AIRLINES AT ATLANTA IN THE EARLY 1960S
The following postcard views show the primary airlines at Atlanta Municipal Airport in the early 1960s: Eastern, Delta, United, Piedmont, and Southern.
Atlanta's control tower is framed between the massive prop of an Eastern Lockheed Electra and the tail of a DC-7. A Piedmont FH-227 can be seen in the background. While Delta Air Lines had their concourses built with two levels in anticipation of an all-jet fleet, Eastern chose to have their gates built at ground level without jetways. The open door of gate 20 at the end of concourse B can be seen at far left.
Atlanta's control tower is framed between the massive prop of an Eastern Lockheed Electra and the tail of a DC-7. A Piedmont FH-227 can be seen in the background. While Delta Air Lines had their concourses built with two levels in anticipation of an all-jet fleet, Eastern chose to have their gates built at ground level without jetways. The open door of gate 20 at the end of concourse B can be seen at far left.
This view from between concourses D and E shows one of United's sleek French-built Caravelles and a Delta DC-8 still wearing the 1950s color scheme.
Atlanta-based Southern Airways showing off their first DC-3 to be painted in the new color scheme in 1962.
Two generations of Convair aircraft are shown here - a piston-engined Convair 440 at left and the tail of a Convair 880 in the foreground, both parked at concourse E.
Despite its enormous size, the 1961 terminal surpassed its design capacity in the first year of operation as the airlines experienced rapid growth. This postcard shows five Piedmont aircraft crammed around what were originally two gates. One of the great features of the 1961 terminal can be seen to the right - the rooftop observation deck that sat atop concourse C/D. (An amusing note: Looks like something took a bite out of the Martin 404 tail on the left! Must have been accidentally cut off when they added the bright blue sky. Oops.)
Piedmont was a relative latecomer to Atlanta and inaugurated service on June 25, 1962. A pre-inaugural celebration took place at ATL on June 22.
