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Flashback Fridays—Some Odds and Ends

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Aviator C

While I am at AirVenture 2011 in Oshkosh this week, I thought I would share three photos that, when shown together, are unrelated, but individually they tell a story of our early days.

This first photo shows the unassuming entrance to the ticketing wing after it was relocated to baggage claim when the other airlines moved to DFW.  The Southwest Counter is just to the left of the Hertz facility.  The entrance doors are original to the terminal and were a design feature of the building when it opened.

 

 

The next photo is even more humble.  I think it was taken about the time we began service Hobby in late 1972 or early 1972.  The façade of the building was in desperate need of cleaning, and the contrast between then and now is remarkable.  At least the car rental companies had close-in parking.

 

Besides relocating ticket counters, we moved our gates after the other airlines moved to DFW in January 1974.  Our new operational home was on the former American concourse.  I like this photo because it shows that basically, the other airlines left everything in place that didn’t have wheels.  It’s also a great roadmap to show how our attitudes toward smoking have changed over the years.

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