Pan Am the greatest airline? Well, recollections may vary

When it comes to the high-profile Pan American World Airways, Simon Calder finds some loved it more than others

- Simon Calder

In the memorable phrase of the late Queen – when discussing conflicting accounts of royal family tensions – “recollections may vary”. That certainly applies to readers’ experiences of Pan Am.

As a reminder: Pan American World Airways was the highestprofile US airline of the 20th century. With American aviation ascendant, that made it the top carrier worldwide. And Pan Am claimed a string of achievements – including the launch airline for the Boeing 747 Jumbo jet, on a flight from New York JFK to London Heathrow in 1970, and the world’s first round-the-world flight.

The branding – emphasising the way that Pan Am girdled the globe – was superb. So impressive, in fact, that the vast Coex Mall in Seoul has a store dedicated to Pan Am-branded clothing and accessories. I find it extraordinary that a US carrier which went bust in 1991 should be turning a profit for somebody in South Korea three decades later.

But then I did write last week that people are harking back to a golden age that never actually existed – with my recollection of the average transatlantic flight being lousy compared with a trip across the Atlantic on any airline today.