the story of how Pan American World Airways kickstarted the jet-

ome Fly With Me - The Story of Pan Am

Supersonic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcgoUSs5WCY

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Documentary telling the story of how Pan American World Airways kickstarted the jet-age and shrank the globe. Real-life 'Pan Am girls' recall a high-life of luxury and glamour; rubbing shoulders with celebrity passengers, international romances and having to wear the now infamous girdle. Stars of the jet-age such as Robert Vaughn and Mary Quant remember the food, fashion and girls that made them regular Pan Am passengers. Pan Am's success was largely due to its visionary founder Juan Trippe, who transformed a small mail carrier in to a global airline, pioneered flights for the masses and helped create the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Honor Blackman narrates the story of how Pan Am conquered the skies and left a legacy of affordable travel and a much smaller world.

Music

'S Wonderful

Song 1 of 10

Come Fly With Me (2000 / Digital Remaster)

Song 2 of 10

Here Come the Girls

Song 3 of 10

Good Vibrations (Stereo/Remastered 2012)

Song 4 of 10

And I Do Just What I Want

Song 5 of 10

Jet Airliner

Song 6 of 10

Jet Airliner

Song 7 of 10

We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (UK Single Version)

Song 8 of 10

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Song 9 of 10

Mr. Blue Sky

Song 10 of 10
ARTIST
Ella Fitzgerald
ALBUM
'S Wonderful
LICENSES
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Supersonic

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[Calvin Li]
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[@AFAskygoddess]

@AFAskygoddess

1 year ago
I was a flight attendant for over 35 years. We had fresh flowers, cut crystal glassware and silver plated flatware in First Class. We served seven course meals to Asia, including expensive caviar in ice molds and vintage champagne. It was a wonderful life for 20 years, then the whole industry to a nosedive. But I lived a he11 of an experience. I danced in fountains in Paris, dived the world's most beautiful reefs and climbed the Great Wall many times, all while staying in 5 star hotels. I lived like a rich person on a pauper's pay. It was grand.
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75 replies
[@cussan3737]

@cussan3737

1 year ago
From the music to the footage, the pilots to the stewardesses, I cant help but get nostalgic for an era I didn't live. Great documentary, thank you.
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12 replies
[@garyfayman5976]

@garyfayman5976

1 year ago
Oh to have been alive then and to have experienced the world of Pan Am. There won't be anything like it in the current market. Thank you for providing us with this fantastic documentary. It was as classy as Pan Am was in its golden days. To everyone sharing their stories of flying with Pan Am, thank you. I'm living vicariously through you all.
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[@maesapolu1832]

@maesapolu1832

1 year ago
All good things come to an end. I loved the days I was flying with Pan American World Airlines as a Flight Attendant. I was hired from Western Samoa...the first and last time Pan Am recruited from Western Samoa...so I am privilege to say that I fly for such a GREAT Airline...thank you Pan American World Airways
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[@jeffreydeeds9225]

@jeffreydeeds9225

1 year ago
Great film! I was privileged to fly on Pam-Am dozens of times in my youth. I grew up dreaming of being a Pan-Am pilot. I was 5 years old when I saw my first 747 and the awe that moment brought never left. At 7, I got to ride in one of their 747s (my first 747 ride), and at 8, whilst on a stopover in Brasilia, Brazil, the captain, who had seen me peering toward the cockpit from the first row in coach class invited me to the cockpit. He had me sit in his spot, then proceded to tell me what a number of the myriad of gauges and controls were for as I marveled in fascination. He encouraged me to take the yoke and move it around and pretend I was flying that 707, and right then and there, a magical moment hapened, and I knew I wanted to be a pilot. Alas, by the time I got my comnercial license, Pan-Am was in the final throws of dying. While I never got to fly for them, on virtually ever flight I have ever piloted, (even in modern 747s) at some point during each flight, for a brief moment, I am an 8 year old kid in a Pan-Am 707 again and I thank my lucky starts for the greatest airline of all time! I cannot calculate the value of Pan-Am's influence on my life! Thank you very much for stirring up all those wonderful memories! Cheers!
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[@SharonH11100]

@SharonH11100

1 year ago
My dad was a Pan Am captain who flew Clippers from the flying boat days to the 747, retiring in 1977. We moved a lot and got to live overseas, as my dad wanted to experience all three world routes. It was a blast, but dressing up was not my favorite part. I don ‘t mind the casual dress of now, but I think the clientele were better behaved back then. I learned to fly my own Cessna to get away from the current conditions. I’ve always loved the song, “…come fly with me,” sung by Sinatra, as did my dad. Thanks for the memories ~ [‍] ? []
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4 replies
[@harrietharlow9929]

@harrietharlow9929

1 year ago
Just rewatched this and I had tears in my eyes at that last flight taking off from Heathrow. that was the end of an incredible era with some incredible people.
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[@Kidapollos5910]

@Kidapollos5910

1 year ago
My Dad flew for Delta, and a lot of this rings true! I remember as the airlines were waiting for the advent of the 747, Dad made a variation of the Pan Am jingle, singing "Pan Am...makes the Boeing late." I loved the T.V. series "Pan Am." It brought all this to life real well.
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[@balesjo]

@balesjo

1 year ago
In films of the early years of passenger air service through the last years of the company, Pan Am flight attendants and stewards had such an air of sophistication, the epitome of cabin crew personnel. Well groomed, poised, with extremely fashionable uniforms that commanded attention and respect. It was wonderful to hear the former Pan Am flight attendants, pilots, and passengers speak of them and tell of their experiences in the air and on the ground. Even though I worked with small airlines at the time of the bankruptcy, I remember feeling sad, knowing the loss of Pan Am was truly and end of a glamorous era of air travel.
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5 replies
[@Youtub3rh4x0r]

@Youtub3rh4x0r

1 year ago
Watching this from a 21st century perspective, and more precisely during what are possibly its worst years, this feels like watching an alternate reality where people are actually happy, innovation is actually for everyone's benefit, and ambition is a word that doesn't just exist in the dictionary. The world presented here looks real enough to feel like you're not watching a movie, but it feels like that because it makes you realize how far down the abyss we've dropped in this sardine can dystopia of today. Don't get me wrong, I fully recognize this era had its fair share of problems, those just always come with the human experience and I am not living on sugar-coated nostalgia. The Civil rights movement, just one example, would prove wrong anyone who would try to tell you that it was happy times for everyone. But that being said, I will probably never fully be able to understand why couldn't the world move forward in the areas that needed to, but also stay still in those that it had already reached perfection. The future looked brighter in the past, that's for sure.
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28 replies
[@kenfrank2730]

@kenfrank2730

1 year ago
Thanks for sharing this excellent video. I worked for Pan Am as an avionics tech at LAX. My job ended in Dec 91 when Pan Am went out of business. I consider it one of the best jobs I've ever had, and still think about the people I worked with. Your video brings back great memories.
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[@retsub3]

@retsub3

1 year ago
Just wow. Did not expect this doc to be so fascinating, educational, and deeply moving. A fittingly top-class tribute to a top-class outfit, the likes of which will never grace us again. What an incredible run. Kathleen Clair's earnestness and undying loyalty to Juan broke my heart; bless her soul. Rest easy Honor Blackman [] [] the absolute perfect choice of narrator
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4 replies
[@robertm8221]

@robertm8221

4 years ago (edited)
I remember flying for the very first time on Pan Am in the early 70s My dad asked mom to buy suits for us kids, it was a big deal traveling by plane. Everyone looked impeccably dressed, the food, the ambience and the overall experience was unforgettable. My brother and I couldnt sleep the night before imagining what it was gonna be like to be high up In the sky.... Beautiful memories indeed.
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[@tessat338]

@tessat338

1 year ago (edited)
I joined the airline industry in 1992. A lot of my collogues, including my boss, were former Pan Am employees. They were all unfailingly nice, professional and gracious. They also stuck together and looked out for one and other. They all told great stories of the golden days of the travel world which were just BEFORE I got into the industry.
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[@daisyflores7538]

@daisyflores7538

1 year ago
Flying in PanAm airlines was like the best experience in life. The stewardesses were gracious and the food was amazing. One of my sisters was a PanAm steward for years flying to Europe and Asia until the airline closed down. No airline nowadays can compare to what this wonderful airline was. None.
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[@tiamatxvxianash9202]

@tiamatxvxianash9202

1 year ago
Such an inspiring story of what one mans vision can bring about. Juan Trippe's fulfillment of this, is a perfect example of the American Dream. As someone who spent the majority of my military career in the Navy, I can most definitely concur with the Aircrew and Flight Attendants who spoke about the love and adventure that awaiting them at every city and exotic destination throughout their storied travels.
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[@jacquelinelarsen6159]

@jacquelinelarsen6159

1 year ago (edited)
My mom was a stewardess in the 50s and I was shocked by what she went through. The girdle check! Weigh ins etc!
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4 replies
[@saadiaarslanturk2850]

@saadiaarslanturk2850

1 year ago
I trevalled with my parents in the 70s and it was absolutely a classy experience. We kids were treated royally.
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[@barbaratruesdell7260]

@barbaratruesdell7260

5 years ago
I love to watch this film. As one of the first British stewardesses in the mid 50's I loved the job and never realized at the time that we were living in the Golden Age of flying. How very lucky we were and what a wonderful experience it was. One always feels the need to hold to the values we were taught and to keep to the same standards of appearance etc. even this late in life. Thank you Pan Am.
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8 replies
[@fluxerflixer1]

@fluxerflixer1

1 year ago
I used to hear incredible stories by a supervisor I had at another airline we worked for. He was a technician out of JFK at Pan Am for many years. He said they would eat steak and Lobster all the time, leftovers from the London-JFK route. Pan Am served that for first class passengers using china/crystal/linen etc. He has a million stories…. I miss you Paul Fiedler! R.I.P.
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[@ebrady61491]

@ebrady61491

1 year ago
What a great documentary. So much has changed and I never understood when my grandparents told me I didn't understand what it was like to fly during this time. Even though obviously so much has changed, Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad really model Pan Am's notoriety and utilize their excellence to showcase what the countries have to offer or what we see them as.
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8 replies
[@johnstuart4471]

@johnstuart4471

9 months ago
Important history and well told. My family was completely Pan Am: my father flew the Clippers in the ‘30s to South America but died in a crash in 1943 flying a Pan Am military charter. The company immediately gave my widowed mother a job
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[@lynntaubeneck7383]

@lynntaubeneck7383

1 year ago
Old school pilots were described very accurately in this documentary. Most captains briefings were to the co-pilot "you put the gear up and down and talk on the radios, if I want you to fly I will tell you", and to the Flight Engineer, " don't touch a switch unless I tell you to." Been there, saw that.
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[@jekku4688]

@jekku4688

1 year ago
Absolutely fascinating documentary. Makes me extremely wistful for that era again, when flying (and life in general) was civilized, glamorous, well-mannered, well-dressed and hopeful! [] [] []
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[@moose354]

@moose354

9 years ago
Brilliant narration. Amazing soundtrack. Incredible video footage. This video has everything and very well produced. I remember the golden age of flight when- Pilots told you what was on the left and right of the aircraft, Flight attendants served complete meals and Passengers wore their Sunday best.  No cutoffs and flipflops. People were lucky  to fly once a year.  Now airlines have become like buses. What an era to travel in.
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[@pamelacorbett8774]

@pamelacorbett8774

1 year ago
I flew for PanAm for two years. When the North Vietnamese took Saigon, I was on the last commercial flight to leave that city and our plane was fired on as we took off. We had great pilots, many were war veterans.
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[@elizabethmini7687]

@elizabethmini7687

1 year ago
I remember the day Pan Am landed in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. All the schools were let out of classes and we were bussed to the airport to see this jet land. Although there were passengers on board, the younger grade school kids were allowed to walk through. This was in 1968. Definitely a wonderful day and especially not being in a classroom that day.
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2 replies
[@mera3006]

@mera3006

1 year ago
PanAmerican World Airways, my best employer ever, my best job ever, the best work environment ever, the best people/coworkers, amazing work culture, family alike atmosphere. The most beautiful memories of my life. 30 years ago exactly December 4th 1991 PanAm ceased their operations and I lost my best job of my life. We will never have such airlines again! I am still crying when I see the PanAm airplane on TV or in some places like a historic museum piece in Apopka, Florida. It is parked as a symbol of flying days gone by. PanAm you are so missed! You will never be forgotten by many millions who flew with you or worked for you. I am still the living proof, I have gazillions PanAm gadgets, memorabilia, even original porcelain First Class plates.
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[@rickalexander2801]

@rickalexander2801

1 year ago
I remember flying Pan Am to Europe in 1968 as an 11 year old. Our travel agent provided us with those iconic flight bags. Back then we dressed up to go on a plane. I remember wearing a tie and a sport coat. I never saw anyone wearing jeans or informal dress. Great food and service. Nothing like it today. My mother ended up marrying a Pan Am pilot a couple of years later. He flew San Francisco-Honolulu-Tokyo-Hong Kong-Bangkok route. This documentary really hit home.
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[@richardvickrey4786]

@richardvickrey4786

1 year ago
My Dad was a lifelong Eastern Airlines employee. Although I never had the pleasure of flying Pan Am, your wonderful film fills me with nostalgia & regret. Thank you for a job well done!
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[@andrewelie8687]

@andrewelie8687

2 years ago
I worked at Lufthansa in Toronto on December 21, 1988, when PA103 was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland. There were two Canadian victims on that flight, one male and one female. The female passenger went to my high school in Toronto. I lived in Germany in 1981. Pan Am was the one of THE airlines in (West) Berlin. Seeing its demise was truly tragic.
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[@smunilla74]

@smunilla74

1 year ago
For someone who has worked in the industry for 26 years this is a very well put together documentary long live PanAm.
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2 replies
[@roymorales469]

@roymorales469

1 year ago
I was an airline brat growing up. My Dad worked for TWA back in the 60s/70s/80s. I'd remember Pan Am at O'Hare and all the airports I traveled through. It was certainly a giant and an American legacy.
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[@larrylong2888]

@larrylong2888

1 year ago
Loved this documentary. I flew PanAm while in the military traveling thru the Middle east in the 70's. I consider myself lucky to have survived the turmoil of that era. Shame that PanAm went belly up. It was a first class airline that these airlines today could learn a lot from! Soundtrack was awesome.
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[@maximilianavdeev7363]

@maximilianavdeev7363

11 months ago
I’ve never cried over the loss of an airline before but it was so sad to see the end of an era when the jet went thru the water arcs on the final flight. [] [] []
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[@INNO222]

@INNO222

1 year ago (edited)
My first flight ever was in June 1976 on Pan Am. The a/c was a 727 going to Europe and having to stop for refueling in various cities in the U.K. As a former airline worker, their stories really hit home for me. Great times. I've always felt working for a major airline was a special experience.
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[@drstevenrey]

@drstevenrey

1 year ago
Juan Trippe shaped pretty much all aspects of today's airline industry. The man is legend.
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[@danielleejohnson5931]

@danielleejohnson5931

1 year ago
If you are reading the comments trying to decide if this is worth watching ... I did the same and it is well worth your time. This would not have been something I normally would have watched but it popped up in my suggestions and I'm sure glad it did. I grew up in the Pan Am era so a lot of this was familiar to me. Brought back a lot of memories of flying Pan Am while growing up . The documentary itself is very well done and the party posting this did a great job with the video and audio quality. Thanks for a really great documentary keep up the good work!
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[@ninochandra8490]

@ninochandra8490

1 year ago
omg... you can see and feel the passion and love of these employees for the company they worked for...
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[@hugocastro1326]

@hugocastro1326

1 year ago
My very first trip on an airplane was on Pan Am back in 1968, when I got an AFS scholarship to go High School in the US. I will always remember this. Tears came to me watching this film. Greetings from Costa Rica.
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[@Gutowski1944]

@Gutowski1944

1 year ago
Pan Am B 707 from Chicago to Warsaw in 1976 was my first flying experience that I will always remember. Just a kid in my suit and tie I cheered as we took off and soared into the sky. The stewardess gave me a coloring book during the flight and the Captain let me sit in his seat in the cockpit after landing. Thank you Pan Am! []
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[@mjdonat77]

@mjdonat77

1 year ago
I was an internal lawyer for Pan Am at corporate headquarters in the Pan Am Building. Great memories of the greatest airline well reflected in this film!
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[@byronsutherland1380]

@byronsutherland1380

2 years ago
Love, love this documentary. My father used to take Pan Am from JFK to FRA where he was based with the Air Force in the 80s. By the time I joined the airlines, Pan Am was gone. I have the honor of working with former flight attendants of Pan Am and the stories they told were amazing and made you wish for the glamor and style of yesterday.The only airlines in the world now that have a glimmer of the Pan Am service are the Middle Eastern carriers and Asian carriers like Singapore.
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[@ThinkYourHealth]

@ThinkYourHealth

1 year ago
Fantastic documentary. Kept me glued to the end Perfectly put together: the narration interspersed with music reflective of the times.This piece engulfed the viewer into being part of the past… reliving airline history.
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[@2662Mia]

@2662Mia

1 year ago
A spectacular documentary- phenomenal recollection of the glamour and mystique that imbued every aspect of Pan American Airlines in it’s heyday. This film is, itself, a transportation vehicle …oh what a ride! [] ? [] ?
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[@TheQuranChannel123]

@TheQuranChannel123

1 year ago
Salute to Mr Juan Trippe for introducing aviation to the world, improving it and making it accessible to all people of the different economic graphics. He was a genius of his own rights.
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[@pattysouza2954]

@pattysouza2954

1 year ago
I was stationed in Frankfurt Germany at the 97th General Hospital and every September I received a letter from Pan Am stating I had a round trip ticket to Dallas Texas whenever I wanted to use it. I was able to fly home for Christmas every year. I was incredible lucky that my Father bought my ticket for me. It was always a wonderful flight and we were treated like a million bucks. I have such wonderful memories of flying on this airline.
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[@ccth22]

@ccth22

1 year ago
This is fascinating because as a child of the 70’s Pan Am was a big deal. But also what’s interesting is I remember the pushback from the Gloria Steinem’s of the world has a big problem with the flight stewardess requirements and the push for glamour & sophistication. Very interesting documentary.
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[@gw78787]

@gw78787

2 years ago
What kind of a person could give this video a thumbs down? Excellent documentary!
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[@chrisallen7911]

@chrisallen7911

1 year ago
It is inconceivable to see how far down we have come since the 1960s. Flying included a delicious meal, cocktails, movies, beautiful interiors, beautiful flight attendants, and soft music. Travel was a luxurious treat that has been turned into one big headache. No one enjoys flying anymore in the USA.
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[@chillie2552]

@chillie2552

1 year ago
Excellent documentary! I especially love the background music matching the years or time period being spoken about! I went on a Pan Am flight as a child during the 1970’s. It was really a big deal ! Ohh how I wish air travel could return to that same level of service—especially the food. Today, you’re lucky if you get a bag of peanuts and water [] []
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[@goingtothewell]

@goingtothewell

1 year ago (edited)
Dad started with Pan Am 1964. When Pan Am went under, he took the deal to teach United Airline pilots the Pacific routes so he got to keep flying a bit longer. We definitely got to see the world. I loved being a Pan Am brat.
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[@professionalasexual172]

@professionalasexual172

1 year ago
Love how, even though it started as a very upper-class thing, Trippe’s vision was always to bring aviation to anyone and everyone
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[@oscargeorge1]

@oscargeorge1

1 year ago
What an amazing roller coaster story of an iconic American brand... sad that it's just a defunct legacy now and all of those beautiful and amazing 747's and proud employees are now just faint memories of greatness...
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[@valerieginesin4393]

@valerieginesin4393

1 year ago
I had the privilege of flying Pan Am for many years. Wonderful memories . 747 was awesome! Those were the days!
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[@davidjroberts77]

@davidjroberts77

1 year ago
I love air travel, but never realised how important PAN AM were in the history of air travel made better. A real eye opener!
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[@Bootmahoy88]

@Bootmahoy88

1 year ago
It was a wonderful airline that was into creating new molds as well as breaking molds, being the airline that set new precedence. It set a tone throughout the airlines of true innovation. I am sorry that it had to die via bad management. Frankly, what irks me, and this is actually beside the point of the airline, was the egregious television series called Pan Am. That did not do the legacy proud. It was and still is in reruns an embarrassment. There's such good material here for a rich and involving series. What the hell happened? I have no idea.
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[@contenderbp]

@contenderbp

1 year ago (edited)
I was 10 years old and dressed to the nines, complete with with white gloves and a pill box hat. My mother asked the stewardess to watch over me because I was flying solo to stay at my grandparents. She said, My daughter is well behaved”. Yeah, 10 years old. Back then the world was safer. From that moment on, I became a jet setter. Thanks Mom!