Qantas

"Qantas" (IATA: QF, ICAO: QFA, and Callsign: Qantas) is the name and callsign of the oldest and largest airline of Australia. Qantas is the third oldest airline in the world after KLM, the national airline of the Netherlands, and Avianca from Colombia. Qantas was formerly an acronym for the "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services." The company is traded on the Australian Stock Exchange as "QAN."

History

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 deHavilland 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, Western Australia 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 Constellations. 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 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 Airlines, Qantas held a near-monopoly on the Australian domestic air travel market. The introduction of Virgin Blue, a cut-price competitor, has eaten into this market share somewhat, and Qantas has responded by creating a new cut-price subsidiary airline Jetstar. Qantas 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 has taken on the formerly used Australian Airlines name.

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 attempted to expand into the New Zealand domestic air travel market, first with a shareholding in Air New Zealand and then by a franchise takeover of Ansett New Zealand. It now wholy 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.

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.

In 2005, the first visit of an Airbus A380 to Australia coincided with Qantas's 85th birthday.

2005 News

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.

Incidents and accidents

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 over-ran the runway by 220 metres while landing in a rainstorm at Bangkok in 1999. [1] There were no fatalities; however, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau criticised numerous inadequacies in Qantas' operational and training processes. [2] Repairs to the nine-year-old aircraft were undertaken in China by TAECO at a cost in excess of A$100 million and it was suggested at the time that this expense was solely to avoid a hull-loss being recorded, a claim Qantas denied. 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. 9 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, carrying 155 passengers and 11 crew, and a United Airlines 747, carrying 99 passengers and 14 crew, were involved in a wing clipping incident while on the runway of Melbourne's Tullamarine International Airport. 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. [3]

Destinations

See full article: Qantas destinations

Fleet

The Qantas fleet consists of the following aircraft (at December 2005):

• 4 Airbus A330-201
• 10 Airbus A330-303
• 20 Boeing 737-400 (comprising 19 Boeing 737-476 and 1 Boeing 737-4L7)
• 29 Boeing 737-838 (further 4 on order)
• 6 Boeing 747-338
• 30 Boeing 747-400 (comprising 21 Boeing 747-438, 6 Boeing 747-438ER, 2 Boeing 747-4H6 and 1 Boeing 747-48E)
• 24 Boeing 767-300ER (comprising 17 Boeing 767-338ER and 7 Boeing 767-336ER)
• 35 Boeing 787s (on order)

The QantasLink fleet consists of the following aircraft (at October 2005):

• 5 Boeing 717-200 (further 4 on order)
• 5 BAe 146
• 34 Dash 8 (further 7 on order)

Qantas has placed an order for 12 Airbus A380-800, with options for 10 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 4 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 December 14, 2005, Qantas announced an order for 65 Boeing 787s with purchase rights on 50 more, with some going to JetStar. This annoucement came after a long battle between Boeing and Airbus to meet the airline's needs for fleet renewal and future routes. Qantas will use the Boeing 787 to cut travel time to Asia to less than 10 hours. Delivery of the 787 will start in 2008, with the 787-900 coming in 2011. In the meantime, Qantas will use its A330 on international routes to Asia. Although Qantas chose neither the Boeing 777 or Airbus 340, it is rumored that Qantas is still looking into buying planes from one of these two manufacturers for the LHR-SYD/SYD-LHR non-stop route.

Aircraft Fleet Naming

Naming of Qantas' fleet has occured 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)
•  ???? (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 & Cities of Australia, celebrating Qantas' coverage of Australia
• 2006/7 (Airbus A380) - First A380 will be named Nancy Bird Walton, remainder as yet are un-named however will be themed on Australian Aviation Pioneers.

Qantas Club

See article Qantas Club

Other facts of interest

• 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 707s 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) and Yananyi Dreaming (Boeing 737-838 VH-VXB). All three carry striking, colourful liveries, designed by Australian Aborigines. British Airways used these designs on their tailfins as part of their 1997 "ethnic art" relaunch.
• Its first international destination was to Singapore.
• Actor John Travolta personally owns and flies an ex-Qantas Boeing 707 painted in the Qantas livery of the 1960's. He is also qualified for flying the Boeing 747-400 as a First Officer - he commenced and completed his training with Qantas.