(
Pronounced ) is the name and
Callsign of the oldest and largest
Airline of
Australia . Qantas is the second oldest airline in the world after
KLM , the national airline of the
Netherlands . Qantas was formerly an acronym for the "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services." The company is traded on the
Australian Stock Exchange as .
Qantas was founded in
Queensland on
16 November 1920 as Queensland and Northern Territorial Aerial Services Limited. It operated air mail services subsidized by the Australian government, linking railheads in western Queensland. In 1934, QANTAS Limited and Britain's
Imperial Airways (the forerunner of
British Airways ) formed a new company, Qantas Empire Airways Limited. Each partner held 49 %, with two per cent in the hands of an independent arbitrator.
Qantas Empire Airways commenced services between
Brisbane and
Singapore using
De Havilland DH-86 Commonwealth Airliners. Imperial Airways operated the rest of the service through to
London . In 1938, this operation was replaced by a flying boat service using
Shorts S.23 Empire Flying Boats. The
Sydney to
Southampton service took nine days, with passengers staying in hotels overnight. Most of the QEA fleet was taken over by the Australian government for war service between 1939 and 1945, and most of these aircraft were lost in action. QEA operated a non-stop flying boat service between
Perth and Ceylon (now
Sri Lanka ) in 1943-44. The flights operated in complete radio silence and took more than twenty-four hours.
After
World War II , QEA Limited was in dire financial straits and was taken over by the Australian Labor government led by Prime Minister
Ben Chifley . It remained an unlisted public company with the government holding 100 % of the shares. In 1967, the name was changed to Qantas Airways Limited. Subsequent conservative governments maintained this arrangement.
Immediately after World War II, Qantas began operating
Avro Lancastrian aircraft between Sydney and London in cooperation with
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). In 1948, the airline took delivery of
Lockheed L.049 Constellation s. The network was expanded across the Pacific in 1954 when Qantas took over the operations of
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA).
By the 1960s, Qantas was operating round-the-world services from Australia to London via Asia and the Middle East and via the USA and Mexico. Many of these routes were dropped in the 1970s following the airline slump after wide-body aircraft were introduced. Qantas was privatised in
1995 by Prime Minister
Paul Keating 's Labor government.
In 1990, Qantas established
Australia Asia Airlines to operate services to
Taiwan . Several
Boeing 747SP and
767 aircraft were transferred from Qantas service. The airline ceased operations in 1996.
Since the merger with
Australian Airlines in
1993 , Qantas has flown an extensive schedule between all Australian capital cities, as well as many regional cities and towns. It also flies many international routes to and from Australia.
Qantas has a reputation for being an aggressive competitor in the Australian aviation market. Over the years, several domestic Australian airlines have gone out of business amid complaints of anti-competitive pricing by Qantas and exorbitant prices on new non-competed routes. After
September 2001 and the collapse of
Ansett Australia , Qantas held a near-monopoly on the Australian domestic air travel market. The introduction of
Virgin Blue , a cut-price competitor, has taken up the market share previously held by Ansett. Qantas has responded by creating a new cut-price subsidiary airline
Jetstar in the hopes that this move will "crowd out" the cut-price segment of the market, allowing Qantas to remain the superdominant player in the Australian domestic aviation market and one of the few profitable full-service airlines in the world. Prior to Jetstar, Qantas had also developed a full-service all economy international carrier focussed on the holiday and leisure market, which had taken on the formerly used
Australian Airlines name. This airline will cease operating its own liveried aircraft in July 2006, the assets being absorbed back into the parent company. However,
Australian Airlines will continue to exist as a "wet lease" company, operating and crewing QANTAS aircraft on QANTAS routes.
On
13 December 2004 , the first flight of
Jetstar Asia Airways took off from its
Singapore hub to
Hong Kong , marking Qantas' entry into the Asian cut-price market, and its intentions in battling key competitor
Singapore Airlines on its home ground. Qantas is already the second-largest airline operating out of
Singapore Changi Airport , while Singapore Airlines is the second-largest operator of international flights into and out of Australia.
Qantas has also expanded into the
New Zealand domestic air travel market, firstly with a shareholding in
Air New Zealand and then with a franchise takeover of
Ansett New Zealand . It now wholly owns and operates
JetConnect which operates NZ domestic services under the Qantas brand. In 2003, Qantas attempted and failed to obtain regulatory approval to purchase a larger (but still minority) stake in
Air New Zealand . Subsequently Qantas stepped up competition on the trans-Tasman routes, recently introducing Jetstar to New Zealand.
In 1993,
British Airways bought a 25 % share in Qantas for
A$665m . In September 2004, British Airways disposed of its share in Qantas, expected to amount to A$1.1bn. British Airways' original 25% share had been diluted to 18.5% by the issue of more shares. By law, Qantas must be at least 51% Australian-owned, and the British Airways holding had brought foreign ownership to the maximum permissible level. Commentators believe the sale, and resultant greater Australian ownership, will free up hurdles for Qantas to expand into Asia.
Qantas is responsible for some of the most successful marketing campaigns in Australian history, with many advertising campaigns featuring renditions by children's choirs of
Peter Allen 's "
I Still Call Australia Home ," set to footage of breathtaking scenery. For American television audiences, however, the mascot was an Australian
Koala , who of all things detested Qantas Airlines (his key tagline: ''"I hate Qantas"'').
In 2005, the first visit of an
Airbus A380 to Australia coincided with Qantas's 85th birthday. Today, Qantas is widely regarded as one of the world's leading long distance airlines.
On
14 December 2005 , Qantas announced an order for 115
Boeing 787-8 and
787-9 aircraft (45 firm orders, 20 options and 50 purchase rights). The 787 was chosen after a very competitive selection process in which it competed directly with the
Airbus A350 . The aircraft will allow Qantas to replace their current
767-300 fleet, increase capacity and establish new routes.
Jetstar , Qantas' low-cost subsidiary, will also operate 10 of the new aircraft on international routes. The first of the 787s are scheduled to be delivered to Jetstar in
August 2008 .
In mid-2005 Qantas announced it would recommence services to
Beijing ,
Seoul ,
Vancouver and
San Francisco . Also in mid-2005 Qantas annouced it would increase services to
Shanghai and
Johannesburg . On
30 November 2005 Qantas annouced that services to
New York would go from 3 per week to 5 per week from
27 February 2006 .
There are also plans to increase services to India, by making the current three times weekly service to Mumbai (Bombay) into a daily return flight.
- It is often claimed, most notably in the 1988 movie '' Rain Man '', that Qantas has never had a fatal crash. However, the company's official line is that it has never lost a "jet" aircraft. Prior to the jet era, Qantas had fatal crashes. One was on 16 July 1951 , when De Havilland Drover VH-EBQ crashed in New Guinea after an engine failure, killing all seven passengers and crew. Other fatal accidents occurred in 1927, 1934, 1942, 1943 (×2), and 1944.
- Qantas' record in the jet era was spotless until Boeing 747-400 VH-OJH, carrying 407 passengers and crew, over-ran the runway by 220 metres, ending up in a golf course, while landing in a rainstorm at and China at a cost in excess of A$100 million, believed to be the most expensive in history. The aircraft had suffered extensive damage to landing gear, engines and engine pylons and the front fuselage and it was widely suggested at the time that it should have been written-off. Qantas denied that pressure had been applied to insurers to avoid a hull-loss being recorded so that the airlines safety record would remain intact. The following year 747-300 VH-EBW was damaged when its landing gear collapsed while taxiing at Rome . It also returned to service after repairs.
- On 21 August 2005 , an incident occurred involving Qantas Airbus A330-300 VH-QPE with 178 passengers and 13 crew aboard. The aircraft made an emergency landing at Kansai Airport in Osaka , Japan after an indication of smoke in the cargo hold. The Osaka Control Tower reported seeing smoke on landing, so an emergency evacuation was declared as a precaution and emergency slides were deployed. Nine passengers were injured and hospitalised. Subsequent investigation found no sign of smoke or fire, and it is believed that the cargo fire sensors were faulty. The aircraft was only 15 months old at the time of the incident.
- On 2 February 2006 , a Qantas Boeing 767-300ER VH-OGH, carrying 155 passengers and 11 crew, and a United Airlines 747-400, carrying 99 passengers and 14 crew, were involved in a collision while on the runway at Melbourne Airport . The Qantas aircraft sustained damage to a horizontal stabiliser while the United aircraft damaged a wingtip. United released a statement saying its flight 840 from Melbourne to Los Angeles "reported a wingtip touch with a Qantas aircraft as it taxied". No passengers were injured in the incident. {Link without Title}
''See full article:''
The Qantas fleet consists of the following aircraft (at April
2006 ):
- 4 Airbus A330-201 , currently used on 'CityFlyer' domestic services between major cities but will be transferred to Jetstar International from July 2006.
- 10 Airbus A330-303
- 21 Boeing 737-400 (comprising 20 Boeing 737-476 inherited from Australian Airlines and 1 Boeing 737-4L7)
- 33 Boeing 737-838
- 6 Boeing 747-338 (one currently unserviceable and stored at Avalon Airport ). The 747-300s are in a two class configuration only and are used mainly on leisure routes such as to Honolulu and Tokyo and some peak long-haul domestic services such as Sydney to Perth. They are also periodically wet-leased to other airlines and chartered.
- 30 Boeing 747-400 comprising:
- ---21 Boeing 747-438 powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines, and
- ---6 Boeing 747-438ER,
- ---2 Boeing 747-4H6 purchased from Malaysia Airlines , and
- ---1 Boeing 747-48E purchased from Asiana Airlines all powered by General Electric CF6 engines.
- 24 Boeing 767-300 comprising:
- ---17 767-338ER powered by General Electric CF6 engines,
- ---5 767-336ER powered by Rolls Royce RB.211 engines,
- ---2 767-336 powered by Rolls Royce RB.211 engines.
The 767-336 and 767-336ER aircraft are leased from British Airways (BA) on a long term basis and entered service in 2000 and 2001. The 767s are in various configurations. The BA aircraft are in a 30 business seats, 214 economy seats (30/214) configuration inherited from them and are used exclusively on domestic, primarily Melbourne to Sydney, services. Other 767s in domestic service are a 30/224 configuration. Aircraft configured for services to New Zealand are 25/219 and for other international destinations 25/204. The main difference between domestic and international configurations is 6 abreast seating in domestic business class and 5 abreast in international.
The average age of Qantas fleet is 9.4 years old in April 2006.
The
QantasLink fleet consists of the following aircraft (at October 2005):
Qantas has placed an order for twelve
Airbus A380-800 , with options for ten more. It will be the second airline (after launch customer
Singapore Airlines ) to receive an A380 and will take delivery of its first aircraft in April
2007 . The aircraft will be operated in a three class, 501 seat configuration on international services. Qantas intends to place the first four aircraft on trans-Pacific routes from
Melbourne and
Sydney to
Los Angeles and later aircraft on services between Australia and
London via Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore (ref: Airliner World, March 2005). Qantas will also make aviation history by operating the longest 500-passenger service in the world, flying between Melbourne and Los Angeles (12,749 km). The interior design for the A380 aircraft is expected to feature new seat design, special lounge areas, AVOD, internet capability, and larger entertainment screens.
On it is rumoured that Qantas is still looking into buying planes capable of flying London-Sydney non-stop.
Naming of Qantas' fleet has occurred since the arrival of the first DH50. This aircraft was named Iris, by the Wife of the Governor General of the time.
Since that time, new fleet have been given names from a specific theme:
- 1929 (DH61 Aircraft) — Grecian Theme (Apollo, Diana, Hermes and Athena)
- 1938 (Flying Boats) — Capella, Carpentaria, Challenger, Champion, Calypso and Camilla
- 1980s — Inspirational Names (Daring, Integrity, Resolute)
- 1980s — Wildlife (Bellbird, Lorikeet and Kestrel)
- 2002 — Re-establishment of naming practice of fleet after Towns and Cities of Australia, celebrating Qantas' coverage of Australia
- 2007 (Airbus A380) — First A380 will be named Nancy Bird Walton , remainder as yet are un-named however will be themed on Australian Aviation Pioneers.
See article
Qantas Club
- The first aircraft owned by Qantas was Avro 504K G-AUBG, purchased for £1425. Cruising speed was 105 kilometres per hour (65 mph), carrying 1 pilot and 2 passengers.
- In the 1920s Qantas built a number of aircraft (De Havilland DH50s and a single DH9) under licence in its Longreach hangar.
- In 1928 a chartered Qantas aircraft conducted the inaugural flight of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Of Australia , departing from Cloncurry .
- The first Qantas Boeing 707 was delivered to the airline in Seattle on 26 June 1959 .
- Qantas Boeing 707 s were nicknamed ''V jets'' from the latin ''vannus'' meaning fan.
- In 1979 Qantas was the only airline in the world to operate a fleet consisting entirely of Boeing 747's.
- Qantas has three planes painted in Australian Aboriginal art liveries: ''Wunala Dreaming'' ( Boeing 747-438ER VH-OEJ), ''Nalanji Dreaming'' ( Boeing 747-338 VH-EBU, currently in long term storage) and ''Yananyi Dreaming'' ( Boeing 737-838 VH-VXB). All three carry striking, colourful liveries, designed by Australian Aborigine s. British Airways used these designs on their tailfins as part of their 1997 "ethnic Art" Relaunch .
- Its first international destination was to the island state of Singapore .
- Actor John Travolta personally owns and flies an ex-Qantas Boeing 707 painted in the Qantas livery of the 1960s. He is also qualified for flying the Boeing 747-400 as a First Officer — he commenced and completed his training with Qantas.
- Qantas recently re introduced hot face towels in economy class, on all long haul flights
- Qantas owns 49% of the Fiji based international carrier - Air Pacific & 50% of Australian Air Express (with Australia Post)
- Jetstar Asia recently merged with Valuair
