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?

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?

I have a fondness in my heart for the many “three-holers” I watched depart O’Hare during my teenage years alongside the runways. While the Boeing 727 is indeed a three-engine aircraft, my greatest appreciation fell with the widebody Douglas DC-10s and Lockheed L-1011s I saw so frequently.

For this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps, I bring you the internationally configured Delta Air Lines Lockheed TriStar L-1011-500. It seated a total of 241 passengers across three classes. First Class occupied 12 sleeper seats in a 2 x 2 x 2 layout, Business Class sat 40 passengers in a comfortable looking 2 x 4 x 2 configuration and the standard 2 x 5 x 2 coach layout seated 189.

Up front you’d find me in 1A, furthest from the galley and with an apparent abundant amount of legroom. In Business I’d most certainly be in row 11 or 12 and likely an aisle as these early version cabins didn’t offer ease-of-aisle access if you were in the window. Similarly, in coach I’d opt for either 20B or 21C for the legroom.

Where would you sit?

As part of the $750 million deal when United Airlines purchased Pan Am’s Pacific division in 1985, they acquired 18 of the carrier’s widebody aircraft. For this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps I’ve selected a United Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar, one the fleet types coming out of that acquisition.

I’m sort of surprised at how much real estate was dedicated for First Class and this is the first time I’ve ever seen the amount of seats in First being more than Business Class. Seating 36 people up front in a 2 x 2 x 2 format, I’d be in a window seat mid-cabin in row three or four. The incredibly small Business cabin seated 32 passengers in an uncomfortable looking 2 x 4 x 2 layout. Here I’d want to be away from the lavs, so probably a window in row nine.

Coach also looks pretty tight with a 10-abreast 3 x 4 x 3 configuration. The cabin width of a L-1011 is more than a foot shorter than a Boeing 747, where such a layout is common. I’d definitely go for row 17 or 18C/18H.

Where would you sit?

It’s time for another edition of Vintage Airline Seat Maps and I’ve selected the Eastern Airlines Lockheed L-1011 TriStar appearing below. The L-1011 was the DC-10 alternative with both aircraft exhibiting nearly the same design and passenger volume. Eastern Airlines took delivery of the very first L-1011-1 in early April of 1972 and began passenger service later that month. While popular with the airlines that flew them, Lockheed’s reentry into the commercial aircraft market with this bird eventually failed due to production delays, engine manufacturer issues and the lack of a larger, longer range option in the early development.

This version seated a total of 316 passengers with 28 in first class and 288 in coach. In first you’d find me in either row two or three, likely a window, as row one appears rather tight due to the curvature of the fuselage though I doubt as much as this map makes it appear. In coach my preferred seats would be a window or aisle (on the two-seater sides) in rows 21 or 22. Why not the forward coach zone? Well, back in the 1980s we didn’t have all our wonderful technology to entertain ourselves, so the movie would have been a big highlight for me not to be missed. It’s also nice to see Eastern isolated the smoking section in coach to the rearmost zone aft of doors 3L & 3R.

Where would you sit?

I selected the Trans World Airlines Lockheed TriStar (TWA) L-1011-100 for this week’s Vintage Airline Seat Map. This is the three-cabin domestic and international version with 18 First Class, 40 Ambassador Class (business class), and 214 coach seats. You’d definitely find me in row 2 if I were in first class (2A probably), row 7, 8 or 9 in business class, or row 15 or 16 in coach. When smoking was allowed, at least they sort-of had a true barrier between smoking & non-smoking in coach.

Where would you sit?