Travolta unveils Qantas retro jet
By Geoffrey Thomas Sat Nov 15, 2014
Superstar and Qantas Ambassador John Travolta has unveiled the airline’s first retro colour scheme to celebrate its 94th year. The design is also a flying tribute to 70 years of the iconic flying kangaroo logo – possibly the most widely recognized and respected brands in aviation. Mr Travolta said the retro livery brought back many memories.
“It’s great to see a piece of Qantas history flying in the sky today,” said Mr Travolta. “I have enjoyed many wonderful experiences with Qantas over the years, from getting my 747 wings to having my own 707 painted in the original 1960s Qantas livery. This is a great celebration of the brand’s heritage and incredible reputation over the years.
“I feel a great sense of pride just looking at this aircraft here today. Australia is lucky to have an airline like Qantas as its national carrier,” he said.
Group Executive for Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Olivia Wirth said having the retro livery on a new aircraft is a celebration not only of the famous logo and the airline’s proud heritage but a reminder of the pioneering role that Qantas has held in the global aviation market.
“For 70 years our logo has been a symbol of aviation innovation, but also a reminder that home is never far away,” said Ms Wirth. “Qantas holds a special place in the Australian psyche, and we know for many of our customers this livery will inspire a fond trip down memory lane
“It’s a bit of a time warp having a 1970s livery on one of our brand new B737 aircraft but it’s the perfect way to highlight the years of experience behind the contemporary airline Qantas is today.
Qantas the world’s oldest continuously operating airline and is the world’s most experienced being at the forefront of virtually all major technical innovations over the past 60 years.
The signature element of the 1971-1984 livery design was the ochre band around the window line of the aircraft. Ochre reflected the colours of the outback where Qantas was established in 1920.
The winged kangaroo logo is used on the tail and was adapted from the original 1947 version designed by Gert Sellheim.
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