The Golden Age Of Flying - Retro Photos Of Air Travel In The 1950s

Sipping cocktails, puffing on cigarettes and dressed to the nines - flying in the 1950s was a world away from the budget airlines of today.

These pictures of the golden age of aviation show what flying was like before it became accessible to the masses, and only the very wealthiest could afford it.

Men dressed in morning suits, women showed of their most elegant ensembles and children were trussed up in their Sunday best.

And forget knocking knees with the back of a chair, planes had plenty of legroom, along with cocktail lounges and tables for families to enjoy meals together.

And no wonder. Back in those glamorous days, a return flight from London to Australia would cost more than the average salary.

The photographs have been restored in full colour and compiled by Airlineratings.com, to hark back to those heady days before tasteless plane food and minuscule baggage allowances became the norm.