В самолетах Boeing 747 авиакомпании Air Canada когда-то были танцполы

Remember when flying was more than just about cramming into a metal tube with strangers and fighting for the armrest? Well, buckle up for a flight back in the 1970s when airlines thought, “Hey, what if passengers could get to dance at 35,000 feet?”

In today’s world of headphone-wearing, screen-staring airline passengers, it’s hard to imagine a time when your seatmate might ask, “Care to dance?” But in the not-so-distant past, the friendly skies were, well, friendly – and sometimes downright groovy.

Photo- Eduard Marmet; airliners.net; Wikimedia Commons

Air Canada 747 Dance Floors

When the Boeing 747 jumbo jet debuted in 1970, airlines suddenly had extra space to play with and fierce competition to attract passengers.

While some carriers opted for fancy dining rooms or lounges, Air Canada (AC) took the concept to new heights—literally—by installing a dance floor on the upper deck of its 747s in 1971.

This wasn’t just a cleared space with some music. Air Canada (AC) went all out with a proper dance floor, complete with a mirrored wall.

Passengers flying between Toronto (YYZ) and European destinations could temporarily join what might be the most exclusive dance club ever – one that required a passport and operated seven miles above the ground.

Heather Tregaskes, who worked as a flight attendant in this airborne party zone, shared her memories with the Toronto Star in 2004. “It was all so gracious,” she recalled. “We even had a mirrored wall and a dance floor, and sometimes stewardesses would even dance with customers.”

Photo: Air Canada

Other Airlines Sky-High Entertainment

Air Canada (AC) wasn’t alone in transforming air travel into an experience rather than just transportation.

American Airlines (AA) installed a piano bar (technically an electric Wurlitzer organ) at the back of their 747-100 cabins. Nothing helps you forget you’re hurtling through the stratosphere in a metal tube like a little impromptu concert.

Continental Airlines (CO) created “Pub Flights” on their DC-10 aircraft in the 1980s. These flights featured fully stocked bars where passengers could mingle, play “Pub Pong” (the analog predecessor to doom-scrolling), and watch films, newsreels, and cartoons. Flight attendants doubled as bartenders, mixing drinks at 30,000 feet – talk about high spirits!

Australia’s Qantas Airlines (QF) introduced the Captain Cook lounge on their early 747s, offering stand-up bar service and seating for 15 passengers just behind the cockpit. Who needs in-flight movies when you can have in-flight socializing?

Photo- Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland; Wikimedia Commons

All Good Parties Must End

These airborne social spaces didn’t last long. Airlines soon realized that regular seats were more profitable than dance floors that didn’t collect individual ticket fares. Within a few years, these novel concepts were replaced with standard seating arrangements.

The golden age of sky-high entertainment in the clouds became just another footnote in aviation history.

Today’s passengers might get excited about working WiFi or a decent snack, a far cry from the days when you could practice your dance moves somewhere between Toronto (YYZ) and London (LHR).

So, next time you’re wedged into your economy seat watching the stranger next to you struggle with their tray table, just imagine a parallel universe where you both might be dancing cheek-to-cheek across the Atlantic. Those were the days when “getting high” on a flight meant something entirely different!

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The post Air Canada Boeing 747s Once Had Dance Floors appeared first on Aviation A2Z.