Photos from Air New Zealand's archives reveal golden age of travel (2024)

FAQs

What was the golden age of airline travel? ›

The golden age of travel in the 1950s and 1960s was the epitome of glamour and luxury. Flying was a huge event and only for the relatively wealthy. It was a prestigious and glamorous experience to have.

Golden Age [1919-1939]

A surplus of planes and pilots remained following WWI. Creative pilots returned to the sky to entertain with acrobatics, barnstorming, and rides. The era gave birth to air mail, air races, and derbies. Now legendary pilots set and smashed speed and distance records.

Air New Zealand Limited, New Zealand international airline founded in 1939 (as Tasman Empire Airways Limited, or TEAL) and, by 1980, operating throughout the South Pacific from New Zealand and Australia to Hong Kong and Singapore and to Tahiti, Hawaii, and Los Angeles.

Who owns Air New Zealand? The New Zealand Government currently owns 51% of Air New Zealand ordinary shares. The remaining shares are listed on the NZ Stock Exchange (ticker symbol AIR.NZ) and the Australia Stock Exchange (ticker symbol AIZ.AU).

co*cktail lounges, five course meals, caviar served from ice sculptures and an endless flow of champagne: life on board airplanes was quite different during the “golden age of travel,” the period from the 1950s to the 1970s that is fondly remembered for its glamor and luxury.

Airline Ticket

In the 'golden age' of air travel, flying was exclusive and relatively luxurious because it was so expensive; the average cost for a roundtrip ticket from Dallas Fort-Worth would cost around $48. While that seems affordable today, a $48 ticket in 1963 converts to about $467 in 2022 with inflation.

Air New Zealand was privatised in 1989, but returned to majority government ownership in 2001 after nearing bankruptcy due to a failed tie-up with Australian carrier Ansett Australia. In the 2017 financial year to June, Air New Zealand carried 15.95 million passengers.

Ultimately, the Los Angeles-London Heathrow service was too saturated with competition from other carriers. For New Zealanders wishing to get to London, there are a wide variety of other options that will take only slightly longer than Air New Zealand's 25-hour service.

Our promise is manaaki – taking care further than any other airline. Manaaki surrounds everything we do – caring for, supporting and protecting each other, our customers and our communities.

Air New Zealand is a New Zealander carrier. Frequent travelers give the airline an average rating of 7.8/10. This is slightly above the general average . Over the last 12 months the rating has been trending upwards.

Is Air New Zealand part of United Airlines? ›

United is a founding member of the Star Alliance and has a rich history in aviation being established in 1926. Air New Zealand and United Airlines have formed an alliance that sees the two airlines operating codeshare services on each other's flights between New Zealand and the United States.

The Koru is Air New Zealand's iconic symbol. It reflects who we are and who we aspire to be.

In 1955, for the first time, more people in the United States traveled by air than by train. By 1957 airliners had replaced ocean liners as the preferred means of crossing the Atlantic. After World War II, passenger travel surged to new levels.

The Golden Age of the '20s and '30s featured air celebrities—heroes and risk takers—in both human and aircraft form: the great racers, the record-breakers, and the advent of the airlines. Once the Golden Age dawned, there was no LOOKING BACK!!!

Flying is safer today than in the 70s, but even then, fatalities from accidents were rare. There used to be around five deaths per one million passengers in the 70s; as of 2020, it was . 17 per one million.

Yes, flying is much safer today than it used to be.