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QANTAS FAREWELLS “QUEEN OF THE SKIES”
Qantas will today mark the end of an era with the departure of the national carrier’s last Boeing 747 jumbo jet.
The final 747-400 in the fleet (registration VH-OEJ) will depart Sydney at 2pm as flight number QF7474, bringing to an end five decades of history-making moments for the national carrier and aviation in Australia.
Qantas took delivery of its first 747 (a -200 series) in August 1971, the same year that William McMahon became Prime Minister, the first McDonalds opened in Australia and Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool topped the music charts. Its arrival – and its economics – made international travel possible for millions of people for the first time.
The fleet of 747 aircraft not only carried generations of Australians on their first overseas adventures, they also offered a safe voyage for hundreds of thousands of migrant families who flew to their new life in Australia on board a ‘roo tailed jumbo jet.
Qantas 747s were at the forefront of a number of important milestones for the airline, including the first Business Class cabin of any airline in the world. Their size, range and incredible reliability meant they were used for numerous rescue missions: flying a record 674 passengers out of Darwin in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy; evacuating Australians out of Cairo during political unrest in 2011 and flying medical supplies in and tourists home from the Maldives and Sri Lanka following the Boxing Day Tsunami in December 2004.
The last rescue missions the 747 flew for Qantas were to bring hundreds of stranded Australians home from the COVID-19 epicentre of Wuhan in February this year.
Qantas brought forward the scheduled retirement of the fleet by six months after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated international travel globally.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the 747 changed the face of Australian aviation and ushered in a new era of lower fares and non-stop flights.
“It’s hard to overstate the impact that the 747 had on aviation and a country as far away as Australia. It replaced the 707, which was a huge leap forward in itself but didn’t have the sheer size and scale to lower airfares the way the 747 did. That put international travel within reach of the average Australian and people jumped at the opportunity,” Mr Joyce said.
“This aircraft was well ahead of its time and extremely capable. Engineers and cabin crew loved working on them and pilots loved flying them. So did passengers. They have carved out a very special place in aviation history and I know they’ll be greatly missed by a lot of people, including me.
“Time has overtaken the 747 and we now have a much more fuel efficient aircraft with even better range in our fleet, such as the 787 Dreamliner that we use on Perth-London and hopefully before too long, the Airbus A350 for our Project Sunrise flights non-stop to New York and London,” added Mr Joyce.
Qantas has flown six different types of the 747, with Boeing increasing the aircraft’s size, range and capability over the years with the advent of new technology and engine types.
Qantas’s first female Captain, Sharelle Quinn, will be in command of the final flight and said the aircraft has a very special place in the hearts of not just Qantas staff, but aviation enthusiasts and travellers alike.
“I have flown this aircraft for 36 years and it has been an absolute privilege”, Captain Quinn said.
“From the Pope to pop stars, our 747’s have carried over 250 million people safely to their destinations. Over the decades, it’s also swooped in on a number of occasions to save Aussies stranded far from home.”
aptain Quinn added, “It has been a wonderful part of our history, a truly ground breaking aircraft and while we are sad to see our last one go, it’s time to hand over to the next generation of aircraft that are a lot more efficient.”
Captain Quinn and crew will fly the 747 to Los Angeles with a full cargo hold of freight before its final sector to the Mojave.
VH-OEJ is scheduled to depart Sydney at 2.00pm. Weather permitting, it will do a flyby of Sydney Harbour, CBD and northern and eastern suburbs beaches as well as a low level overfly of HARS Museum (Albion Park) where it will dip the wings in a final farewell to Qantas’ first 747-400, VH-OJA, which is preserved there.
The aircraft will then head out over the Pacific Ocean, as the sun sets on a 50-year love affair with Australians and their beloved Queen of The Skies.
Fast Facts
Flight number: QF7474
Aircraft registration: VH-OEJ
Aircraft name: Wunala
Year delivered: 2003 (30th July)
Airlines
Akasa Air vs. Pilots: Delhi High Court Upholds DGCA’s Authority to Act in Case of Contractual Breaches
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is authorized to take action against pilots who violate civil aviation rules (CAR), the Delhi High Court ruled on Wednesday.
Akasa Air initiated legal action against pilots who had quit their jobs without giving the required notice by their contracts. In response to a request from the startup airline, which claimed it was in a crisis as a result of the sudden and abrupt resignation of 43 pilots who left the airline without providing the required notice period, the civil aviation regulator submitted written responses.
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However, the Court ruled that it is now unable to give any explicit instructions to the DGCA and MCA regarding how to respond to a future representation that Akasa might make against defaulting pilots.
The court made it clear that there are no limitations on the DGCA’s power to take action in situations of pilot noncompliance in an interim judgment that offers relief to Akasa Air. The airline firm maintained that it is merely requesting a directive to the DGCA to decide their (Akasa’s) claims against pilots who may depart the airline in the future without serving the notice period, not that it is pressing for any action against the pilots who have already quit.
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The DGCA had stated that it lacked the power or authority to intervene in any employment contract and therefore was unable to affect the employment contract between the pilots and Akasa Air.
The aviation authority said that if Akasa Air doesn’t have enough pilots to continue operating flights, it would be in the interests of all parties if it complies with the requirement to keep a limited schedule.
Airlines
Global Airlines to contract Hi Fly to accelerate A380 Entry into Service
- Under the agreement, Global Airlines will benefit from Hi Fly’s expertise to accelerate the Entry into Service (EIS) programme for the airline’s new fleet.
- Hi Fly, based in Lisbon, has significant A380 technical and operating experience.
- First Global aircraft expected to fly to Europe in the months ahead, with a new registration of 9H-GLOBL
In a significant operational move, Global Airlines and Hi Fly have inked a contract to collaborate on the development and maintenance of the four A380 aircraft the new airline has agreed to purchase.
Hi Fly, the first company to operate the A380 on the secondary market, will collaborate with Global as it gets ready to launch operations to help the new carrier realize its goal of giving passengers the best possible experience when flying commercially.
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The EIS and Return to Service (RTS) procedures for Global’s first aircraft, which are anticipated to start in the coming months, are the organisation’s immediate priorities. However, with an affinity for the aircraft and confidence in its long-term potential and popularity, both businesses will look at further possibilities to deepen their partnership.
Hi Fly holds authorization to operate worldwide and currently operates 35,000 flights per year for a base of 140 airlines and governments on a global basis.
Airlines
Lufthansa equips short- and medium-haul aircraft with new cabins
- − Four makes eight: Large overhead compartments hold up to twice as many suitcases
- − For the first time on short-haul routes: holder for tablets and smartphones at every seat
- − More legroom with new ergonomic seats
Customers of Lufthansa will soon enjoy a redesigned cabin environment on short- and medium-haul flights. It provides a great deal of comfort and luxury. The business will gradually outfit 38 Airbus A320s already operating for Lufthansa with the new cutting-edge cabin beginning in spring 2025.
More space for carry-on luggage: The 40 percent larger compartments allow for the vertical stowage of carry-on items much more quickly and comfortably. As a result, huge overhead bins may accommodate up to twice as many carry-on suitcases or bags as the conventional “bins”.
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Each seat has a designated USB connector that can be used by Lufthansa to charge electronic devices. For the first flight ever, Lufthansa is providing a unique holder for tablets and smartphones in each seat. This allows visitors to watch films and television shows on their own devices much more conveniently without having to hold the gadgets in their hands or set them down on the folding table.
Increased legroom: The new seats from the Italian company Geven also provide extra legroom with the same seat spacing, through the ergonomically shaped backrests.
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