Does Your Flight Seem Different Lately?

In the cheery world of airline advertising, travelers pass their flight time digging into haute cuisine, watching first-run movies and playing pasha to pampering stewardesses. Lately many air passengers find it tough to square the promotion with the reality. After the financial thumping of 1970, most airlines are vigorously trimming expenses. Besides cutting back on flights and laying off about 10,000 employees, the lines are paring or dropping entirely many of the extras that passengers once took for granted.

By Bread Alone. Since last spring, some carriers have been charging economy-class passengers $2 for movies that they formerly saw for nothing. Because early-bird travelers proved to be the least inclined to pay, films have been scrubbed altogether on most morning flights. The expense of renting film and equipment amounts to $160 per trip. TWA estimates that the move will save it $300,000 annually.

On many economy flights of medium range, American, United and TWA have substituted sandwiches for meals and done away with midday snacks. The cost for an economy-class hot meal ranges up to $3.50; a sandwich and trimmings is well under $3. Quite a few of the lost amenities are barely missed by most passengers. For example, soup is no longer served to first-class passengers on some flights, and stewardesses now ask passengers whether they want cream and sugar with their coffee; many do not. The price of cocktails on Eastern and National has been raised from $1 to $1.50; United plans a similar increase this month.

American has cut the 4-c- cost of laundering each washroom towel by switching from cloth to paper. By eliminating the more expensive blue cloth towels and going to all white, Eastern is saving $10,000 a year. The line has also adopted a unisex philosophy in passing out toy pins: formerly the wings given to girls were marked "Stewardess" and those given to boys were stamped "Pilot." Now they say "Eastern Air Lines." Savings: $9,000 a year.

Drop the Socks. For hard-nosed cost cutting, few lines can match United, which last week reported a 1970 deficit of some $46 million. The carrier is saving up to $300,000 a year by using less expensive paper and fewer colors for tickets, timetables and entertainment programs. The little red slip-socks, which once were parceled out on all Red Carpet flights, are now limited to overnight trips. Passengers' skis are stored in polyethylene bags instead of bulkier and costlier corrugated cardboard boxes. Napkins are no longer rolled inside a ring but, to save labor costs, are packed together with silverware in sealed plastic bags. Disposable paper has replaced linen for the headrest covers.

There are a few bright daubs in the gray austerity. Last week American introduced modish new outfits for its stewardesses; aiming to please all tastes, the uniforms include mini and midi skirts as well as shorts. Still, all the cost shaving, plus improved travel prospects for spring, are making the carriers' long-depressed stocks increasingly attractive. One day last week seven of the 15 most actively traded issues on the Big Board were airlines, and all seven posted gains.

United's new president, Eddie Carlson, who has been moving like a whirlwind since he took over six weeks ago (TIME, Jan. 4), made the biggest economy move of all last week. The company canceled eight orders and 15 options for the new jumbo McDonnell Douglas DC-10 airbuses and postponed delivery of four Boeing 747s. Savings to United: $130 million over the next two years. The line still has 22 orders and 15 options for the DC-10s, expects to receive five of them this year. The reductions will be felt in 1972.

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