Airlines used to promote their newest aircraft in advertising, as you will see in these vintage TriStar TV commercials. The Lockheed L-1011 was one of the most technologically advanced aircraft when it entered service in 1972, which the marketing people certainly don’t shy away from.

You don’t really see this kind of advertising anymore, probably because all the airlines operate similar aircraft over the same kinds of routes. The days of brand new types entering service all the time are few and far between. Luckily we have plenty to look at from the past, which you can see here.

Lockheed TriStar TV Commercials

First off, here is a Delta Air Lines commercial from 1973 introducing the plane. The presenter makes a big deal of the width and height of the cabin, not to mention the underfloor galley and inflight entertainment. They even show the coat racks in between the centre seats, which I think was unique to the L-1011.

Next up is a TWA commercial, featuring a random guy giving a tour of the plane, just like the Delta one above. What makes this one pretty awesome is seeing the swivel seats and dining tables for four people in first class. And how huge does the coach cabin look!

Another one from TWA now, this from a little later in the 1970s. I like how it uses actual airline staff, making it one of the cooler TriStar TV commercials. The fact they serve “a delicious steak in coach on all 1011 flights to the east” is a fun data point. No steak in coach on domestic flights these days, that’s for sure!

Finally, we have an ad from British Airways which must have aired in Jamaica. It is for the TriStar 500, which was the long range version of the plane.

Interesting to see the teddy being put into the overhead, as it reminded me of one of BA’s recent safety videos. Clearly the airline likes to appeal to families with children!

Overall Thoughts

These vintage TriStar TV commercials are pretty cool. They’re a window into the past, and I especially love seeing the inside of the planes as cabins are something I really groove on. Those TWA dining tables sure look fancy and I wish I was old enough to have been able to try it.

Did you ever fly on one of these Delta Air Lines, TWA or British Airways TriStars? Does the advertising match up with the experience? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Featured image by Eduard Marmet on Airliners.net via Wikimedia Commons.