Pan Am Airways Cultural Impact on the World

Pan Am Airways, formerly known as Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), flew onto the American scene October 27, 1927 and was America's first international airline.. It began as a small company delivering air mail between Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba.

Pan Am Airlines continued growing as its' routes spanned around the world. When World War II began Pan Am Airlines' personnel were recognized to have more experience than the U. S. Air Force and were instrumental in helping the United States build airports around the world, training pilots, navigators and radio operators as well as flying special missions and ferrying supplies and aircraft.

Possibly, the most notable of Pan Am flights was when they flew President Roosevelt to Africa during WWII to meet with Stalin and Churchill.

Many today have etched in their memories the tragedy of Pan Am 103 as it crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland.

With such a rich, and even tragic history, there's no wonder that designers, such as Louis Vuitton, have been inspired by Pan Am Airways to create designs-among those the Pan Am bag of that glory period.

With the popular ABC series, Pan Am, the glamor of flying is remembered with a particular longing for days gone by when flying was a special and refined experience.

The Pan Am flight attendants were young, attractive and glamorous, and, during the early days of Pan Am, they had more time, on the long international flights, to develop a cordial relationship with the passengers. They were considered icons for young women of that period.

It wasn't the attraction of the flight attendant salary that attracted many young women to the flying profession, but, the opportunity it provided for young women to make their own living while traveling the world.