Qantas has ditched the iconic flying red kangaroo design on its first A220 aircraft will soon take to the skies.
The new QantasLink aircraft was unveiled in Canada on Wednesday, adorned with a blue and green indigenous design.
The aircraft will initially fly between Melbourne and Canberra and is expected to join the fleet later this year.
The aircraft features artwork by Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker and is named after the artwork Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa – The Two Sisters Creation Story.
The aircraft use significantly less fuel, generate fewer emissions and are quieter than the older aircraft they replace.
The aircraft is the first of 29 A220s that will gradually replace QantasLink’s Boeing 717s and is already being hailed as a game changer for domestic travel.
“These aircraft have the potential to transform the way our customers travel across the country, with the potential to connect any two cities or towns in Australia,” Qantas boss Vanessa Hudson said.
“That means faster and more convenient travel for business trips and exciting new options for leisure travel. A completely new fleet type also means many opportunities for our people to operate and care for these aircraft.’
At its annual general meeting on November 4, Qantas announced that approximately $370,000 had been allocated to support the failed Yes campaign ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder said the airline’s management, led by former CEO Alan Joyce, proposed supporting the campaign, and the board subsequently approved the recommendation.
“The contribution we made was in kind and amounted to approximately $370,000,” he said.
“We knew at the time that there would be differing views, but we felt it was important that we continued to support what we had done in terms of Aboriginal reconciliation over a long period of time.
In August, Mr Joyce unveiled three planes decorated with the Yes23 campaign logo at Sydney airport, accompanied by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.