Delta Air Lines had quite a few variations of the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar flying the skies in the 1980s, including this one and this one, and I’ve selected another version for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

Appearing below is Delta’s L-1011-250 seat map from 1987. It seated a total of 269 passengers across three classes of service. First Class seated 12 passengers in “Sleeper” seats – the old school style – in a 2x2x2 configuration. Business Class on this stretched version of the L-1011 offered 54 seats, 14 more than the shorter -500 series Delta flew during the same period, in a 2x4x2 layout. Coach had 203 seats in the usual 2x5x2 configuration.

In First Class, you’d find me in 1F. The first few rows of Business Class would be ideal and in coach I’d definitely try to get a window in row 21.

Where would you sit?

It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected a “guppy” seen flying the skies in 1987.

Formerly a People Express aircraft, Continental Airlines flew the Boeing 737-100 appearing below in an all coach class configuration seating 118 passengers.

I flew on a bunch of -200s in my early years of flying and did occasionally sit towards the rear of the aircraft because I liked to watch the engine “come apart” after landing when reverse thrust kicked in. The -100 had the same engine configuration.

Seat 2A looks to be the best window seat on this aircraft, so you might also find me there.

Where would you sit?

It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected an unusual one this week. World Airways – I know… they mislabeled it World Airlines – primarily flew (and currently flies) members of the military to war zones the world over along with other contracted business.

If Wikipedia is correct, they currently operate a couple of different configurations of the MD-11, the successor to the DC-10 – some with “premium” seating unlike the all coach 354-seater Douglas bird below.

It’s interesting that this seat map denotes row nine as having the most legroom. Perhaps it did, but if I were flying on this airplane, you’d find me in one of the exit row aisles or maybe seat 3D or 3G. I’d have to imagine the pitch was pretty tight. Also notice the bank of seven lavs in the back… whoa!

Where would you sit?

I previously posted the international configuration of a TWA L-1011-100 TriStar and I’ve selected the airline’s domestic version for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

This L-1011 also had three classes of service, but the business class – Ambassador Class – cabin was in a 2 x 4 x 2 layout versus the more spacious 2 x 2 x 2 found on the other bird. First Class also appears to have a tighter pitch, though the description still labels the seats as “Sleepers.”

Seating a total of 275 passengers, there were 28 seats in First, 48 in Ambassador Class and 199 in coach. Like the international configuration, there were no dedicated lavatories for Ambassador Class, which I find a bit odd.

In First Class you’d find me in row two or three, row eight or nine in the middle cabin, or row 17 or 18 in coach.

Where would you sit?

It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected a United Airlines Boeing 767-200 seen flying the skies in 1987.

I have a United seating guide from 1979 that listed the planned configuration for the 767-200 as being 24 in First and 173 in coach once it was delivered in 1982, so this bird has an “extra” row in coach than what was initially proposed. I’m unsure of the originally delivered configuration.

You’d find me in 2A or 2G in First Class or definitely in that first section of coach just behind First.

Where would you sit?

Last week I posted a pre-deregulation seat map of an American Airlines Boeing 727-100 and I thought it would be interesting to compare it against a version flying the skies eight years later for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

American pulled out one row of First Class, removed the coat compartment and bar from coach and likely tightened the seat pitch to offer 115 seats in this version versus the 100-seater I posted last week. First Class lost only four seats and economy gained 19 in the reconfiguration.

You’d find me sitting in 5A or 5F in First Class or in the first few rows of coach forward of the mid-cabin galley.

Where would you sit?

I’m sticking with a narrowbody again for this week’s Vintage Airline Seat Map and bring you the American Airlines Boeing 727-100 from 1977 appearing below. Seating a total of 100 passengers, this pre-deregulation configuration offered 14 first class seats and room for 86 in coach, which probably had nearly equivalent seat pitch as that found in first class.

A couple of interesting things to note are the carryon luggage racks, a coat compartment in coach and the bar across from the mid-cabin galley. Smoking was likely allowed plane-wide, so without that information, you’d find me in 3A in first class and 5A in coach if there was more legroom at that bulkhead, otherwise 6A.

Where would you sit?

It’s time again to feature a narrowbody aircraft for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps and I’ve selected one of Eastern Airlines’ Boeing 727-200s seen flying the skies in the late 1980s. The carrier had four different configurations of the -200 and this one was their highest density bird in 1987 seating 177 passengers in a single class of service.

What I find particularly interesting about this configuration is the rather punitive nature of having only two lavatories for its increased capacity. Perhaps it was flown on short-haul shuttle-style markets and I’d love to hear from any readers if they know more.

I’d prefer a seat near the forward part of the cabin with aisle seats 1D and 2D looking particularly attractive. Otherwise, I’d opt for a window in say… row three or four.

Where would you sit?

I previously posted an international configuration L-1011 TriStar flown by Delta Air Lines in the 1980s, and here now is one of their domestic versions from the same period for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

Seating 32 passengers in First Class and 270 in coach, you’d find me in 3A or 3F up front and probably in a window seat in the low teens in coach. While no definitive bulkhead wall seems to exist between cabins, there must’ve been some type of partition limiting the recline of row six as noted by the shaded seats.

Where would you sit?

United Airlines purchased Pan Am’s Pacific Division and acquired several aircraft in 1985 and I’ve selected a 747-200 from that time period featuring United’s Royal Pacific configuration for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

This particular layout – one of several in United’s 747 fleet at the time – was likely seen flying the U.S. to Japan market as almost 40% of the cabin comprised premium seating. A total of 35 seats were available in First Class in a 2 x 2 layout (or 2 x 2 x 2 aft of door one), Business Class seated 100 passengers in an uncomfortable looking 2 x 4 x 2 configuration with limited pitch, and coach offered 212 seats in the usual 3 x 4 x 3 setup.

In First Class on this bird you’d find me in the nose section as usual, probably in 2A or 2F. In Business I’d be in 17 or 18 A/H and in coach I’d opt for those exit row aisles in rows 27 or 37 if alone, or back in the two-seater section if I had a companion in rows 49-51.

Where would you sit?

In the next couple of weeks, the Continental Airlines name will retire into the history books, so I’m devoting this week’s Vintage Airline Seat Map to one of the carrier’s DC-9-10s seen flying the skies in the 1980s.

Delta Air Lines took delivery of the first -10 variant in 1965 and it was designed to serve smaller airports on short- to medium-haul routes. Continental’s version appearing below seated a mere 83 passengers across two classes of service. The airline operated a total of 36 DC-9-10s during its tenure and sadly, experienced a fatal accident with one on November 15, 1987. Continental flight 1713 crashed after takeoff from Denver’s Stapleton Airport due to a combination of pilot error and improper deicing.

Continental’s row numbering in coach on this version is intriguing with a break from 16 to 21. Other DC-9s from the carrier at that time didn’t have a similar disparity. In First Class, you’d find me in 3A or 3F and in coach, I’d be keen on sitting forward of the wing on the two-seater side, probably away from the bulkhead in 6A or 7A.

Where would you sit?