Airbus A330-300 Qantas Airways
Registration: VH-QPB Named: Tennant Creek Type: A330-303 Engines: 2 × GE CF6-80E1A3 Serial Number: 558 First flight: Oct 10, 2003
Qantas Airways is Australia's flagship airline and the largest airline in terms of fleet size, number of international flights and destinations. Founded in November 1920 and started operating international passenger flights in May 1935, it is the third oldest operating airline in the world. The airline is based in Mascot, near its main airport, Sydney, and is one of the founders of the Oneworld alliance.
The airline is popularly known as The Flying Kangaroo. The history of this symbol dates back to 1944, after the route across the Indian Ocean was officially named the Kangaroo Route, and the profile of this Australian endemic was painted on board under the cockpit of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator I aircraft.
Qantas chose this name to refer to commercial passenger air routes running between Australia and the United Kingdom through the Eastern Hemisphere because of its similarity to the unique way kangaroos travel. By today's standards, the short flights of aircraft of that era resembled kangaroo jumps and were used to cover long distances. Today, this phrase is a trademark of the airline and is traditionally used by Qantas for all flights from Australia to the UK.
The initial design of the new brand was based on the silhouette of a kangaroo depicted on an Australian penny coin. In 1947, the kangaroo "grew" wings, and the popular name "Flying Kangaroo" was fixed for it. The kangaroo silhouette acquired its modern look in 2016.
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