How Children Traveled on Airplanes in the 1950s (4 photos)

Nowadays, airplane flights, especially long ones, can be extremely inconvenient and uncomfortable, even for adult passengers, not to mention small children. It was a completely different story in the 1950s, when air travel was just gaining popularity and was more of a luxury than a means of transportation. On board, passengers were treated to caviar and champagne, their pillows were adjusted, and every effort was made to ensure their maximum comfort. However, few people imagine how children flew in those golden years of aviation...







In 1953, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) invented a special airline bassinet, designed like a hammock. They believed it would help the youngest passengers, and their parents, have a comfortable time during flights.





So that parents could also rest, bassinets were designed to be hung from the overhead bin—an open one, mind you. This was considered perfectly safe, as the bassinet's design prevented the baby from falling out.

But now, looking at these rare archival photographs is simply terrifying. Apparently, in the 1950s, airplanes didn't have to deal with severe turbulence... Luckily, even then, babies were supposed to be held during takeoff and landing.



In general, modern versions of bassinets for infant passengers aren't much different from their 1950s prototypes. For example, this is the bassinet provided by British Airways, whose predecessor was BOAC. At least they don't hang them from the ceiling anymore!

And these are passengers from the 1950s on board another European airline—Germany's Lufthansa. Incidentally, a bassinet is also present.