Qantas goes back to the future

The retro Qantas Boeing 737-800

The design is a flashback to the livery that adorned Qantas Boeing 747s in the 1970s and is a tribute to mark seven decades of the Flying Kangaroo logo, which falls this month.

The newest addition to the Qantas Airways fleet has touched down on Australian soil carrying a retro livery. 

The design is a flashback to the livery that adorned Qantas Boeing 747s in the 1970s and is a tribute to mark seven decades of the Flying Kangaroo logo, which falls this month.

“For 70 years this familiar kangaroo on the tail has represented not just our airline but also the best of Australia and a sense of home for those who have seen it at airports around the world," said Qantas Airways CEO, Alan Joyce

“We are especially proud to name this aircraft after our friend and former CEO, James Strong.  James was instrumental in the making of the modern Qantas, including the merger with Australian Airlines." 

Strong was Qantas CEO from 1993 to 2001 and later served on the Qantas Board until his death in March 2013.  

The new Boeing 737-800 will begin services across the Qantas domestic network from next week. 

The Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited (QANTAS) was registered as a business on November 16, 1920.