Being among the most established and historic airlines globally, Qantas boasts an extensive past replete with intriguing tales and outstanding accomplishments. There are a lot of interesting but little-known facts about Australia’s flag carrier that some tourists may not be aware of, despite the fact that it is well-known for its kangaroo emblem and excellent safety and service ratings.
Here are five fascinating facts about the Flying Kangaroo, ranging from an abridged name to an unfortunate misspelling.
1. Being the Only Airline to Operate Flights on All Seven Continents
Like the majority of large airlines, Qantas offers flights to South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. But in contrast to the others, the Australian flag carrier offers a special route to Antarctica, a destination that not many airlines have visited.
Qantas offers scenic flights from Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth, and Sydney across the snow-covered continent of Antarctica during specific seasons. Through four hours of flying over ice, these flights provide passengers with a “day in the life” picture of the Antarctic.
According to a tweet, Formerly operated on Boeing 747s, 787 Dreamliners have taken the place of the now-retired Jumbo Jets.
Inflight over Mount Minto in Antarctica aboard a Qantas 787. https://t.co/Vqpt78mNqb © hilman pic.twitter.com/OG0tKdqg5b
— JetPhotos (@JetPhotos) April 2, 2022
2. The Name “Qantas” is an Acronym
On November 16, 1920, Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness, and Fergus McMaster launched Qantas in Winton, Queensland. “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services” was the name of the airline since it provided services to both the states of Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Owing to its length, the airline’s name was occasionally shortened to QANTAS before becoming the more well-known “Qantas” of today. Since then, it is clear that the airline has grown beyond serving Queensland and the Northern Territory, solidifying its position as a major force in the global aviation industry.
Currently, Sydney serves as the home base for Qantas, and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is the busiest airport in Australia.
3. Qantas’ First Boeing 747 Delivery Was Delayed Because of a Typo
Shortly after Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) introduced the type, the Flying Kangaroo was scheduled to receive its first Queen of the Skies. In a confirmation statement regarding their readiness to finance a Qantas agreement, the World Bank wrote, erroneously, that they were “not ready to finalize the finance,” rather than “now ready to finish the finance.”
Nevertheless, the airline went on to have a 49-year, historic partnership with the Boeing 747. Before ending service with the Jumbo Jet in July 2020, Qantas operated five of the aircraft types.
4. Qantas Allegedly Introduced the First Business-class Seat
According to its website and the 2020 inflight safety movie, Qantas created the world’s first business class seat in 1979, making it the leader in premium air travel. However, some would contend that with the launch of those business class offerings in late 1978, British Airways, Pan Am, and Air France preceded the Australian flag carrier.
However, Qantas was at least one of the first to introduce this revolutionary service, which revolutionized the airline sector by providing travellers willing to pay a premium with a world of comfort and care. Since then, Qantas has kept improving its business class options while raising the bar for in-flight comfort.
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5. Qantas Operates Some of the World’s Longest Flights
Qantas operates four of the ten longest nonstop flights in the world. The 3,010-mile (14,500-kilometer) Perth–London route is the third-longest route in the world, taking around 17 hours and 15 minutes to complete.
Melbourne-Dallas, an 8,992-mile (14,471-kilometer) trip that takes roughly 17 hours and 35 minutes, comes next. Also, Qantas runs the 8,828-mile (14,207-kilometer) Auckland-New York and 8,576-mile (13,801-kilometer) Sydney-Dallas flights.
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