

Between 1969 and 1991, when they stopped flying, I logged almost 700,000 air miles on Eastern Airlines. This was back in the days when flying was easy and kind to travelers, who like me, were unusually loyal to a single carrier. The only reason I would even consider using another airline was if Eastern simply did not serve the area. They earned that loyalty with all manner of ploys, promotions and just plain great service.

In college, there were 50% student discounts. In addition, Eastern had student reps on many campuses (a job I wanted but never got). The catch was that it was stand-by travel, though I never missed a flight, while flying at 25%. The old Newark terminal had sprawling long arms extending from a central hub which required extended walks, often avoided by the I Club shuttle. Eastern had set the hook in me that was shaken only by the demise of my beloved airline.

The Ionosphere Clubs were as varied as the cities they served. Some, like Houston, were simple and plain. But in major airports like JFK (Idlewilde), O’Hare, Altanta, etc., they were palaces filled with elite travelers and perks. My favorites were Miami (Eastern’s HQ) and San Juan. Both had commanding views, attendants who all looked like models and every traveling amenity. The major hub in the old Atlanta terminal had some small conference rooms, with big, reclining leather chairs and couches that made perfect spots for naps.

After law school, my work required visits to agricultural research stations and colleges all over the country, several times a year. At just that time, Eastern offered a 21 day unlimited mileage pass, which was just the “ticket” for me. Those were three week marathons of rental cars, hotels, meetings and flight, all away from home, since any city could only be visited once on the pass. This often led to odd itineraries, like flying from SFO to LAX via DFW. The upside was that weekends were open to explore all parts of this extraordinary country. All the while, Eastern Airlines made my travel as comfortable as possible.

And dear Eastern didn’t stop there. They had a “Weekender” program, which allowed weekend trips on 24 hr notice for just a few dollars. And of course, the Frequent Flyer program, which carried me and my family all over the country. There was even a perk at Disney World, which allowed VIP treatment at Eastern’s “If You Had Wings” ride (now Buzz Lightyear) and elsewhere in the park. For many years pilots and co-pilots mingled in the I Clubs, often resulting in an invitation to the flight deck during a flight – unheard of these days. During long layovers, I often visited the control tower and/or approach control, even taking my young sons on occasion.

Those were surely the Golden Years of airline travel, when passengers were courted and treated well, in exchange for loyalty. When I felt a part of a friendly, caring service, rather than a filled seat on some accountant’s spread sheet. When we traveled without fear. And when you could show up at the airport 10 minutes before departure and still make your flight.