Almanac: The Eastern Shuttle
And now a page from our "Sunday Morning" Almanac: April 30th, 1961 , 56 years ago today ... launch day for the Eastern Airlines Shuttle between Boston, New York, and Washington.
One of America's oldest and biggest airlines, Eastern promised travelers hourly departures -- and no reservations required.
Just $12 one-way from New York to Boston, $14 New York to Washington.
The shuttle was a HUGE success, a storied part of the Golden Age of air travel -- celebrated in countless television commercials: "Anytime there's a choice, I always say Eastern. Tickets, baggage, they do it all for you. You just sit back and enjoy it!"
But for only so long.
Labor problems ultimately doomed Eastern Airlines, which shut down in 1991 -- two years after it had sold the Shuttle to Donald Trump.
Shuttle ownership passed in turn to U.S. Airways … and then again to American following their 2015 merger.
As for that $14 airfare to Washington, well, fuhgedibout it, as a native New Yorker might say.
Our online search found shuttle fares in the HUNDREDS of dollars, depending on the flight.
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