The golden age of air travel is long gone, but the business-class amenity kit is one luxury introduced in that era between the 50s and 70s that is still with us.
Delta introduced it in 1978, at the tail end of the period, and has been keeping a photographic record of its evolution.
The fascinating pictures serve as time capsules that offer insights into aircraft etiquette of the day and reveal how amenity kits went from being merely practical to designer collectibles.
First, we step back in time, to an age long before AI pricing and online check-ins, when according to the amenity kits, fuzz-free clothing and being able to remove one’s shoes with ease were the priorities for wealthy fliers.
1978
Delta’s first amenity kits arrived in 1978, when the carrier was using Boeing 747s and Lockheed TriStars for long-haul travel.
One of the kits featured a white bag, Pepsodent toothpaste, a comb, hand lotion, a hand towel, and a large nail file.
Yes, doing your nails mid-flight was a top priority.
Another brown and beige offering featured Michaud shaving cream and hand and body lotion, along with a razor and eye mask.
Milestones for the carrier in the 70s included the introduction of the first transatlantic service from Atlanta to London, and audio in-flight entertainment.
1985
Notable inclusions of the 1985 amenity kit were a lint mitt for removing clothing fluff and dust and a shoehorn.
Bizarre? Not really, this was, after all, a time when people would don formal attire to fly business class, a concept alien to today’s tracksuit-wearing one-percenters.
The goody bag also contained a toothbrush kit, shave cream, mouthwash and moisturizing lotion, along with a comb and a nail file.
By this time, Delta had introduced computer-generated boarding and automated advance seat selection.
1987
This picture shows a 1987 amenity kit, which includes a pair of blue Delta slippers, with the rest of the kit…
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