The Australian airline Qantas was founded in 1920. Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services, from which the word Qantas derives, is the longest-serving airline in the English-speaking world and the second longest-serving airline world-wide. Although it is now well-respected as an international carrier which flies people around the world in style, the airline’s origins were rather more humble. The airline was formed by two former Australian Flying Corps officers, W. Hudson Fysh and P.J McGuiness. They were keen to enter a contest with a prize of 10,000 pounds for the first Australian to fly from England to Australia in less than 28 days. Unfortunately, they were prevented from entering the race by the death of the man who had offered to provide money to pay their expenses.
It took Fysh and McGuiness fifty-one days to plan the route through thinly populated territory on poorly built roads that were often flooded in the wet season. Their experience on the journey convinced them that air travel was a necessity in such a huge country with often inhospitable terrain. After a chance meeting with Fergus McMaster, a wealthy cattle farmer who agreed to give the two financial support, Fysh and McGuiness were on their way to making their dream of connecting far-distant parts of the continent by air a reality.
On November 2, 1922, a larger plane was bought by Qantas and the airline’s first regular mail and passenger flights began between Charleville and Cloncurry. Qantas’ services grew throughout the 1920s. An important landmark along the way came in March 1928 when Qantas was contracted to operate the first flying doctor service to sick people in remote parts of the country.
In 1934 the airline changed its name to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, reflecting its desire to expand beyond the borders of Australia. Air mail services first to Singapore and soon after to Britain began in 1935.
In 1947 Qantas became a national airline when the government purchased the company. In December of that year, the airline’s first passenger service between Sydney and London was introduced.
Important changes in the airline industry announced in 1992 meant that aviation reforms would result in Qantas and Australian, the airline which links cities within Australia, becoming one.
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