From the early days of flight and the 'golden age of travel', to modern-day budget airlines and the recent restrictions and regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air travel has changed a lot over the past century. Here, we take a journey through time to bring you the biggest milestones in commercial aviation history, including the recently announced plans for air travel to become net zero by 2050.

The story of commercial air travel begins before the 1920s, in 1914, when the world's first scheduled passenger service set off between Tampa and St Petersburg, piloted by Tony Jannus. Though commercial aviation did not take off quickly, more and more companies tried to build on this milestone through the 1920s, with varying degrees of success. Here, passengers wait at Croydon Airport, UK to board a Handley Page W.9 aircraft, a model used by early airlines Imperial Airways and Sabena.

In-flight entertainment systems looked rather different too. Today aeroplane entertainment is a solitary, hi-tech affair but, in the early days of flight, passengers would typically gather around a single screen if they wanted to catch a movie. One of the earliest films to be shown up high was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World in 1925 with Imperial Airways. Here, passengers on a German airliner also enjoy a movie in the year 1925.

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The early 1930s continued in a similar fashion to the 1920s, with airlines offering airmail delivery services and also carrying passengers. Flying was still extremely expensive and fairly uncomfortable but, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the number of airline passengers grew from 6,000 in 1930 to 450,000 in 1934. Here, a woman passes on her mail to the crew of a Fokker F-10 monoplane operated by Western Air Express.

In the 1920s and into the early 1930s, the role of flight attendant was one mostly reserved for men, who were usually referred to as "cabin boys". This was soon flipped on its head, though. The first female flight attendant, a nurse named Ellen Church, was employed in 1930 and by the middle of the decade most of these jobs went to women. The women were often trained nurses and there were also strict rules as to their age, height and weight. Before this change, this photo shows an all-male team of air stewards posing before an Eastern Air Lines plane in the early 1930s.

The onset of the Second World War meant developments in commercial aviation were put on the back burner, and all resources were plunged into the war effort. However, by the end of the decade, the industry was recovering, especially since the war had given rise to new runways and military aircraft were able to be converted and put to commercial use. This 1949 shot shows Pan Am's 'Flying Cloud' clipper, the first of a group of planes to begin a service between New York and London in the 1940s. 

As competition increased towards the end of this decade, the major airlines ramped up their advertising. This TWA poster advertises the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, and promises a smooth ride as the aircraft glides above the clouds. The 1940s was ultimately the decade that preceded the so-called "golden age of travel". 

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The golden age of travel reigned on through the 1960s and, partly since there wasn't much else to do, dinner was a grand affair. Menus often included multiple courses, bread baskets and dishes such as steak or even lobster. In this 1967 snap, passengers are being served food onboard a Lufthansa flight. 

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Concorde got the royal seal of approval (the Queen is pictured here onboard a Concorde aircraft in 1977), with its ability to cross the Atlantic in just 3.5 hours. But only a privileged few could afford to ride aboard the Concorde and it ultimately didn't shake up commercial air travel in the way it had been hoped. Cancelled routes, economic setbacks and a devastating crash meant the Concorde was out of service by 2003. 

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Laker Airways' Skytrain offered a lower fare service between London Gatwick and New York's JFK, which began on 26 September 1977. Like many budget airlines today, the "no frills" service meant passengers had to purchase meals onboard and weren't subject to the usual luxuries of air travel in the era. Laker also came up with ways to reduce fuel consumption and engine wear to enable the lower costs. He's pictured here celebrating with passengers aboard the Skytrain in 1979. 

This was the first time that air travel was truly opening up to the masses. Since planes were larger, airlines were able to hold more passengers and therefore sell more tickets at a reduced price. Though flying still wasn't cheap, it was no longer only reserved for the super-rich. This 1970s shot shows the spacious cabin of a BOAC Boeing 747, filled with families, couples and other holidaymakers. 

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Laker Airways collapsed in 1982, saddling debts amounting to £270 million ($374m). More than 6,000 passengers were left stranded in airports around the world. Here, exasperated travellers and dismayed Laker staff feel the brunt of the collapse on 5 February 1982. 

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The introduction of Ryanair and easyJet (and also Norwegian in 1993) meant pressure was put on traditional carriers, fares were pushed down and air travel became increasingly more accessible. As travellers also began booking holidays online, competitive pricing became more important than ever.

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Travellers eschewed air travel in the years following 9/11 and, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, it took until 2004 for air-passenger numbers to reach their pre-9/11 peak. Commercial air travel was recovering by the end of the decade, though, with US air passengers numbering 769.6 million in 2007 – a record high. During this time, it was low-cost carriers that saw the most growth. 

Another significant change during this decade was the way travellers were choosing to book their flights. According to PhoCusWright, a tourism research company, 2009 was the first year that more than half of all travel-related bookings were made online. This placed even more pressure on airlines to be competitive and offer the best value for money.

The internet hasn't just infiltrated the booking process. Nowadays it's commonplace for carriers to offer in-flight Wi-Fi, either as part of the package, or for an extra premium. In a major shift from the golden age of travel, this means that flying today is no longer just about pleasure and relaxation – it's also about catching up with work and keeping in touch with people on the ground. Online check-in and smartphone boarding passes have also revolutionised the airport experience over the years.

The main change in the last decade was the sheer volume of travellers: more and more people were flying than ever before, and the sky-high numbers had previously shown little sign of tailing off. In fact, in 2017, the International Air Transport Association had projected that there could be 7.2 billion air travel passengers by 2035.

The COVID-19 pandemic rocked the travel and aviation industry and both passengers and staff had to adjust to a new (and unpredictable) ‘normal’. Ever-changing international travel restrictions left airlines up in the air (figuratively, not literally), and major players including easyJet, American Airlines and British Airways suffered severe financial losses, resulting in job cuts. This photo from 1 June 2020 shows out-of-service planes at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport.

Towards the end of 2020, civil aviation began to resume at a crawling pace, with the announcement of some 'air bridges' or 'travel corridors'. For passengers choosing to fly, airport experiences looked rather different around the world. Protocols and restrictions have varied from airport to airport, and from airline to airline, over recent months, but have typically involved mandatory face coverings, contactless check-ins and fewer open airport facilities. A passenger is seen here in July 2020 receiving a temperature check at a BA desk at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Passengers had to get used to new onboard experiences too. Depending on the airline – and in efforts to reduce touch points and contact between staff and passengers – changes were extended to a lack of inflight meals or trolley services, and the reduction of little luxuries like in-flight magazines, blankets and the like. Masks were mandatory on most flights too, while some carriers blocked the middle seats to allow passengers more space.

The aviation industry continued to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic into 2021, though the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted a 50.4% uptick in demand for flights from 2020. With vaccine programmes being rolled out around the world, international borders have finally opened. 

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Around the world, testing and vaccines built bridges between destinations in staggered phases. For example, Canada’s borders first opened to double-jabbed Americans, before being unlocked for vaccinated travellers from around the world too. Double-jabbed UK travellers initially could fly to 'amber' European hotspots including France, Spain and Portugal without quarantining on return (though they had to take PCR tests). New Zealand and Australia also formed a 'quarantine-free travel bubble'. EU citizens could download a vaccine 'passport' (pictured) allowing them to cross EU borders with minimal restrictions.

In late September 2022, the world's first all-electric plane jetted off for an eight-minute flight above the skies of Washington, USA. Alice, the project name that stuck during planning in 2016, is the brainchild of American-based company Eviation, and will be fit for both passenger and cargo use by 2027. The successful maiden flight reached an altitude of 3,500 feet (1,067m) and the zero-emissions plane was powered by two 640-kilowatt electric motors. It is hoped Alice will operate flights ranging from 150 to 250 miles (240-402km), and will come in three different configurations: a nine-passenger commuter, a six-seater executive cabin and an eCargo version.

Cabin crew requirements have changed over the decades; as we've seen already, the 1930s followed strict rules regarding age, height and weight, and since then tailored uniforms and specific hairstyles became the norm. But the 2020s have welcomed a more relaxed approach and in September 2022 Virgin Atlantic ditched gender-specific uniforms allowing crew, pilots and ground staff to choose whichever they feel most comfortable in. Earlier in the year staff were also permitted to keep their tattoos visible, marking the first UK airline to do so.

'Don't forget your passport' has long been the golden rule of air travel, but a new system being trialled by UK carrier British Airways may see passengers breeze through airports with just a boarding pass and a smile. The trial, being rolled out at Heathrow Terminal 5 for flights between London and Malaga, Spain, will see customers scan their faces and their passports on their smartphone prior to arriving at the airport, where 'Smart Bio-Pod cameras' will verify their identity in under three seconds, allowing them to keep their passports safely stowed. The programme will run for six months, and, if successful, will promptly expand to other international routes.

We don't know for sure what the future holds for air travel. But the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recently announced its support for a net zero goal for the aviation industry by 2050. However, environmental campaigners say the plans don't go far enough, believing more measures were needed to ensure the 193 member countries of the ICAO meet the goal and hold airlines accountable. 

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