Oh man, do I miss PanAm’s seat 1J

My all-time favorite airline to fly with was Pan Am. As a child, I watched Clippers take off and land in San Francisco, never imagining that I’d spend many, many hours aboard PanAm flights going somewhere.

PanAm was unique in the world of commercial aviation, setting world flight distance records, developing new routes, and setting the world standard for in-flight service. I’d go to great lengths to fly on Pan Am, at one point even buying shares in the company. The stock certificate hangs on my office wall to this day. Too bad it’s worthless.

They had two critical routes around the world. They were designated PanAm flights One and Two, and they literally circled the globe heading East and West. Living in Asia, I was pretty familiar with Flight One, and each time I was aboard one of their trips, it was an incredible experience. As a travel professional, I always tried to use my Clipper Miles for upgrades, and truth be told, when I hit their famed “Platinum” level, I was set. I loved flying aboard their 747s, and due to the particular configuration of their cabins, they had one extraordinary seat: 1J, as shown in the image above.

I wheedled, wangled, and begged to be accommodated in that seat. It was private, quiet, and for the time we were in the air, the most comfortable place on the aircraft. I should note at this point that no other person was seated next to this seat, and that was the best benefit of all. On an 8+ hour flight to somewhere, you just can’t imagine how nice it was to sit in silence and just enjoy the ride. I was (and am) so sad that PanAm is no more. When I reflect on that magical 1J seat, I am profoundly thankful that I flew aboard PanAm more times than on any other airline, then and now.

Thanks, PanAm, for everything.