Pan Am's First Branded Jet in 30 Years Takes Off from Shannon

A Yankee Clipper II has taken off from the runway at Shannon Airport for the first time in more than three decades.

The Pan American flight, bound for JFK International Airport in New York, marked the conclusion of \"Tracing the Transatlantic\" — a nostalgic 12-day journey celebrating the legendary legacy of Pan Am.

Designed to revive the glamour of the Golden Age of Travel, the all-business class flight treated its 50 passengers to a curated itinerary along Pan Am's historic transatlantic routes.

Passengers enjoyed a farewell Irish coffee reception at Shannon Airport - a nostalgic touch as Irish coffee dates back to the era of flying boats which landed at the port town of Foynes in County Limerick.

Onboard, flight attendants wore authentic recreations of classic Pan Am uniforms, adding to the retro allure of the journey.

Shannon Airport has long been interwoven with Pan Am’s pioneering spirit. In September 1945, a Pan Am DC-4 completed the first transatlantic proving flight into Shannon, paving the way for the first scheduled transatlantic commercial passenger flight just one month later.

This October marks the 80th anniversary of that historic milestone. Another landmark moment came in August 1970, when Shannon welcomed its first scheduled jumbo jet — a Pan Am Boeing 747 carrying over 300 passengers.

Pamela Brooks, head of operations at the airport said, \"It’s been a pleasure to welcome this commemorative Pan Am aircraft to Shannon this week. Pan Am holds an iconic place in aviation history, and while the livery certainly evokes a sense of nostalgia, having it back on the runway here after more than three decades also highlights Shannon Airport’s own enduring role in transatlantic travel.\"

According to the source: RTE.ie.