The year 1950 was a pivotal year for innovations in air travel, marking the start of the Jet Age after the invention of the jet engine. Airlines began to spring up everywhere, catering to the demands of domestic passengers who wanted to go just about anywhere. Pre-war travel was sold as a luxury experience afforded only by the rich, but post war, the emphasis was on comfort and customer service for both the rich and middle class. Getting passengers from New York to London or Paris in less than seven hours was the biggest coup an airline could achieve.