How The 747 Killed Pan Am

Pan Am is argueably the most iconic airline history, this is why it closed.

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[robertstauffer]

Hey Kelsey. In 1991 I was a fueler for Allied Aviation at JFK. On the day they shut down I was actively fueling a Pan Am 727 when the supervisor came screaming over to me in his pickup truck, making the "cut it off" motion by frantically waving his hand under his chin. I immediately dropped the Deadman switch, thinking the fuel must be spilling, or the plane was on fire or something!

Turns out that the Delta board had just decided not to make the large payment they had promised to keep Pan Am (which they were in the process of acquiring) flying. At the moment of that decision, Pan Am was rendered completely insolvent and unable to pay its bills. Thus the decision by Allied to stop fueling. The passengers on that flight had to deplane and the flight never took off. A long time ago, but I remember THAT day clearly. R.I.P. Pan Am.

[wotan]

There were many factors in Pan Am’s downfall. Fuel prices, the wrong route system (nothing in the U.S. to feed the international routes), and hubris. I flew Pan Am to the Caribbean in 1973, my first and only time on a 707. After the merger with National, I went to the big multi-airline office (opposite Grand Central Station, back then) to buy an emergency ticket from New York to Miami when my grandfather was hospitalized. They said, “we don’t fly from New York to Miami.” I said, “Yes, you do.” We went back & forth with a few other reps, until one of them said, “oh yeah, we picked up that route from National.” I remember thinking, if that’s their mentality, they’re not going to be around much longer.

[evilferris]

My dad was one of those executives at Pan Am. He was fluent in Mandarin from his time in Air Force intelligence so when Nixon opened up China to trade with the west, Pan Am was the first airline to have service to Beijing with my dad acting as general manager. As his kid, I got treated like a prince wherever we traveled – some of my fondest memories. Thanks for stirring those up in me today, Kelsey. Blue skies!

[Ewakahuna]

Well done. I was a Pan Am pilot from October 1966 till the end in December of 1991. Not an ounce of regret, and tons of great memories. I would do it all over again.

[paulmakinson]

As an unaccompanied child travelling with Pan Am, I felt so pampered, with the charming stewardesses taking special care of me, I even got to witness the landing in the jump seat of a 747 cockpit several times. I remember that cockpit, no glass cockpit, steam gauges and switches all over the place!

[AshTownsend]

Great story thank you. Nothing to do with Pan Am but in 1990 I flew with my 6 year-old son on an SAA 747 (a twin deck) LDN to JHB.
The stewardess got us access to the pilot's cabin, about midnight, flying over the Sahara, total darkness except for occasional camp fires way down below, and starlight.
The cabin was so beautifully softly lit, the crew were so relaxed and cool, we didn't want to leave. Unforgettable. Unrepeatable.

[Mik-lysp]

When I was just 15 I read a book on the design and early production of the 747. This book inspired me so much that I went into aircraft maintenance. I still have my Paul Bunyan insignia on my toolbox all these years later. The story of how the 747 was made is truly a remarkable one. Thank You for the videos. And long live the Queen :)

[tomholer]

I have watched many of your videos and enjoyed them all.
This one almost brought tears to my eyes. I was extremely fortunate to retire from Delta, after starting with North Central airlines, as 747 Captain. I flew out of JFK and we were in the old Pan Am terminal. Gave me goosebumps walking through there to my flights.
It was my dream since I soloed in a J3 a long time ago. It brought back memories. I believe part of Pan Am's demise was that they could not fly between stops in the US. They had to originate in the US and go to another country and visa versa. That was a huge handicap.
Keep up the good work.
Tom

[captcorajus]

I feel it when I watch future looking movies like 2001 A Space Odyssey and you see the space plane is Pan Am. There's a tinge of sadness for a bright possible future that never was. Great video, thanks.

[jimskinner]

I was a student in Roswell NM in 1970 when Pan Am was training pilots on the new 747s. Always remember how they looked flying around the area. We used to go out and watch them do touch and go’s. Magnificent planes.

[jeskeepinitreal]

Another Pan Am baby here thank you for the great video! My dad was a pilot for Pan Am in the late 1960s and he flew the 747. It might have been a dream for some, but he later said it was like being a bus driver. Not exciting enough I guess so we moved from San Diego to Alaska and he flew for the fish and game there which I guess was his happy place. RIP Kim Bussell🛩✈

[madmarkus]

Kudos, Kelsey. This was the most concise and accurate summary of the saga of Pan Am that I have ever seen. I’m a double Pan Am brat, dad retired as a 747 and SP captain in the early 80’s, mom was a stewardess until they got married and I came along in 1968.

[dboss]

I had the privilege of flying on Pam Am Flight number 1 around the world in 1977. Our group chartered for 234 of us who were going to India. JFK to Heathrow, then to Frankfurt, then Tehran and finally Delhi. 33 hours on the plane each way with the Magnificent machine and the Clipper service was excellent. Myself and 2 friends had recently gotten our private pilot's licenses and mentioned it to the flight crew, and the Captain let each of us come up to the flight deck during a stopover and gave us a tour so to speak. Fantastic experience!

[jorgeB-ER]

Great video and commentary Capt. Kelsey. I still have great memories of Pan Am. In the seventies I worked for a different airline but traveled many times on Pan Am to Europe and South America, all for free. (thru the employee interline free/discount agreements with other airlines). One time on a flight from Rome to New York the B747-200 was overbooked and I was among a group of about 15 people who could not get on board. At the last minute the ticket agent announced that there was only one seat available in first class and asked "who is travelling alone with no family?" and immediately I raised my hand; by luck I was the only 'lone bird' and a gorgeous stewardess walked me to my seat in first class. What a fabulous experience that was for me, the food, the drinks, the constant attention from the stewardesses. RIP Pan American World Airways.

[med]

I always look forward to Kelsey Sundays.

[gnmatsu]

Thank you for this one. My dad worked for Pan Am as a mechanic in Honolulu. Yes. That time of flying was something. Very special. We did dress up when ever we went anywhere. And yes. It was the gas prices along with the fact that Pan Am was not able to feed its international, overseas routes because they did not have the right routes withing the US. And I remember my dad telling me that when United purchased the Orient routes, they'd struggle because they're service was not up to par with what the international travelers experienced before and with other international carriers.

[simgamer]

Kelsey, that was probably one of the best tellings of that story ever. I've seen documentaries about it and all that, and you told it in all of about 15 minutes. It is truly a sad story of a good company.That was a victim of the time.

[cojaxart]

This made me cry. I loved flying on PanAm! It was THE standard for excellence that all the other airlines were jealous to have! Thanks Kelsey! Great post!

[cmcjvcltcbmc]

I prefer this type of video to the "mom kicked off the plane video" every time. Thanks.

[billroettgen]

Both my parents worked for Pan Am in Miami, even back to the seaplane days at Dinner Key. Thank you for this marvelously eloquent piece on "The World's Most Experienced Airline". You are correct - there was and is no ride like the ride on the Queen of the Skies, on the king of the airlines.