I've never been able to find the TWA commercial I appeared (totally by accident) in 1968. When the director realized I was in the shot and looked like part of the family they were filming in the TWA terminal at JKF, they followed me back to my parents, got them to sign a release form and paid me 10 dollars! Not bad for a 7 year old just talking a walk.
TWA was a wonderful airline. Took many of their Getaway trips to Europe, great value. Never been another airline like them and today there won't be either. If I never have to fly again, fine with me. I'll take the train.
I worked for TWA as an international reservations agent at 2 Penn plaza NYC. We were the best !! Now air travel is like riding a bus....have riden Amtrak and enjoyed the experience.
If you can stand Amtrak coach from L.A. to Chicago, you're a stronger person than me. Train is the best if you can afford the generally outrageous prices for a sleeper; otherwise, I'll take a crappy airline and be done with it in a few hours.
I was proud to be an employee of the world's best airline from 1969 to 1973....based in NYC I was an international reservations agent at the call center at 2 Penn Plaza next to Madison Square Garden. Incredible co workers! Wonderful benefits....was able to take my hardworking parents on a trip to the Bahamas with interline discounts from pan am! Later they flew to Greece on TWA for a second honeymoon on a perimeter fare of $89 each! Royal Ambassador service was the finest in the industry!!
I was working in CHI Res when these came out and the general comments re Peter Sellers was everyone really liked him. These ads put a very positive spin on TWA.
1:48 to 1:57 is the best part of video cause of there catchy slogan AND THEY ACTULLY GOT TO BE THE BEST AND DONT BET UP PASSENGERS LIKE ANOTHER AIRLINE I KNOW
@JohnRhysMusician Not only they haven't increased, they have decreased consistently over the years. You can check out Pan Am timetables on line and see, for instance, that in 1956 a round trip ticket between NYC and LON in coach was US$522, which represent around US$ 4,400 today. That's approximately a sixth of what you would pay today.
I miss my TWA. Living in STL I used to marvel at the Connies as they flew over the roofs of my neighbors houses. Carl Icahn was no icon to me. But he was a con man.
I'm pretty sure that the voice for TWA in the last two years is Don Criqui, the longtime NBC sportscaster best known for play-by-play in the Orange Bowl college football game. And, interesting to note in the ad at the end with both Wilt and Kareem, this was probably the ad that broke the ice between them. According to Kareem in Giant Steps, his autobiography, some disagreements on racial issues let to a lapse of contact between them. On page 219, Kareem writes, "It took almost ten years for Wilt and me to reestablish communications. We had both been hired to do a television airlines advertisement..." This is most likely that ad.
That was don criqui. The wilt and Kareem spot was produced by my late wife Eileen McKenna when she was a marketing manager at TWA. I still have the basketball signed by both.
I would gladly pay $10 - $30 more for ambassador class today, if available. Today you pay extra for not having to sit in a center seat in cattle class, along with $30 just to check in a bag, that the airlines either lose or destroy. As for TransWorld service, I can't imagine master chefs preparing my meal as I fly in luxury. Today's gourmet meals and luxury flights consists of a stale sandwich that you need to pay $12 for as you're jammed into seats that have all the room in the world, assuming that you're a hamster. :/
Round trip to LA for $258? SanFran for $238? Last week I flew round trip from Indy to LA in coach. My price thru Priceline? $1380 + $75 for checked bag.
Nor really sure First Class passengers on US domestic flights (or any other flight for that matter) would want Lasagne, Quiche Loraine or Fish and Chips as the main course of their meal or foriegn (non-English language) films on US domestic flights either
1975. People loved the ads, but a high percentage thought they were for British Airways. In addition to the Frenchman, The Scotsman and the Englishman, TWA added a fourth ad in which Sellers played an American businessman. People still misremembered them as being ads for British Airways.
Other good airline commercials: Western airlines, the only way to fly! Delta is ready when you are! Fly the friendly skies of United! Just to name a few.
They can't turn a profit cause of the pathetic service turning away passengers who would rather drive themselves now. What other business overbooks regularly.
freedomisfromtruth go fuck yourself and look up Stanley T Stanton aviation history and you'll find out what it took to get people from point A to point B try flying Alliance or some crap today and then compare Transworld with me jackass
