Computer Airline Reservation Systems 1965 - ATT Bell Telephone (IBM, UNIVAC) 'Plane Talk'

IBM - UNIVAC: This a classic 1965 video describing the overall Airline tracking and reservation process, presented from the viewpoint of ATT (Bell Telephone). It includes not just the computerized reservation systems (such as IBM's SABRE), but the telephone, teletype, radio, air traffic control and other aspects of how it all works together. A great vintage educational film. You may have seen this before, it is provided here with some improved audio and video. IBM and UNIVAC terminals are shown briefly in the film. Hope you enjoy.

More info at these links:

Sabre: The First Online Reservation System

PANAMAC – PAN AM version of Airline Reservation System

OZARK Air Lines -

[realBaronFletcher]

Glad to know even back then that seat belt extensions were used.

[james-p]

3:46 - Oooh, a Convair 880! A glorious airliner!

[Ice_Karma]

0:45 I'm amused, but not surprised, that you subtitled the copyright date written in Roman numerals. 😹

[neilbrookins]

Considering that touch tone telephone was generally first available November of 1963 having one at home in 65 would be very rare indeed.

[ctds]

Things you never hear on an airplane: “That was a wonderful meal.”

Glad you liked it, discount Shelley Winters.

[markarca]

Remember the Unisys 90s ad: There are two things you need to run an airline company. One of them are airplanes. The other is information.

[scratchdog]

4:45 Born in '65. My mother worked for Hertz at BDL in the early '70s. Sometimes we'd get to run around the place and act crazy the way kids do when we picked her up. Good times.

[rolandschweiger]

marvelous documentation and insight of technology of the time. So many things we now take for granted, even let it be the very beginning of packet-switched communication, already were in there infancy in 1965. Also i get the impression that people were much more looking forward to the future than nowadays. often have the impression that we are more and more backward oriented, a shame really...

[marmaly]

I was born in 1965. Hard to believe people were once so courteous. Especially in light of the present mess..

[LMacNeill]

0:46 -- the old Atlanta Hartsfield Airport terminal building. I remember that from when I was a kid in the '70s. They tore it down in either '80 or '81, I think.

[rapman]

These videos are such a great look back at our history. Thanks for sharing with us!

[MJK]

🎶We've come a long ways, baby!!!🎶

[SocratesAth]

The music and mismatched engine sounds at the beginning remind me of Thunderbirds.

[muefive]

Really amazing would be nice to have a system like this

[Nighthawke]

Up until about the 1990s, SABRE was still crunching reservations for a variety of airlines.

[shamrock]

Back.in the day when flying had class. Not like it is today. Chaotic and no regulations.

[SarahAutumn]

14:37 - No. 5 Crossbar, a view of the MTC (maintenance test center)
14:47 - Telegraph/Toll test boards
14:53 - Carrier equipment. Interestingly Step by Step telephone switching equipment can be heard operating in the background. This is completely different than the switching system seen at 14:37, so either it was filmed in a different office entirely, or the office seen at 14:37 hosts two different types of telephone exchanges.

[elizabethcherry]

I bet people wish that taking fight was still like this today, I was not born yet when this came out, but it is nice to see what I missed. I like the old lady that was a fine meal, if she was taking a fight today she would be saying something different. Great video

[prismstudios]

Good golly, It’s like we’re in the future!!!!

[markarca]

Flash forward to the present: They are now using Navitaire (airline reservation) and Smartkargo (cloud-hosted cargo management).