While hotels are known as a place to rest for the night, The Hermitage Hotel was also a place for travelers to book their flights. In 1932, American Airlines opened its first Nashville office in the hotel. The office operated at street level along 6th Avenue where The Pink Hermit cafe sits today.
The office reportedly sold 600 tickets a day in its prime during the 1950s and ’60s. One longtime Nashvillian says that as a boy, he often waited inside the ticket office while his mother finished her shopping at a downtown department store. (She felt comfortable leaving him at the ticket office, since the ladies there were so nice.) It was yet another “meet me at The Hermitage” experience. American Airlines has announced that it will fly 70 World War Two veterans from the United States to Europe to commemorate the upcoming 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. The special flight will operate on May 31, 2024, and is being provided free of charge by the airline to “honor [the servicemen] for their service and sacrifice,” according to the airline.
“We’re honored to play a part in helping this group of heroic veterans return to Normandy,” said David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating Officer, and a veteran of the US Army. This special journey is not only an expression of our gratitude for these heroes and the sacrifices they made for our freedom, but we hope to help shine a light on their extraordinary stories and preserve their legacies for generations to come,” he added