Many, and I mean, MANY, years ago I had the pleasure of flying Trans-World Airlines, or “TWA“, a now-defunct airline absorbed by a lesser player many years ago.  This airline, steeped in aviation history, had an incredible international route system and rivaled the likes of PanAm (and outlasted it by a few years).

I got to fly it only domestically in the U.S. but grew to love it quickly with its friendly flight attendants and the occasional -and welcome- complimentary first class upgrades without having to accumulate a gazillion miles before being treated to a free upgrade… (Much better than airlines these days…)  And those flight attendants in first class did pour the wine gleefully and frequently even in short flights.  Not in an “I-do-the-first-serving-as-part-of-the-standard-thing” and “maybe-come-by-and-offer-you-a-refill-out-of-obligation-and-more-only-if-you-happen-to-catch-me-or-ring-me”, as many U.S.  airlines do today.  No, they really just were happy to keep you happy!  As a freshly minted 24-year old traveling for business, seeing myself flying high and mightily in a first class seat being poured the wine (or beverage of my choice) freely, I did not pass up the opportunities…  (I think back and see myself as a 24-year old wondering what people around me thought; me with my briefcase (no laptops back then!) with my baby face, sitting in first place probably not quite looking like I belonged.  I was fortunate to have experiences like that… (but they came with brutal work schedules as I was a grunt in a large management consulting firm…).

So, ex-TWA-ers, if you read this, hats off to you.  And that earns you this boarding pass series post.  Thanks for the good rides!  Miss ya.

Read some more Boarding Pass Series entries!

• Headed to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• And Constantinople bound!  OK, Istanbul…
• Finally, to my hometown airline, looking at the beverage options back in the 1980s with Delta