If you wanted to cross the Atlantic at the beginning of the 20th century, you would have to book a trip on a ship. But, after British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June of 1919, things began to change. On the 11th of October 1928, Hugo Eckener, commanding the Graf Zeppelin airship as part of DELAG's operations, began the first non-stop transatlantic passenger flights.
DELAG used the Graf Zeppelin on regularly scheduled passenger flights across the North Atlantic, from Frankfurt-am-Main to Lakehurst. In the summer of 1931, a South Atlantic route was introduced, traveling from Frankfurt and Friedrichshafen to Recife and Rio de Janeiro. Between 1931 and 1937 the Graf Zeppelin crossed the South Atlantic 136 times. The trip took about four days each way and a one-way ticket would cost about $400, which translates to about $7,050 in today's money.
Its interior was designed by Fritz August Breuhaus, who also took part in designing Pullman coaches, ocean liners, warships of the German Navy and so on.
The dining room was approximately 47 feet in length by 13 feet in width.
The lounge was approximately 34 feet in length and was also decorated with a mural by Professor Arpke.
During the 1936 travel season, the Lounge had a 356-pound piano, made of Duralumin and covered with yellow pigskin.
The Graf Zeppelin also contained a writing room.
Passenger cabins on the Hinderburg - classified as the world's first flying hotel, unlike the Zeppelin.
The smoking room.
The bar.
Control car, flight instruments, and flight controls.
Crew areas and keel. The Hindenburg was three times longer and twice as tall as the Boeing 747.
On the 6th of May 1937, the LZ129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst.
There were 97 people on board, 36 passengers and 61 crewmen, 36 people died - 13 passengers and 22 crewmen, as well as one worker on the ground. The event shattered public confidence in the giant, passenger-carrying rigid airship and marked the abrupt end of the airship era.
