Top bananas and other airlines of our youth

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what to fly 'til it's gone?

A question came to me as I searched for a summer airplane reservation: What was your favorite airline that no longer exists?

My thoughts immediately turned to Hughes Airwest and PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines), because we seemed to fly on these a bunch and their planes were so appealing for a kid.

How many airlines tied their entire image to bananas?

How many airlines not only make you smile, they smile themselves?

I also have to give a nod to Continental Airlines, not so much for the airline itself but for the short happy life of the onboard pub that featured Pong games (okay, and booze).

(While we’re on Continental, here’s a classic commercial with Cheryl Ladd.)

As I thought more about it, I couldn’t leave off Rocky Mountain Airways, an airline so confident that they actually put the oxygen masks with the airsick bags in the seat pocket in front of you — and also didn’t bother with that whole cockpit door thing. We’re all in this together, chaps.

This one wasn’t part of my memories, but why not?

Of more modern airlines, I was partial to Virgin America, which was cheerful and comfortable — as well as being a pioneer in the genre of the irreverent pre-flight safety video.

I got so many other nominations on Twitter. I really touched a nostalgic spot with quite a few people. Here are some of the names that came through:

• AirCal

• Aloha

• Braniff

• Delta Song

• Ladeco

• Mexicana

• Midwest Express

• Ozark

• Pan Am

• People Express

• Piedmont

• Taesa

• TWA

• Western

Fun memories. Add yours in the comments!

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