Americans who now endure the inconveniences of crowded airports,
packed airplanes, and missed connections might not realize that
flying was once an elegant, exhilarating adventure. In this
colorful history, Daniel L. Rust traces the evolution of commercial
air travel from the first transcontinental expeditions of the
1920s, through the luxurious airline environments of the 1960s, to
the more hectic, fatiguing experiences of flying in the post-9/11
era.
In the beginning, flying coast-to-coast was an exciting yet
uncomfortable journey of nearly forty-eight hours that required
numerous stops and overnight travel by train. With time and
technical innovation, passengers became increasingly removed both
physically and psychologically from the raw experience of flying.
Faster planes, pressurized cabins, onboard amenities, and stronger
safety precautions made flying more convenient and predictable--but
also less evocative and sensational.
Prior to the 1980s, Americans dressed for air travel in their
formal best and enjoyed such luxurious onboard amenities as
delicious meals and ample cabin space. What made air travel
glamorous, however, also made it more expensive. With deregulation
in 1978, cost reductions reduced flying to a more tedious and,
after 9/11, more regimented experience.
Rust's narrative brims with firsthand accounts from such
celebrities as Will Rogers and from ordinary Americans. Enlivened
by more than 100 illustrations, including vintage brochures,
posters, and photographs, Flying Across America reminds today's
airline passengers of what they have gained--and what they have
lost--in the transcontinental flying experience.
General
Imprint: |
University of Oklahoma Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
May 2009 |
First published: |
May 2009 |
Authors: |
Daniel L Rust
|
Dimensions: |
279 x 254 x 20mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover - Cloth over boards / With dust jacket
|
Pages: |
272 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8061-3870-1 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-8061-3870-X |
Barcode: |
9780806138701 |
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