Story shared by reader Melissa Frost from Gold Coast, Australia
“Are the children secured Madam?” The immaculate Pan Am hostess asked. “Yes, thank you” my mother replied, smiling nervously as she leaned over to check the seat belts of my siblings one more time.
Across the aisle, I looked down to check my own seat belt. On the tarmac outside the Pakistani Pan Am ground crew were moving away from the dust bloom surrounding the aircraft, toward the safety of the building that was Karachi International Airport.
“Dusty” I thought. The colour of Pakistan. “It’s dusty.”
The engines began to roar and I looked around the cabin. My father was sitting next to me and my brother was on the aisle seat reading a comic. The main lights of the cabin dimmed, leaving us in an eerie void. The pristine Pan Am hostess’ walked briskly down along the fuselage, checking seatbelts and closing overhead compartments. I looked out the window again and saw the ground crew pulling away the wheel chocks and loading last-minute suitcases into the hull of the aircraft. One of the Pakistani ground crew was beckoning the others to hurry up.
I was sad to be leaving Pakistan, as Pakistan was where I had my first crush. He was a sweet dark-haired American boy, he would piggy back me on his bike from an afternoon at the colony pool back to our bungalow on Sanobar. I didn’t even get to say Goodbye to him, as my father’s announcement that we were leaving for Hong Kong immediately came out of the blue; it left us with no time but to point out our essential loves to the packers and board a Pakistan Airline flight for Karachi. We had been in Pakistan for only 18 months; contracted 50 miles north of Rawalpindi at Tarbela, where my father was building a huge dam across the mighty Indus River.
Pakistan in the 1970’s was a fascinating place.
A country stoically carrying the tail end of the British Raj beast. A Raj where our bearer goose-stepped sahib, my father, as he disembarked the Landover after a day dam building. A country steeped in mysticism and culture, where the honourable respond to the call of the faithful, the adhan, resonating from mosques across the craggy terrain that is Northern Pakistan. The chant would float through the valley and down to the dam construction site; where rumour declares that Alexander the Great had crossed many a millennium ago with his immense army of stout, loyal Macedonians.
The aircraft started reversing from the terminal. The wings of the plane were moving effortlessly up and down as we taxied towards the runway. I was not worried about this as my Civil Engineering father once gave me an impromptu lesson in aviation physics, where he said the movement of the wings was essential in the flexibility of aeronautics. “It’s important Melissa” he had said.
We slowly rolled toward the runway feeling the weight of the aircraft as we turned to begin our ascent to the sky. The Captain asked the hostesses to take their seats and the aircraft manoeuvred into position for take-off. Moments later the 747 engines roared, as the aircraft sped down the runway. The power of the aircraft pushed us slightly back into our seats. “I just love flying” I thought. This moment of take-off, pounding down the runway; I just love it. The aircraft sped past Karachi International Airport, a two storey building with a dilapidated “Welcome to Karachi” sign. The plane’s engines were throbbing, the fuselage was shaking and I heard the wheels clamp inside the belly of the beast as we gained lift and climbed into the heavens.
Flying around the world in the 70’s was sumptuous. We wore our Sunday best. I had my favourite gold sandals on.
The cabins were spacious, with no overhead compartments running along the centre of the plane. Seats were large and comfortable. The aisles allowed two people to pass easily; during drinks and meal rounds it was easy to slip around the trolleys. The hostesses were also very obliging, my mother could rely on them to babysit my siblings whilst she napped, drank cocktails or touched up her makeup. The meals were delicious with real plates and real cutlery. We were given menus just after take-off, with a selection of meals available during the flight. My siblings always received the complimentary Children’s pack full of colouring books, colour pencils, books and other toys to keep them occupied. I however, was 11 and too grown up for the Children’s Pack.
The seat belt sign went off. The flight to Hong Kong was going to be long according to my father with only one refuelling stop. There would be one movie on-board displayed on a central screen at the beginning of each section of the plane, after dinner and later into the flight. I undid my seatbelt and did a lap of the plane, finding another 11 year old sitting in the hostess’ jump seat at the back of the aircraft. I said “Hi” and she said “Bonjour”. There were always plenty of European children flying with their parents in the 70’s.
Flying was expensive and reserved for those who could afford it. Often companies that our fathers worked for paid the exorbitant airline ticket costs. We were allowed to roam the aircraft freely, without constraint. Moving from empty seat to empty seat. As capacity in 1970’s was usually only around 75%.
The hostesses would let us all gather at the back of the plane in the last two rows and play. We would talk, read and play scrabble or snakes and ladders.
The hostesses often brought us drinks, chips and lollies. Our parents never came looking for us.
The flight continued, I bid my new French friend “adieu” and returned to my seat for dinner. Eating meals was akin to sitting in a fancy French restaurant; etiquette was a premium, even at 30,000 feet. I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin provided. After the hostesses had cleared the cabin of the meal, the movie began and the lights of the cabin dimmed once again.
The hush of the engines drifted most off to sleep, except for my brother and me. It was the middle of the night and the flight was rounding the Indochinese peninsula. My mother asked the hostess if my brother and I could have an impromptu visit to the pilot’s cockpit. Unheard of in contemporary terms, but in the 60’s and 70’s this sort of thing was quite common. The hostess came back to my mother and said yes we could visit the cockpit. We followed her up the dark fuselage, past sleeping content passengers and entered the cockpit.
The pilots turned to greet us and were pleasant and welcoming. I looked left through the cockpit window and could see the moon reflecting off the distant coastline. The plane was hugging the western coast of Vietnam. The flashing instrument panel of the cockpit was in stark contrast to the dark low lying storm clouds miles below us.
Suddenly out of the distant dense cloud cover, along the Vietnamese coastline, came fireballs, exploding one, two and three
I had watched the Vietnam War news broadcasts on the BBC at the hotel in Karachi, so I had some idea of what was going on. Again came more fireballs one, two and three, which left me rattled. Every time one of the bombs exploded I knew that many lives had been lost; it was a powerful scene.
The pilots informed us that on their route between Karachi and Hong Kong this was a familiar sight. Pan Am could not fly over the Indochinese peninsula, but had to refuel in Dacca, East Pakistan and not Saigon. I was watching history and was rooted to the floor of the cockpit. I became acutely aware of my surroundings, vulnerable in an aeroplane at 35,000 feet. Not safely on the ground, playing in the sandpit out the back of our house in Sanobar.
After the pilots signed our logbooks we made our way back to our seats. Our flight was still hours out of Hong Kong and I spent the rest of the flight curled up in my seat, quietly reflecting on a Chinese proverb my mother often quoted “If people are of one heart, even the yellow earth can become gold”. The scene has remained with me my entire life.
We arrived in Hong Kong six hours later and I could see the junks off Lantau Island, as the plane made its approach to Kai Tak airport. The plane was flying low and the pilot asked all passengers to buckle their seatbelts. I looked at my mother, who held my youngest sister, a baby, tightly to her chest.
All aircraft approaching Kai Tak airport in 1971 were guided by a red and white checkerboard, located on the side of a hill, which was the middle marker of their final approach. This visual sighting of the checkerboard told the pilots that they were two nautical miles from touchdown and needed to be below 1,000 feet. We suddenly made a right hand turn and I could feel the aircraft banking.
The Pan Am airliner was flying at 700 feet over Kowloon City. I felt I could reach out and touch the washing hanging on man-made clothes lines on the balconies below. The engines began to roar, how absolutely exciting I thought. I looked again at my mother; no, there was definitely nothing exciting about this. The large Pan Am aircraft hit Kai Tak with a bouncing force. The pilots applied the brakes as we hurled down the runway that protruded out into Hong Kong’s famous fragrant harbour. The aircraft came to an eventual stop and we slowly taxied back to the terminal.
We had landed safely in Hong Kong and where headed onto my father’s next project, High Island reservoir in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
Story shared by reader Melissa Frost from Gold Coast, Australia
Just brilliant is all I can muster up for this classic report. Thank you Melissa.
What a marvellous experience it would have been. I remember well their round the world flight as I collected their timetables in the 1970’s – Pan Am 1 and Pan Am 2. I wonder though why the dad said the flight would be so long? Karachi to Hong Kong non-stop on a jet is around 5h 50m. If it stopped somewhere, I can’t think where that would have been, unless is was Bombay. I’ve never seen any Boeing 747 in Pan Am’s fleet without the centre luggage lockers. Anyone know about those?
I first flew LAX-HKG in the ’50’s on propeller Pan Am airplanes. It took 3 days. My grandmother insisted I wear my suit and tie at all times, except for jammies to sleep. An ordeal for a five year old. By the 70’s it was much more refined. The 747 allowed the trip to be shortened to less than the 19 hours it took just to get to Hawaii on the prop aircraft.
The Pan Am service will never be duplicated. The gulf carriers have all the glitz, but lack the glamour of the experience of flying in the 70’s. The crews have changed, the passengers have really changed, and the sharp pencil boys (accountants) have chiseled most airlines to second class bus lines. It was better when government set prices and carriers competed by giving real service.
WOW !! I didnt know PA flew on this route … I have flown PanAm from Karachi to Bombay, Frankfurt and Houston. Never knew about this route !! Too young to fly !! the last time, I flew Pan Am was in 1987 from KHI to BOM !! and then it stopped flying due to the hijack attempt !! Thanks for sharing this review !! Its always so relaxing to read your reviews and watch youtube videos. I am in India these days, cant fly down to HKG and other places due to the covid restrictions but through video, I enjoy the views from above, love the Biman flight videos !! very nice !! Take care Sam and stay safe !!
I will always remember that i had overslept breakfast and when i finally awoke the lovely pan am hostess had insisted that she was going to fix me some french toast. Its been the best french toast i ever had and i have always wanted to thank her. This was a DC8 ferry flight from idlewild to port of spain trinidad.where the flight number ended in XX. Early 1960’s
What a great article Melissa. Could you also write about your experience/stay in Pakistan please?
I had been working at Karachi Airport and had the opportunity to fly PA001 called Clipper 1 East bound KHI HKG NRT (Tokyo) where I stayed for a couple of days from Tokyo to LAX. From NEW YORK flew to FRA stayed and flew FRA KHI all on PA001 thus traveled round the world on Clipper 1
I didn’t have such privilege of flying with PAN AM, but I know it must have been a wonderful experience for those who had the privilege. I hope to give my children such a wonderful experience.
who had t
What a wonderful account of how flying used to be. Even though I never flew The Queen of the Skies, I was there with the author at every step. Thank you very much!
Brings back so many wonderful memories! Pan AM was the best and took us all over the world always to the highest standards! I am not sure any airline today even begins to match Pan Am!
I flew for Pan Am for the decade of the 70’s. You wrote a great story. For the above comment, we started nonstop JFK to Tokyo in the 70’s on the new 747SP.. I also worked JFK to Bahrain nonstop….those flights were 14 to 16 hours. Yes, silverware, china, crystal. First Class was amazing where we cooked roast beef on board and sliced on a cart at their seat or 4 other entree choices. It was a 2.5 hr. Service with many courses. Yes, everyone dressed up.
In 1983, Pan Am offered an around the world business class ticket valid for one year. The ticket was $3,000. I began my journey flying from NYC to Hong Kong with refueling stops in SFO and Guam. Then traveled all over SEA – on Pan Am or affiliate airlines. After 6 glorious months, I returned to NYC to regroup. Then flew to off to Europe. After 3 months I woke up one morning and had no idea where I was and realized it was time to go home. Pan Am gave me the experience of a lifetime.
I worked for Pan Am in sales and marketing in Australia from 1964 to 1981 and was lucky to fly all over the world for their training schools, for work and for holidays. They were the great days when you dressed up to travel and you felt privileged to fly. I was often upgraded to First Class and looked after many stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age including Charlton Heston, Deborah Kerr, Vincent Price and Maureen O’Hara, to name just four. I have written about them and all my travels for my children and grandchildren as travel like that will never be the same again,
For those of us flying long-haul in the 60’s and 70’s overseas to/from Hawaii, we relate to this story. Not only were meals served on china with actual silverware (in coach!), but we were given playing cards, pens and stationery for writing letters, eye masks for sleeping and booties to keep our feet warm. Seats were spacious. When double-aisle 747’s took over routes previously equipped by 707’s, flying got even better. There was a piano and lounge area on the upper “floor” of my first 747 flight! Good times. 747’s were my favorite aircraft; I miss the majestic beauty of “The Queen of the Skies”.
I only flew Pan Am one time. 747 from HNL to SFO in the mid 70s. My brother, parents and I were invited by the purser to the upper deck for dinner at a table for four. Crisp white linen table cloth, fresh flowers, roast beef carved at the table. For a 12 year old kid from Alabama that loved aviation, this was high cotton! It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
My first ever trip by air was at age 12 from Friendship (now BWI) to Sapporo Japan via LAX, Honolulu, and Tokyo on JAL around July 1, 1971 (there were a couple of multi night layovers for sightseeing in Honolulu and Tokyo). The Pacific legs were on one of JAL’s original 747-100s. I don’t recall too many details of the flight. But I do remember asking to visit the cockpit (cute kids could get away with that back then). The FA let me up the spiral stairs, through the first class lounge to the cockpit. It was dark so there was absolutely nothing to see out the window. I recall there was a large control panel oriented sideways for the third crew member (navigator/engineer?). I also remember the FA loading a 16 mm film into a compact projector that dropped down from the center console. I don’t remember the domestic flights, other than that the 747 seemed so giant in comparison.
Great travel story by Melissa and interesting comments.
Todd, I’m pretty sure the movies in that era were Super 8mm film with optical (or magnetic?) sound tracks (not 16mm) and there were special cartridges that the whole movie was carried in. 16mm was used on earlier aircraft but Super 8mm became more practical when it was introduced about the same time as the B747.
Hi Sam,
How are you,
Im Ijaz Ahmed from Pakistan, thank you very much about some videos y blogs about My Peacefull country Pakistan.
waiting for an other detailed vlog about Pakistan.
Hi Sam,
Thank you for posting this was a beautiful story and trip report. Flying back then seemed so much more relaxed and fun.
Pan Am was a great airline. I’ve done the same flight in 1977 from KHI to HKG. I was 11 months!
Wow, thanks for that Sam, a really interesting read! Things have certainly changed in 50 years. Makes me wonder how flying will be 50 years from now in the year 2071?!!
I have very fond memories of Pan Am. In 1981 ( or 82 ?) I flew Pan Am 1 and 2, around the world… jfk-lhr-del-bkk-nrt-sfo. Of course Pan Am could not fly between US cities.
Also Pan Am had the first non stop JFK – Tokyo, in 1984 I think. These 747’s had stand up bars in first class.Until then there were non stops only from ORD to Tokyo.
I have great memories of Pan Am. In fact, my first remembered flight was at the age of 6 on a Pan Am 747 and this tale really brings back the wonder of that flight. Thanks so much for publishing this.
Very accurate as I recall. I once flew PAA 001 round the world service from Thailand to Frankfurt…with stops in India..Iran..Lebanon and Turkey.
America misses its greatest airline …Pan American World Airways!
So wonderful to read. Sadly, even though I flew in and out of Kai Tak, I was a kid, it was dark, and I was in the middle section. The banking, I do remember.
That was a fantastic story. As a child, I had the privilege of flying a number of times within the USA and it was a vastly different experience than now. Had to wear a sport jacket and tie, and the meal service in economy was on genuine plates with silverware engraved with the airline logo or name. It was good too! The flight attendants couldn’t be nicer and yes, the flight crew would often grant permission for kids to visit the flight deck. I recall how thrilling it was for my father and I to do this mid-flight on a PSA flight from LAX-SFO back in Nov 1969.
What a wonderful story, and a great trip down memory lane for me! I started my international career in the 1980’s, and virtually all of my overseas trips during that decade were on PanAm. Hong Kong, Sydney, Auckland, Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, Singapore. I will always treasure those days, and being glad to see the big blue-and-white PanAm logo on the tail as i started my return trips back home. Thank you for posting this.
Yes, Sam, this was your best flying story yet. Back then I was with TWA at JFK.
Our RTW flights had slightly different routings. BOS-ORY (before CDG was built) -FCO-CAI (or TLV depending on the day)-BOM-BKK-HKG-TPE-OKA-GUM-HNL-LAX-JFK. Luxurious meals, high glamor, interesting seatmates, and the fun of it all.
As a millennial age teen(I’m not even 20 yet), I can only imagine how wonderful flying would’ve been before the 80’s. It seems like even economy class was something more than double Etihad Suites!! I am so curious..