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[MC Safety]

Post-2011, there was a time when you not only had to go through the security checkpoints, but there was also a smaller stand at (some? every?) departure gates where disinterested women would open your carry-on bags and paw through them.

I remember one of the ladies got all hissy when I told her the good stuff was just slightly below the layer of my dirty underwear.

"We're doing this for your protection, sir!"

I told the woman she was a true patriot for digging through my undergarments.

I guess this wasn't feasible in the long run, or else they'd still be using those secondary checkpoints.

 

[Lime]

Except flying was not as cheap then as it is now, so it was like a bus station in terms of friendliness, but like an upper class bus station (if such a thing even exists).

True, economically it's pretty much the opposite now. I flew incredibly rare back in the day, while these days my work requires at least 3-4 times per semester.

 

[Mango Positive]

I used to have no uneasiness traveling with a few joints in my luggage. Now, I don't chance it. Dark days, friends.

 

[HylianTom]

It was more akin to riding a bus basically. Pilots were more like bus drivers that you conversated with and the airport was more like a bus or train station

Also, the lack of electronic entertainment was actually an okay thing - I managed to read so many more books and comics back then.

I used to stop by a newsstand and buy a copy of EGM or Nintendo Power, and maybe an Entertainment Weekly.

And people dressed-up a bit more back then. Many fewer folks in their pajamas.

 

[HiiiLife]

Joining the mile high club was a lot easier than it is now.

 

[Rival]

It was pretty sweet to fly as a kid back in the 80's when we were still allowed to light up our marlboros.

 

[Cat Party]

It still sucked but for different reasons.

I actually prefer it now that technology lets you skip a lot of lines.

 

[thebeeks]

It was terrible, your "loved ones" expected you to go all the way to the gate and wait with them, now hardly anyone expects more than just dropping them off.

Sometimes their persistence would force you to go to Yemen!

 

[JohnsonUT]

Simple metal detectors for people and x-ray for bags. No lines at all. You could show up ten to thirty minutes before a flight and be good to go. You could meet people at the gate. You could wait in your car near the baggage claim without getting immediately yelled at and told to move.

 

[TaterTots]

Terrorists changed how we fly today....hmmm

Spoiler

make America great again? lol too soon?

 

[Rafy]

The one thing I very distinctly remember, is that I spent almost every minute of each flight in the co-pilot's chair as a little kid. The pilot would explain to me what all the buttons would do, how the autopilot works and all that stuff. Once they even told me to push the button that would make the seat belt sign light up, letting everyone know we were about to land. It also happened that the co-pilot was in training,putting in supervised practice hours, and while those times I was not allowed to sit in his spot, the pilots would still let me sit inside the cockpit to observe the lesson.

These are some of my most cherished memories and I often think of how much simpler those times must have been. Not because of my extremely young age at the time, but because people still believed in each other and did not live in fear. My sister unfortunately, who's only 5 years older than me, never got to experience any of that.

Only a few years later, while I was still in elementary school, protesters against the Iraq war were marching in the street across from my school. I remember leaving my backpack to my friends and joining in myself. I didn't understand enough to know what the war was about, all I knew was that war would not be good for our world. It was a very beautiful and peaceful protest, and I have not been to another one since. I was around 11 or 12 at the time, I think.

All that took place in Greece BTW.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Lived at a town with a small airport. There was one person barely paying attention to the luggage scanner and a flimsy metal detector. As long as you made it through that you could go to the gate whether you had a ticket or not.

 

[jerry113]

I don't think you had to take your shoes off in AMerican airports prior to 9/11.

It's embarrassing as an American when you're flying at a foreign airport and you automatically take your shoes off and everyone just stares at you wondering why you're doing that.

 

[littleworm]

The two big differences I remember was, like others said you could go all the way to the gate without a ticket, so when I was a kid I could see my dad when he got off the plane, he was a pilot, and two security at the airport was just walking through a metal detector.

 

[TheGrue]

I don't think you had to take your shoes off in AMerican airports prior to 9/11.

It's embarrassing as an American when you're flying at a foreign airport and you automatically take your shoes off and everyone just stares at you wondering why you're doing that.

The shoe thing started in 2006. Before that they randomly checked shoes after the Richard Reid show bomb incident in December of 2001, but the requirement to remove was 2006.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

I haven't flown since 1998. I have a feeling I am in for a huge shock when I finally have to fly again, aren't I?



edit: wtf you have to take off your shoes?! lol

 

[pgtl_10]

Watching planes take off. I miss that so much.😥

 

[Host Samurai]

Same shit but I forgot if you had to remove footware going through security

 

[StoOgE]

I miss liquids. Used to be able to bring your own food and water through security and just take a bite or drink a sip and you were good.

TSA Pre-check is pretty close as far as going through security. Meeting people at the gate was great. It also meant if you were picking someone up you could hang at an airport bar while you waited.

Kids also used to be able to go in the cabin and get a pair of pilots wings. Was awesome.

 

[Man God]

I actually wear my stinkiest, dirtiest pair of shoes every time I fly post 9/11. I pack my good shoes in the carry on if I can fit it. Love taking those bad boys off and putting them in the bin.

 

[uncredited male]

When I was a kid there would always be these news stories about flights getting hijacked to Cuba. It was stupidly commonplace.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

where do people meet people now if they cant meet at the gate?

 

[Veritigo_X]

The pilot let me fly the plane once. I can't imagine a child flying a plane in this day and age.

 

[Tater Tot]

The 90s were a special time. I remember going to Mexico on vacation and smuggled 2 small turtles back into the country in my Carls Jr cup. There was practically no TSA or anything. No one suspects little kids either.

 

[kavanf1]

The 90s were a special time. I remember going to Mexico on vacation and smuggled 2 small turtles back into the country in my Carls Jr cup. There was practically no TSA or anything. No one suspects little kids either.

Turtles? That's an odd name. I'd have called them chazwozzers.

 

[+Aliken+]

I assume you cannot visit the cabin nowadays, or can you? Need to try with my kid on the next flight.
I loved visiting the cabin as a kid

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I flew for the first time in 2010 and the security was pretty tight.

But I've heard tales about how you could walk your loved ones and wave them off and that kids could visit the cockpit.

Any gaffers who flew pre-9/11?

It literally was a world apart from what we have now.

Airport security was practically non-existent. It really puts into perspective how fucked up air travel is now.

Hell, I remember when people thought that not being able to take liquids on the plane would be a ban that would only last about two weeks. The mindset that it's shitty but that's just how it is, you just can't take shit on a plane, is relatively new.

 

[Osahi]

I only flew once pre 9/11 (was in 2000) and to this day I regret not asking the hostess if I could visit the cockpit.

I also really miss taking liquids on board. Having to clench your thirst with overpriced water bottles from the airport sucks. And as I fly low cost without lugage to Portugal a lot it's a shame I can't buy the bottle of Licor Beirão my dad requests every time before check in. (teh airport shops are generaly more expensive then just the supermarkets)

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Honestly, the 9/11 changes didn't really affect me much, but the post-9/11 changes of requiring people take their laptop out, take their shoes off, belt off, no liquids, as well as the uncertain baggage situation on international flights with preclearance, and not having to deal with walk-through full body scanners and/or opt-out patdowns are super annoying.

America had it the worst. I've flown in and out of Aus, Japan and Thailand in recent years and I've never had to open my bags at all except when I arrived in Japan (customs literally opened the bag, didn't move anything, and closed it again).

Don't have to take my shoes or any clothes off, don't have to get patdowns or body scans... Hell, I've flown with a super famicom, vita and an arcade machine chipboard with all of their cables all throughout my bag and Japan/Aus security didn't give a shit when they saw it on the X-ray scanner.

Only change I've seen in Aus is a reduction in the amount and types of liquids you can take and the cockpits are closed. You can't walk to the gate with family but you can walk to the restaurants and shops next to the security zone for the gates.

I remember being 5 and seeing my grandparents walk down the ramp from the plane and through the gates. That was a very short time before 9/11.

 

[PillarEN]

Honestly I don't really remember the transition much. As a kid I would go to see the cockpit on cross-continental flights. After 9/11 the pre checks were a little crazier. What you can or can't take with you as a passenger on board like the liquids thing. Still, I guess 15 years later I doesn't seem like things changed all that much.

 

[Orbis]

I've only flown since 2006 so never experienced anything other than the status quo. It would be nice to carry proper sized liquids through security and not have to cram tiny bottles into a plastic bag, but apart from that it's a pretty quick and painless experience.

Allowing anyone through to departures seems like it would just add to security queues, as nice as it would be.

 

[F-Pina]

Yes! Free food was the norm and you would get a plate with real utensils all in coach.

Here in Portugal whenever I fly with TAP I always get the free (awesome) meals and metal fork and knife.

 

[Osahi]

Here in Portugal whenever I fly with TAP I always get the free (awesome) meals and metal fork and knife.

Damn, need to fly Tap more. But they work together with Brussels Airlines, so I'm sometimes on a TAP-plane with a BA-ticket, which means no food.

 

[Christhor]

I loved flying pre-9/11. Younger folks are missing out.

You'd walk right out of the gate and your loved ones would be RIGHT THERE waiting for you. Such a sweet moment. Romantic at times.

Now it's, "I'll be outside in the parking lot" or "I'll be looping around the pick-up area." Sad!

What kind of third world country do you live in? Here in the civilised world we park our cars in the parking garage and greet our family/friends by the baggage belts. If they're late for whatever reason we'll get their bags for them and watch over them.

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

The rules were really lax with pilots, I remember being invited to the cockpit once. The pilot wanted to switch outfits with me to see how the other half lives. I flew the plane and landed it and they gave me a medal.

Ryan Lochte, is that you?

 

[McLovin]

We use to get a full meal in coach.
Now you don't even get peanuts.

 

[C4Lukins]

I flew for the first time in 2010 and the security was pretty tight.

But I've heard tales about how you could walk your loved ones and wave them off and that kids could visit the cockpit.

Any gaffers who flew pre-9/11?

Really not that different at least from the perspective of the terminals I tend to fly out of. Mostly Dallas and Austin Texas.

The big thing I can think of is that people without a ticket could get into the terminal, and greet you as you left the plane, so you could get that big hug from your loved ones.

Also cockpit doors were sometimes left open, and the pilots would greet you as you entered, and even offer you a tour of the cockpit when I was a child.

The only other big changes are having to remove your shoes when entering the terminal, and not being allowed to bring liquids and and other assorted goods through the security checkpoints. Plus the random searches which effect a small amount of passengers. Of course it depends on the airport, but it is not super different then it was 20 years ago.

I did get randomly searched once while sitting and waiting for my plane. I assume that the security officers have some sort of quota on frisking random passengers, and they chose me.

As a completely non threatening white dude sitting alone, I figure they thought, well he is not going to give us any problems. So they went through my bag, patted me down, checked my ticket and ID and that was that. That was new, but they were cool about it.

 

[Aquavelvaman]

Once when I was a kid the pilots let me open the cabin door at 40,000 feet and throw unclaimed luggage out above underpopulated areas. Can you imagine letting kids do that in a post- 9/11 world?

 

[Mr. Giggles]

Bernoulli's principle was the thing back then.

The principle of pressure flows?

What?

 

[CSJ]

As a kid, allowed to go into the cockpit a few times.
You'd often see the door just left open.

At the airport you could go to a path that crossing one side of the runway, maybe...at a guess 200m from the start of the tarmac and planes would fly right over you very close.

You could go on top of the terminal buildings near the ATC and see the planes park right below you and get great views of take offs/landings.

This was in the late 80s early 90s, none of this exists any more; understandably.

 

[justgames7604]

It was simple to me, was extemely touchy after. Cant blame them though. I actually left on a 767 only days before the attack on a connect flight from washington to new york then Australia or something. Quite scary.

 

[aarstar]

As a kid, I also got to go into the cockpit and get the cool pin (who knows where it is though). They still seem to allow family members go to the gate in some exceptional cases, like for young kids or elderly people.

 

[gofreak]

Yeah, I remember cockpit tours being a thing with kids.

Extra security aside - e.g. belts, shoes, liquids - I don't remember much else being different.

 

[jts]

Here in Portugal whenever I fly with TAP I always get the free (awesome) meals and metal fork and knife.

Represent. TAP meals are awesome. I fly 3-4 times a year with them (within europe) and the meals are a highlight.

Hell, even had a free Haagen Dazs between Lisbon and Porto (hate that flight nowadays though).

 

[Apt101]

For me it was almost incomparable. I just blew threw security, everyone at the airport and in the planes was generally kinder and more professional (even the security), and it was of course a lot cheaper. I avoid flying when I can now. I used to take short flights to see friends who are only about four hours away because I hated long drives. Now, I'd rather just make the drive.

 

[Machine]

Thinking about it, another big change is actually luggage. You used to see this stuff everywhere:

But it's completely impractical to use these days and you almost never see it on the baggage carousel. I still have a set in my basement from when I was a kid in the late 70s/early 80s but I had to retire it and buy new stuff.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

I remember looking forward to seeing the cockpit everytime I flew

 

[DerZuhälter]

Pros and cons to everything.
Yeah getting processed and on the plane was faster and less of a hassle back then. No taking off belts (or shoes like those crazy americans do lol) and opening bags or carry-ons.

The actual flight also felt less like a dumb bus ride. You actually got meals on every flight, no matter the length of it. Now some airlines even charge you for water on short trips (that's what I get for paying for flight less than a train ticket).

But the obvious con of that much freedom: if you flew during school holidays and had loads of family on the flight, it felt like a goddamn school yard. Kids running up and down the aisles, kicking against chairs, the smell of vomit and stewardesses that seemed constantly an inch away from a mental breakdown. It was horrible.

I remember my seats still having ashtrays, but don't remember any of my flights not being non-smoking anyways.