It’s remarkable what you can find online when it comes to old videos, especially when you see what was thought to be newsworthy. British Pathé have a large archive of newsreels online and one of them is about a BOAC Boeing 707 flight in 1969.
This is called Polar Flight – Anchorage – Special and features the introduction of flights from London to Japan over the North Pole. Happily it’s in full colour as well, so you really feel like you’re there.
BOAC Boeing 707 Video
This three minute video contains some remarkably interesting things, one of which is the meal service. People often comment food on flights was better in the 1950s and 1960s yet the Economy Class meal looks very similar to what I received in Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific a while ago!
Flowery language seems to be the name of the game here. The narrator remarks, “In their pressurised comfort, the customers relaxed as the high flying jet cleaved through the stratosphere towards the roof of the world.” Really!
Anchorage certainly looks like an interesting place to spend a little time. I wonder if anyone actually stopped off there for a visit on their way to Osaka or if they just kept on going. Probably the latter, I suspect.
It’s a nice touch to have the Japanese crew member on board. BOAC and British Airways used to have bases dotted around the globe, so there could be local crew on board from a language perspective on some of the routes. It’s not so prevalent anymore.
Overall Thoughts
It’s always great to gain a window into how flying was in the past. A flight on a board a BOAC Boeing 707 certainly looks like it was decent enough.
While there is no inflight entertainment as we know it today, on board movies and music were just around the corner. I’m sure the people were happy enough with their cards or books.
What do you think of this BOAC Boeing 707 flight from London to Osaka via Anchorage? Do you remember flying being like this? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Art Brett on Airliners.net.
Funny how I forgot that it used to be two pilots and a flight engineer in the cockpit. Nice video.
Yes, the profession of flight engineer has largely gone the way of other careers like elevator operator, hasn’t it? Glad you liked the video!
Trent, as always, another marvelous article! I greatly enjoyed the video too.
Maybe I heard it wrong, but, it sounded like the narrator said something like Anchorage was the seaport city of the 49 United States. Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th & 50th state of the United States in 1959. I believe that particular inaugural BOAC flight happened in May of 1969.
Regardless if I heard it right or not, an interesting video to watch. Thanks again!
Safe Journeys.
It’s a good one – you wouldn’t really see news outlets making much ado out of a new route these days. Thanks for the kind words!