When I hear that when the Empire State Building was finished in 1931 with an airship tether, was that seen at the time as a gimmick?
If I were a middle class New Yorker, what were my expectations? Would I be looking forward to realistically visiting Europe on vacation once every few years? Would I be looking forward to being able to visit my brother in New Jersey more often?
It wasn't completely a gimmick because without high tethers a Zeppelin had to use a large, open landing field. Having never been profitable (even in Europe) in an inter-city route, this was a step towards economic feasibility. The main competition remained passenger rail lines. Nobody realistically expected a trans-Atlantic service that would be anything less than expensive. You can still visit the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in NJ.
If I were a middle class New Yorker, what were my expectations? Would I be looking forward to realistically visiting Europe on vacation once every few years? Would I be looking forward to being able to visit my brother in New Jersey more often?
Absolutely not in a Zeppelin. They were ultimately a rich person's plaything. If you were interested in Zeppelins or stamp-collecting, you were in luck! The carriage of mail kept the trans-Atlantic services profitable. You could get Graf Zeppelin around the world, North Pole, Germany to North America, and Germany to South America routes in postcards and letters. Hindenburg in Germany to North America route.
Zeppelins were somewhat at the whim of weather patterns. Hugo Eckener, the master airship-liner commander, and all his pupils knew well how to avoid bad systems and there were accidents learning that lesson. The meteorological science had gotten to a point where services could avoid problems by slight delays or going around the issue. Delays for large storms were not unheard of for trans-ocean services. Overland services were somewhat established and somewhat profitable. Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft did not do much inter-city service - more pleasure cruises.
There has always been little hope for trans-atlantic airship passage to become a thing available to the general public. Economic feasibility (previously buoyed by the carriage of mail for use and collection) definitely collapsed with the advent of jet airliners. The luxury market segment that was previously all for moving around in elegance suddenly became enthralled with speed. Take a look at the SS United States - built 1952, fastest transatlantic ocean liner... and it wasn't fast enough.
A cut off of helium by the United States in 1927 (and a rumored dedication of the German munitions board to not accept an exception) was not a factor in Zeppelin viability. Germans had been flying with hydrogen for years. What was really killing them was a national shortage of Aluminum due to war preparations, trade embargoes, and Hermann Göring ordered all Zeppelins dismantled for aluminum in 1940.
Sources:
British Airships 1905–30 I recommend Osprey books, and would like to hear any criticisms of them.
Hindenburg: An Illustrated History This may look like a coffee-table book, and it is, but it is also a very complete look at the entire history of the Zeppelin to the point of WWII.
Perception: I have no knowledge of the sensationalist nor professional news coverage of the day, but will advise you that the first Zeppelins were all destroyed by fire and wind (albeit with an amazing lack of casualty). The normal person on the street is not monolithic. Having a unique idea has a social purpose just as much as having the same idea as others. Not everyone is abreast of the latest developments in the news, or simply may not accept the coverage. If you can find a period-specific subreddit, enthusiast, or blog it may do you very well.
In the end, Zeppelins were not revived after the war because they are not demanded by the market. It is anathema today to travel any slower than airline cruising speed and rail lines were always going to win overland. Jets have long ago passed the capacity of Zeppelins, which are most comparable to ocean cruise liners. The most notable pastime of traveling in a Zeppelin was being able to sit and watch the land drift under you.
Crew: 40 to 61
Capacity: 50–72 passengers
Crew: 620
Capacity: 2,700
Crew: 2
Capacity: 525-555 (3-class) / 644 (2-class) / 853 (1-class)
A rail-car might have a crew of 5 and carry a hundred passengers.
Are you asking this to write a steampunk novel? Just wondering.