What did it take to get a ticket in 1946?

Larry Dighera writes:

Henry Tindall "Dick" Merrill was the Eastern Airlines captain on that
flight. Judging from the account below, and Merrill's book, The Wings
Of Man," it would appear that Merrill and Godfrey were personal
friends.

He looked rather nervous and unhappy in the film, but perhaps he wasn't used
to being in the movies. I was surprised that he turned down Godfrey's offer
of a Chesterfield cigarette.