Western Airlines Promo Film - 1978

[@ikaikamaleko8370]

Ahhh man this is so nostalgic..... I was 14 growing up in Hawaii.....my mom would take me down to Honolulu International to watch the planes land and take off, I miss those days more than words.

[@ikaikamaleko8370]

@3zofat I turned 58 this month, my mom passed away three years ago this month.

[@plutoooooooooooooo]

@@ikaikamaleko8370 R.I.P. 🙏

[@renorailfanning5465]

Here's my Western story. Flew them from Minneapolis to Sacramento in the summer of 1977. Flew on a DC-10 from MSP to LAX and then a 707 from LAX to SAC. Talked to a pilot, I was 8, for a long time while waiting for the connecting flight and my mom told me that he said ne never met an 8 year old who knew so much about aviation. He listened to me and answered all my questions and, gave me some wings and a cap. We then took the 707 from LAX to SAC and that plane had a 4 person lounge in the back. The return leg was a 727 from SAC to MSP and that trip was what I remember about flying. We had beef stroganoff, carrot cake, salad, metal utensils, etc...I had to dress up and I remember my parents talking about the flight years later and saying what great service and comfort Western provided. Cool logo also :)

[@kimjong-uny4884]

Thanks for sharing : )

[@BobBilheimer]

Did the pilot ask if you’d ever been in a Turkish prison?

[@renorailfanning5465]

@@BobBilheimer He did 😀

[@metroplex3k]

@@renorailfanning5465 what about the gladiators?

[@robgehrke3239]

I began working at Western Airlines as a flight attendant 12 June 1978 ✈️

[@kensnyder3311]

I miss Western. Dad started there in 1968...

[@johnf.kennedy]

my dad started there in 1971

[@tonyktown]

LOL...I remember this video on the first day of flight attendant training in 1979. Class 79-6. Only stayed at WAL for 1 year, got hired by Pan Am, and that was all she wrote.

[@robertmartin4646]

I was a f/a for Western and my brother flew for TWA/American....I saw two f/a's that I flew with one was Kathy with the Dorothy Hamill cut, and the gentlemen was mike I believe? Based in MSP,, I was LAX. Didn't fly for WA too long...chose another career....great video! Thanks for posting.

[@jhrvta]

I flew Western to Calgary (from LAX) in 1987! "The only way to fly!" It is not like that anymore....

[@james33772]

I remember my first time I ever flown, I was 8 years old and Western was the first airline I ever flown on. I will never forget it. It's so different today, I think it was better back then.

[@AnbroBR]

My father was an aircraft electrician with Western Airlines, from the mid-50s to the early 60s. Myself and my sister were very young and we would getto fly from LAX to O'Hare-Chicago, by ourselves. The stewardesses would keep an eye on us, we'd BEHAVE and enjoy our flight. We would almost always fly TWA, because Western didn't have flights back to ORD. My father knew most of the pilots that flew out of LAX and on one flight back to IL, I was asked by a stewardess to follow her, which I did. I was escorted up tothe cockpit and was allowed to sit in the co-pilot's seat. That was right after they had passed a rule saying that no passengers were allowed to enter a cockpit. Things WERE different back then. Everyone was so friendly andrespectful of each other; they dressed much better and back then, it WAS a real luxury to be able to fly. Those days are gone forever...

[@rafaelwilks]

@@AnbroBR some things in aviation have improved, so much so that I honestly wouldn't ever want to trade places and go to the past.

[@paulazemeckis7835]

What do you mean by " ghetto" fly?

[@gebling]

@@paulazemeckis7835 Spirit Airlines?

[@dandiacal]

In a lot -I'd say most - promo or industrial films for a business there was a constant and relentless depiction of regular looking people, ;presumably the staff of said business waving and smiling most effusively at the camera. Sometimes they would even have name tags or say Hi I'm Ralph or I'm Susan, a real Up With People vibe. This film does that same thing,. Totally a 70s thing. You don't see it in corporate industrials in decades later or since.

[@MrDerjillnoun]

I flew Western from SEA to SFO and onward to MSP December 1972. It was all Boeing 707 jets for the whole trip. Pleasant and enjoyable!

[@AEMoreira81]

At least two of the former Western DC-10 spaceships are still flying (N904WA and N905WA) as converted cargo planes with FedEx (ships N559FE and N560FE, respectively); they are both 40 years old now.

[@paulazemeckis7835]

Yes and that is scary.

[@dave4shmups]

Gets film! Part of what I love about this is the recognition given to the mail pilots. They established the first airline routes, and it was very dangerous work. Pilots died doing it, but without them, we wouldn't have a lot of the airline routes that we have today.

[@paulazemeckis7835]

Thank you...most people don't know that the airline industry evolved from the treacherous mail runs way back when.

[@edosdoba8113]

Love this 8 minute history of All things Western 1978. "Western's the way to fly."

[@Z06ified]

Very cool and classic video. Just read through the history of Western Airlines, and didn’t realize it traced its roots to the same entity that started TWA back in the 1920’s-30’s. Very cool. Never got to fly on Western, but I have a newfound respect for their history and their contribution to aviation after learning that.

[@frankdenardo8684]

I remember the cartoon bird that sits back and say "Western is the only way to fly" and they show destinations IE Vancouver Canada, Seattle, San Francisco, Tucson, Reno, Denver, Winnipeg, Minneapolis/St Paul etc. Also the big red W on the fuselage.

[@juliandelconde6662]

My dad traveled in one of their DC10 in 1977 to LAX.

[@brkitdwn]

My parents took us to Hawaii on Western Airlines in 1978 and it was on their DC 10. At the time, I felt like they were the Walmart of airlines.

[@garyhaber333]

The only airline I used to fly from JFK to PSP throughout the 70s and early 80s when I used to visit my dad during the holidays in CA.

[@trainluvr]

What kind of monsters would downvote a masterpiece like this?

[@patriciawoldemichael319]

trainluvr I know right ! Some people have no idea what real taste looks like .

[@metroplex3k]

I flew western a few times in 1984 when here on holidays. Most notably, a flight from SeaTac to Salt Lake City…. I was 9 at the time….. when we got to the gate lounge, and I could see the aircraft, I told my mum I didn’t want to go…. Because it was a dc-10. At age 9, I already knew the troubles of the dc-10 and I just didn’t want to go. It was the only time I ever flew a dc-10 in my entire life…..

[@IngoBreuer]

Glad to see real people. Not stupid check-in machines and TSA robots.

[@funtimefreddyreis7087]

Yes

[@gleepythehen]

The famous Western Airlines "swizzle stick" logo.

[@alisaverdes5920]

Im so sad for the kids that had died and all of the people,rest in peace

[@Stacie45]

I flew Western on my very first airplane flight, in 1971. I was 9, I went from Seattle to Minneapolis by myself to visit uncles, aunts & grandparents. My uncle met me at the airport in Minneapolis, I remember he told me the flight attendant (stewardess) who walked me off the airplane was hot.

[@thomasgallegos2832]

I was about to post similar . 8 for me in 73 Salt lake to Los Angeles

[@Stacie45]

@@thomasgallegos2832 I saved packs of peanuts from my outbound flight to give to people when I got home. But I stayed for a month, when I got home I opened one of the packs and ate the peanuts, they were stale! At that age you have a lot to learn.

[@romeojames7068]

it would be nice o see them again

[@TheJohnnymotown]

While stationed at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City SD...…….liked going to Denver on weekends...Western had a nonstop to Denver 14.00 military standby..it was great...then flew the Western Way to Minneapolis but always had to change over to NorthWest to Boston.....great airline..

[@riolunintendo2619]

at 1:27, is that an American 707 tail?

[@trainluvr]

The music for the Hawaii portion is muted but it's on my Queens Nassau Buses video, for which I stole the music for from this movie.

[@royfur1]

What an amazing period piece! Where did they show this promo? I would guess in their front lobby or as a promo (hype) for their own employees.

[@vtawa.]

It's sad that Western Airlines had a big disaster the next year.

[@paulazemeckis7835]

I was 18 in 1978. I can't believe Bigfoot wasn't featured! Wow, this is a white-bred promotion. We've come a loooong way baby!

[@bobbypaluga4346]

I'd have put Western's "Only Way To fLy" as a top three best airline d music. Continental with its "We Move Our Tail for you" and United's version of Aaron Copland"s "Ode To The Common Man" round out the top three.

[@sarabiacommander6984]

grandioso video gracias saludos

[@DennyAlbert]

I never had the chance to fly Western and now it's gone :-(

[@FrankG5874]

The legacy lives on with Delta Air Lines now.

[@RoadCone411]

Frank Genovay Sure it does, you are right. It is the main reason Delta has a large hub at Salt Lake City (and, to a lesser degree. a focus city at LAX.)

[@MrGlendale111]

It's a shame Delta had to gobble Western up.

[@karlnelson7550]

The crash in Mexico didn't help.

[@a380qm2]

I miss the old DC-10s. I thought Western Airlines should have order A300 Airbuses. They would work so well on Western network.

[@cliffheather216]

I believe that Western did indeed order Airbus A300's in the late 70's, but cancelled the order...the "white tails"' sat around Toulouse until Eastern took them on a trial basis, and ended up ordering a significant number.

[@a380qm2]

Cliff Heather It too bad they did not pick the up. This is almost as disappointing as Fed Ex and UPS canceling their A380F order, or when Eastern could buy two ex Qantas 747 200 in the early 80s, because they where not awared the MIA-LHR route, ( it was given to Pan Am ). Two recent disappointments are, when both Qantas and Monarch cancel their 787 orders. I like Monarch ideal of replacing their A300s with 787s, but that just a dream now. I wish Western had pick up those A300s.

[@ES031]

Hotel California would fit an ad for this airline pretty well.

[@mylongestnamesffwjdnwjdjwj4159]

Rip flight 2605

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

Nice!! I love western, do you have a promo of ozark and their dc9's? I remember seeing a promo back in 1981.

[@mcdonnell220]

Hi Ford, there's a bit of Ozark stuff uploaded from other YT users, just poke around. :-)

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

ok thanks

[@mcdonnell220]

fordxbgtfalcon I'll keep my eye out for more as well, thanks for enjoying my channel!

[@ricscott3072]

When the merger went through the Capts and other pilots were crying bitches at Lax flt ready room! i saw this myself! Delta treated the Western Employees like step children!!! anyone who reads this knows this is true!!

[@JERRYinCHS]

The majority of Western Captains I flew with as a new hire came to realize that their pay and future were better after the Delta merger.

[@pcaviator687]

Western Airlines was a much better airline than Delta ever was or will be. My father was a Captain for many years with Western until they merged with Delta. He said many times that Western's policies and procedures were far superior to Delta's. I miss those days flying Western as well as when flying used to be enjoyable and you were served decent meals, etc. Now it's like herding cattle and you're lucky they don't charge for oxygen!

[@musicfeign6349]

Fake , hype, no better than anyone else loser delta, took western and made it a crap airline as they are now. Horrible work rules, brainwashing employees as to what a great company they are , when they are not. Was a pan am er , went to the best airline United , when they sold their pacific routes. A pan am co worker and great friend chose western who was just as good, until garbage delta bought them and ruined everything. Law suits after law suits for discrimination , their relentless attempts to get rid of western employees,, it's was a shame. Delta tried the same garbage with northwest when they took over them and ruined that airline. Western was a very cool and employee oriented company. Something delta never understood but made everyone think they did.

[@garyclement5121]

If a US carrier did a promo film like this nowadays, they'd be lambasted for wasting time and money and their stock price would fall. The only thing they advertise nowadays is price, and the legacy carriers are all the same other than Southwest, which only serves peanuts and soda.

[@mcdonnell220]

Yet another reason I do what I do. make sure this stuff doesn't die, and keep it alive.

[@garyclement5121]

When I was a kid, the one airline that didn't much interest me was American because everything was blue, blue, blue. Blue seats, blue uniforms, blue lettering and some added red stripes. Now, every airline is entirely blue, blue, blue, BLUE!! Why do only foreign carriers even include their logo in the interior cabin walls?? In the USA, you can't really tell one airline from another. I think that seems intentional.

[@RoadCone411]

Gary Clement I agree, but clearly this video is a period piece. With the cheesy acting, music, and rosy glow put on every aspect of the film, this is not that different than contemporary fast food or automobile commercials. What a great video!

[@brkitdwn]

These type of promo films were very common for the big airlines starting way back in the early thirties.

[@philmontejano5971]

They are all about $$ and nothing else. They know customer's will never boycott

[@Utah-xwo]

My friends dad was on western airlines 2605 and hadn’t survived 😢

[@MrGlendale111]

Isn't this the airline where passengers would get drunk on champagne?

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

Western Airlines it's the only way to fly Salt Lake City and Los Angeles hub bought merger Delta Airlines in 1987 that change the major airline forever in the jet age history

[@gamma-ray2025]

Those were my fellow partners! Friends Mexican and American….

[@gop4usa12]

Westerns motto should have been "The only way you should want to fly."

[@tommymoon6003]

I like this first track song

[@drumdude46]

A bygone era now. what's left is a 'flying routine and itinerary chock full of ..'feeling violated and abused'. Sad.... Miss the 'old days' of class and 5-star treatment. Now your lucky to get a stale bag of peanuts, your suitcase dumped out on a conveyor, and your colon probed.

[@rafaelwilks]

Yeah, sure, it looked and felt glamorous, but that was all a veneer, now we have superior technology like carbon fiber composite fan blades, for instance. I wouldn't ever want aviation to go back down in quality.

[@BolsaChicaRadio]

Man, are you SURE this was from 1978??? The soundtrack sounds like it was produced with production charts, arrangements, musicians and vocalists from no later than 1970! I mean The Bee Gees were "Stayin' Alive", Donna Summer was into "Hot Stuff" and Herb Alpert was on the "Rise" by 1978...and THOSE songs SURELY dun't sound think these! If the video cuts were from '78, then the production company that Western Airlines contracted out to produce these ads...was picking old audio cuts from almost 10 years prior! (I know...I'm over thinking this!) - BCRadio.

[@funtimefreddyreis7087]

I never flew with Western airlines but i know its a wonderful airline (and i made the video 444 likes)

[@012345678939489]

Western Airlines Lc Has Swearignes And Cessna 402s Out Of Boise , Scott Orvik

[@70MarYa]

Did this airline exist? Since when??

[@okhan5087]

Yes, it did until the 1980's

[@70MarYa]

+O Khan Oh ive never heard of this

[@okhan5087]

DryBonesGamer2005 Yeah, it was not a major airline

[@70MarYa]

Oh

[@fergie1232]

+O Khan went out of business

[@fathuuurrohman5634]

This ad before crash

[@MrGlendale111]

I had to much Champagne on this Airline

[@JMMT7022801]

The human element in today's society is gone. Try getting a meal on a 5 a and a half hour flight from MCO to LAX.

[@mcdonnell220]

+JMMT7022801 Another reason why I built this channel, to help keep this stuff alive.

[@JMMT7022801]

+Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture My parents flew Western back in the eighties.

[@RoadCone411]

+JMMT7022801 While I get your point, the reason is that nobody wants to pay extra for a meal. I can guarantee you if AA had a fare that was $15 higher that included a meal, the vast majority would chose the cheaper ticket. Times have changed, philosophies have changed. We have come to accept what was basically unfathomable four decades ago. Love this old footage, even though I never got to fly Western.

[@MrShobar]

You can't control your appetite for 5 1/2 hours?

[@philmontejano5971]

DC 10 , Death Cruiser 10

[@ricscott3072]

Dom R. was the biggest crook of all airline CEOs

[@saintmichaelarchangel777]

i think he flew with this airline to go to mexico

[@philmontejano5971]

One crashed on a closed runway in Mexico City

[@Mitisuro326]

🛬🚛 💥

[@am1966ath]

dID wESTERN FLY TRANSPACIFIC??

[@johneddy908]

Only as far as Hawaii.

[@stratus262j2]

I had the unfortunate experience of traveling on a Western DC-10 and it was one of the most miserable flights ever. Just a large cattle truck with wings. Terrible.

[@JMMT7022801]

But what was so bad about it?

[@suzanneheintz9926]

Apparently you never flew the Delta L-1011, the worst aircraft ever built.

[@philmontejano5971]

@@suzanneheintz9926 what? The Tristar was a great airliner and most crashed were pilot error

[@benmiddleton9984]

Yeah until you crash. Those McDonald Douglas planes were garbage