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I am so jealous: The time Scandinavian Airlines was basically a class “A” restaurant in the sky

The first airline meals were served by Handley Page Transport, an airline company founded in 1919, to serve the London–Paris route in October of that year.

Passengers could choose from a selection of sandwiches and fruit. However, throughout the years, airline companies developed an elaborate and wide flight menu.

On long-haul international flights in first class and business class, most Asian and European airlines serve gourmet meals, while legacy carriers based in the US tend to serve multi course meals including a cocktail snack, appetizer, soup, salad, entrée (chicken, beef, fish, or pasta), cheeses with fruit, and ice cream. Some long-haul flights in first and business class offer such delicacies as caviar, champagne, and sorbet

Scandinavian Airlines in honor of their 70th anniversary released vintage photos that reflect the mouthwatering spectrum of in-flight food served from 1950s to the 1980s. These photos that will make you furious with envy show the extravagant first class meals which included nothing less than lobsters, caviar, salmon, turkeys, with an occasional ham legs, variety of bread and cheese.

All images by: SAS MUSEET

 

1955
1955

 

1965
1965

 

1975
1975

 

1975
1975

 

A chef serving food at a DC-
A chef serving food at a DC-

 

A first class lobster dinner.
A first class lobster dinner.

The photos show also the diverse and plentiful array of drink that was served to the passengers.

A first class lunch
A first class lunch

 

Cabin service in a Douglas DC-7 ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway c 1955
Cabin service in a Douglas DC-7 ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway c 1955

 

Cabin service at a Douglas DC-8 in the 50's. ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway
Cabin service at a Douglas DC-8 in the 50’s. ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway

 

c. 1955.
c. 1955.

 

c. 1955
c. 1955

 

Cabin service at a Douglas DC-8 in the 60's. ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway
Cabin service at a Douglas DC-8 in the 60’s. ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway

 

c. 1975
c. 1975

 

c. 1975
c. 1975

 

c. 1975
c. 1975

 

c. 1980
Cabin service in a Douglas DC-7 ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway c. 1980

 

c. 1980
c. 1980

 

c. 1985
Cabin service in a Douglas DC-7 ©SAS Museum, Oslo Airport, Norway c. 1985

 

Caterers prepare turkeys to be served on board.
Caterers prepare turkeys to be served on board.

 

Dinner service aboard a Boeing 747.
Dinner service aboard a Boeing 747.

 

First class meal service aboard a DC-8.
First class meal service aboard a DC-8.

 

Serving passengers by chef, Douglas DC-10
Serving passengers by chef, Douglas DC-10

Next time we are eating our cold in-flight panini we sure will be thinking of this in-flight food festival .

Neil Patrick

Neil Patrick is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News