Remembering Club 707, the Airplane Restaurant in the 80s

I’m sure 80s kids from south of Manila are familiar with this. Remember that airplane restaurant called “Club 707”, a Boeing 707 parked at the now Miascor building area in Parañaque City? Rumors even had it that this Boeing 707 was owned by Elvis Presley before being converted into a restaurant.

I remember coming to this airplane restaurant in the 1980s. It was my first time stepping inside a plane, but it didn’t fly. They played Elvis Presley music and had Elvis’ pictures around the plane. But was it really owned by Elvis? Contrary to rumors, Elvis never owned a Boeing 707. Instead, this plane passed through many owners, including Pan Am and Air Manila International, before becoming an airplane restaurant.

Elvis Presley owned a Convair 880 and Lockheed Jetstar

Elvis Presley first and foremost never owned a Boeing 707. Instead, he owned a Convair 880 named “Lisa Marie” and a Lockheed Jetstar named “Hound Dog II.” There is really no official record of him owning a 707. Maybe people thought that the 880 was a 707.

According to Simple Flying, the Convair 880 was dubbed the Lisa Marie after Presley’s daughter. It was purchased from Delta Air Lines in April 1975 for $250,000 (approximately $1.2 million today). However, refurbishment cost more than $600,000 (about $2.9 million today). In November of that year, the musician took to the skies on a plane.

Elvis purchased the Lockheed JetStar, nicknamed Hound Dog II, for around $900,000 (approximately $4.3 million today) while the Lisa Marie was being renovated. It wasn’t the only unit of its kind he flew in. He also had a 1962 Lockheed JetStar that he shared with his father.

Club 707

In the 1980s, Club 707 was an iconic airplane restaurant located at the MIASCOR compound along NAIA Rd., right beside the current Duty Free mall. This Boeing 707-300, rumored to be “Elvis Presley’s aircraft,” is undoubtedly familiar to 1980s kids. It was the only airplane restaurant at the time and the closest aircraft to which any avgeek kid could get without having to pay for an expensive air ticket.

Club 707 was more than just a typical airplane restaurant; it served good food! Despite being somewhat pricey at the time, it attracted a large number of curious diners. I had the opportunity to attend a birthday party there when I was seven years old.

Club 707 was like a dream come true before my first airplane ride aboard a Philippine Airlines HS 748 because it was my chance to get up close and personal with a real deal plane. I was obsessed with planes at a young age!

There were dining tables, a bar, and couches on board. It was actually quite large. You could even go up into the cockpit, sit in the chairs, and flick a lot of switches! The windows weren’t as clear as they should be. The cabin had lots of pictures of Elvis Presley. The music played was all Elvis. Nonetheless, it was a landmark restaurant in Manila, as many 1980s kids can attest.

The Story of the Club 707 Aircraft

Club 707 was a Boeing 707-321 series plane that was delivered to Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) on March 6, 1960, under the registration N728PA. It was originally named “Jet Clipper Peerless” because Pan Am always named their planes with a “Clipper.” It then became part of International Control Corp, followed by three more owners before being relocated to Manila in the 1970s.

It is also said that before going into hiding, a certain Robert Vesco owned the plane, which was later purchased by Air Manila International. They operated 5 Boeing 707s at the time. The registration for this particular Boeing 707 was RP-C911, formerly N728PA.

Air Manila International

Air Manila International was planning a new paint scheme, which is why it had blue and red stripes on its fuselage, similar to Philippine Airlines.

According to stories, after the government took control of Air Manila International (AMI) and Filipinas Orient Airways, RP-C911 was sold to a man named Marino Cua in 1982. The AMI stripes on the aircraft, which extend all the way to the vertical stabilizers, were kept. Cua and his group then decided to rename C911 “Club 707” and turn it into a restaurant.

What became of the plane later on? First and foremost, it was no longer flyable after being converted into a restaurant. Was it preserved or scrapped? Nobody knows. Now, why did it have so many Elvis photos inside? Mr. Cua is said to be a huge Elvis fan.

Club 707 remains a strong memory for Metro Manila’s 80s kids, particularly those from the south. It may be gone, but the memories of those who saw and dined there live on.

Top photo attribution: Raymund Edgar Perez