How flying used to be...

This evening, I was reading through a forum on Airliners.net about passenger comfort on the new Airbus A380, the enormous two-decked intercontinental airliner that has presented many problems for the French aircraft maker as it tries to win more contracts with worldwide carriers. Someone in the forum posted the following American Airlines advertisement, which dates from the late 1970s (as determined based on the aircraft featured in the ad).


Airbus is currently trying to appeal to the market by offering "unprecedented passenger comfort". This person certainly has a point...it's hard to imagine how any new airliner can match the level of comfort shown in these ads...gone are the times where flying was truly a luxury, and even a privilege.
Yes, that last picture is of a lounge in the COACH cabin of an American Airlines plane.