Do you remember and miss Eastern Airlines, what is your greatest memory of Eastern. (Atlanta: foreclosure, live)

[Newsboy]

Eastern's shutdown was a big blow to the Atlanta economy. Though based in Miami, Atlanta was their hub and home to most of their employees. Eastern's sudden demise turned all of Concourse C and half of Concourse B into an empty ghost town literally overnight -- dark and abandoned. It also devestated the Southside housing market. Growing up in Fayette County, everybody's dad (except mine) worked for either Delta or Eastern. Kids used to get into fights on the playground over which was better.

[SWAMPBUCK62]

Greatest memory of Eastern Airlines...........Unions killed it..... thats about it...

[centauri]

Originally Posted by SWAMPBUCK62

Greatest memory of Eastern Airlines...........Unions killed it..... thats about it...

Unions killed alot of Airlines! I honestly do not miss Eastern... It seems like every week, one of their planes broke down, and they also drink a TON of fuel, even just for a short hop, JAX-MIA. Then again, it is different point of view when you spend almost your whole life around them.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Loved those blue stripes. I even built a plastic model Eastern Airlines plane. Eastern also marked their 727's with "Whisper Jet". Cool name!

I grew up in the Miami area and used to watch Eastern planes taking off from MIA, and loved those 727 WhisperJets!


Eastern Airlines "Whisperliner" Jet - YouTube

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I grew up in the Miami area and used to watch Eastern planes taking off from MIA, and loved those 727 WhisperJets!


Eastern Airlines "Whisperliner" Jet - YouTube

Nice it seems like every american airline had the 727's as a part of their fleet.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I always thought the robust competition between Eastern and Delta was a healthy thing.

Me too, I loved the fact that both carriers had widebody jets for routes. Now Delta only have the widebodies, and Southwest only 737's to choose from.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

It was my favorite airline because of its colors.



Loved those blue stripes. I even built a plastic model Eastern Airlines plane. Eastern also marked their 727's with "Whisper Jet". Cool name! I liked the name "Eastern". The only other airline name I like is "JetBlue".

Anyone board a plane on those movable stairways? One plane I flew on had a drop down staircae in the rear of the plane and that's how we boarded. One would wait inside the terminal and walk outside to the plane and go up the stairs.

At Pittsburgh's airport, they had an outside observation deck. You would actually feel the blast from the jet engines at it turned around and taxied. Ah the smell of burned jet fuel! I remember seeing one unfortunate man's hat sail off his head. It really flew! Probably landed far away in the airport parking lot.

Jet planes also used to trottle back on take-off. The sensation of being pinned in your seat was fun. But I guess for noise abatement and maybe even fuel savings, they don't do that anymore.

Back then there was little to no security as you just entered the airport, go to your gate, and board. No fuss. It was almost like riding a bus. Then there was a rash of hijackings with planes being directed to of all places...Cuba! Then they stepped up security with metal detectors etc. Odd in way as I recall the complaint back then was that the doors to the cockpit were weak. A similar complaint about what happened on 9/11.

Never fails. Any good thing will somehow be expolited by bad people and ruin it for the rest of us.

That L1011 is a beauty, Did not Eastern use them for Atlanta to LA route.

[centauri]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Me too, I loved the fact that both carriers had widebody jets for routes. Now Delta only have the widebodies, and Southwest only 737's to choose from.

The only widebody jets Delta have is the 747, 767, 777, and the A330's. One thing that supprises me is that they are going to get rid of their 757's, but keep the MD-88's.

[skiime]

My dad was a pilot for Eastern, and I have such great memories of those days. Back then being a pilot was so much more than being a "glorified bus driver." At least that's what most people unfortunately think of them these days. It seemed like you either lived in an Eastern neighborhood or the snobby Delta neighborhood down the street. "Delta" was almost a dirty word back then to an Eastern family, and like the other poster said, kids would argue which one was best. I remember there was so much love for that airline by the employees. Great times...kids today will never get to go up to the cockpit during flight. Too bad.

[phillipmaloney]

I delivered mail in East Marietta (30068 zip) back when Eastern went under. Witnessing families move and all the foreclosures was very sad.