Pan Am is again: Boeing 757-200 takes flight as soon as once more with maiden journey from New York’s JFK

It was an emotional day in New York this week as Pan Am returned to the skies.

On Tuesday, a Boeing 757 with the well-known Pan Am livery took off from New York Metropolis’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK).

Because the aircraft painted with Pan American World Airways’ well-known “blue meatball” emblem pulled into the gate at JFK’s Terminal 7, various former Pan Am flight attendants and followers acquired teary-eyed on the sight.

Greater than three many years after Pan Am ceased operations — ending an excellent and glamorous historical past of luxurious passenger service — the model is again … in a fashion of talking.

Final 12 months, TPG reported the venerable model acquired a brand new lease on life via a journey and tour firm.

Learn extra: Greatest airways report 2025 — Delta tops TPG’s rankings for seventh straight 12 months

This week’s flight concerned a 25-year-old Boeing 757-200, chartered from Icelandair, ship quantity TF-FIC.

Associated: Pan Am will get new life with airport lounges deliberate — and a luxurious, history-rich journey

The Factors Man was invited to see the aircraft off and report the primary flight of what the proprietor hopes would be the begin of recapturing the magic of a model that after captured the imaginations of vacationers.

Every day E-newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication

Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists

By signing up, you’ll obtain newsletters and promotional content material and conform to our Phrases of Use and acknowledge the information practices in our Privateness Coverage. You might unsubscribe at any time.

A bunch of traders not too long ago bought the Pan Am model (Pan Am World Holdings LLC) — and this flight is the primary of what they hope might be many.

For this journey, Pan Am labored with the luxurious journey model Past Capricorn to create a 12-day itinerary retracing a few of Pan Am’s traditional routes. They name it “tracing the transatlantic.” It is extra like a luxurious cruise than a conventional flight, and it would not come low-cost. The worth tag for this personal jet journey? Greater than $65,000.

Pan Am takes off

There have been check-in counters tucked away in Terminal 7 at JFK. It was so enjoyable to once more see the well-known emblem and branding at an precise ticket counter, many years after the airline shuttered operations.

At Gate 5, there have been balloons, and finally, the signage displaying Icelandair Flight 1331 was swapped out for the Pan Am emblem.

Flight attendants got here on mortgage from Icelandair. The Reykjavik-based airline is working the flight as a constitution with Icelandair workers. Flight attendants have been thrilled to be on this very particular flight.

As passengers on the flight trickled into the gate space, flight attendants and pilots wearing classic Pan Am uniforms took photographs and movies with friends and posed for these of us who have been there to report the festivities.

“It is a dream come true,” stated Linda Freire, who’s a co-founder and chair of the Pan Am Museum on New York’s Lengthy Island and a former Pan Am flight attendant. “We misplaced the corporate. It was taken, so having the chance to reexperience that and simply seeing the uniforms, seeing the Pan Am livery on an plane … I simply acquired so emotional. It was an expertise taking me again nearly 34 years, and it was bittersweet.”

Contained in the Pan Am aircraft

In fact, that $65,000 price ticket comes with a luxurious expertise. The aircraft is decked out in Pan Am touches in an all-business-class configuration. Whereas I did not get to fly, I did get a tour of the super-luxurious aircraft.

The aircraft options lie-flat leather-based seats in a 2-2 configuration and high-end walnut finishes all through.

There have been a couple of rows of coach seats for crew members within the aircraft as nicely, however it was a really intimate cabin.

I cherished all of the luxe touches being readied for paying passengers. Although I wasn’t in a position to take flight, I did get to play faux for a second earlier than boarding.

One other manner this aircraft — and the journey it was on — stood out: a restrict of simply 50 folks.

The itinerary consists of stops in Bermuda; Lisbon; Marseille, France; London; and Foynes, Eire. It additionally options stays at a number of the world’s greatest accommodations. First cease? Bermuda, with an in a single day on the Hamilton Princess & Seaside Membership. Bermuda Tourism Authority despatched us these photographs from the aircraft as soon as it landed there.

We additionally acquired some archival photographs from the parents at Bermuda Tourism.

Company will even keep on the 4 Seasons Lodge Ritz Lisbon, the Savoy in London, the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port and the Adare Manor in Eire.

What’s subsequent for Pan Am?

Should you’re intrigued, there may be excellent news: The corporate has already introduced one other journey. Subsequent April, one other thrilling journey will comply with some extra of Pan Am’s traditional Pacific routes, with a round-the-world, three-week itinerary beginning in San Francisco and heading to Japan, Cambodia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji after which again to San Francisco. The worth tag? $94,495.

If that is out of your worth vary, there are different Pan Am experiences that could possibly be on provide quickly from the corporate, together with a Pan Am museum, restaurant and even an airport lounge. And much more could possibly be on the best way if the top of the corporate has his manner.

“Pan Am has already reestablished a footprint in hospitality and experiential journey,” stated Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways. “Exploring scheduled service industrial service is a logical and thrilling subsequent step.”

Backside line

It was an actual thrill to see the enduring Pan Am emblem and livery on an precise jet once more. However for now, you will want to have the ability to lay down some critical {dollars} if you wish to expertise “America’s Airline to the World.”

I’m so excited to see what this bold firm does subsequent with the enduring model.

Associated studying: