Qantas' 95th Birthday Celebration & Retro Roo II
This morning's event had a dual purpose, celebrating Qantas' 95th Birthday, and unveiling the new Qantas Retro-Roo II livery from 1959. Qantas Boeing B738 VH-VXQ was towed from another Hangar around to Hangar 416, as the Qantas Choir performed "I Still Call Australia Home". Qantas CEO Alan Joyce spoke of the proud history of Qantas and its dedicated employees who have made the Airline what it is today. Alan also recognised Mr Michael Ryan, who worked for Qantas for 37 years, starting in the 1940s. Michael was born in Longreach three years before Qantas was founded, and the large table in his fathers Tailor shop was used for the first Qantas Board meeting, as it was the only one large enough in town to seat all the Board Members. Mr Ryan worked on the Qantas Flying Boats in Rose Bay during the 1940s, and now helps with the Qantas Museum. What a pleasure to meet and talk to Mr Ryan this morning.
Retro-Roo II is officially unveiled and towed into Hangar 416 for the celebration - the Qantas Choir was singing "I Still Call Australia Home" as it entered the hangar
This was the Qantas livery from 1959, and the start of the Jet Age for Qantas with the launch of the Boeing 707
Dinesh Keskar, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & India for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, presented Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with a model of the Boeing B787-9 that Qantas ordered earlier this year. Aviation writer and author Eric Allen checks his photographs beneath the Dreamliner
As Alan Joyce said in his speech, "the history and the future side by side"
Boeing B738 Retro-Roo II VH-VXQ was centre stage for the 95th Birthday Celebration this morning
Alan Joyce with Dinesh Keskar from Boeing, the Tech Crew from today's flight in from Townsville, and Cabin Crew in uniforms of the day
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce cuts the 95th Birthday Cake, celebrating the longest continuous commercial operation by any airline in the world
The Qantas choir sang "I Still Call Australia Home" as the Retro-Roo II was unveiled
The Qantas Choir with CEO Alan Joyce
The Tech Crew from today's flight in from Townsville
Cabin Crew uniform from the 1960s
Michael Ryan, a 37 year employee of Qantas, meets Qantas CEO Alan Joyce
Qantas staff celebrating the 95th Birthday
The Qantas 95th Birthday Cake
Business as usual for the rest of the Qantas fleet - Retro-Roo II started revenue service later that afternoon
And a Happy 95th Birthday from me Qantas
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