The Last Airline Barf Bag: How A Simple Solution Became A Collectible

The Last Airline Barf Bag: How A Simple Solution Became A Collectible

by Gary Leff on April 8, 2024

“Barf bags” or airsickness bags trace back to the beginning of commercial aviation. Airlines were confronted with the challenge of making flights comfortable for passengers unaccustomed to the sensations of flying. The early aircraft were smaller, less stable, and more prone to turbulence than what we experience today, so people got sick more often. Initially, airlines offered simple receptacles like boxes or bags for those who might feel unwell during the flight.

No single inventor is credited with creation of the airsickness bag, but it became a standard amenity on most flights by the late 1940s: a small, usually paper bag, often lined with wax or plastic to prevent leakage.

By the 1950s it had become a standard feature in the seatback pocket of every passenger seat, alongside magazines and safety cards. By the late 20th century, they became collectibles – featuring airline logos and even advertisements. At the same time, the necessity for these bags diminished as more advanced aircraft were better pressurized, and more stable in the face of turbulence.

My favorite airsickness bags have to be EVA Air’s branded Hello Kitty ones.

Earlier this month, Dramamine hosted a pop up exhibition in New York titled “The Last Barf Bag.” Dramamine, which dates to 1949, is a brand name dimenhydrinate, an anithistimine which targets the H1 histamine receptor and is used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness caused by motion sickness. The exhibition featured a film about airsickness bags.

The documentary, produced by FCB Chicago and Sunny Sixteen, delves into the personal journeys of airsickness bag collectors who began collecting in the late 1960s. Through interviews and anecdotal narratives, the film explores the motivations behind this unique hobby and its significance in the collectors’ lives. Moreover, it reflects on the broader implications of such collections on the preservation of airline memorabilia and the changing landscape of air travel (for everything other than airsickness bags, there’s The Airchive).

• The decline in the need for airsickness bags is hardly because of dramamine
• Yet it’s also great marketing for dramamine

The journey of the airsickness bag from a practical necessity to a cherished collectible captures a unique facet of air travel’s history and cultural significance. Tremendous advancements have made flights more comfortable and less turbulent, and so the changing role of the airsickness bag serves as a tangible reminder of the progress we’ve made.

More From View from the Wing