Celebrating 90 Years of Qantas in Singapore

Qantas, the national airline of Australia, celebrates a significant milestone today, marking 90 years of service in Singapore.
The airline’s journey began on April 17, 1935, with a De Havilland DH86 aircraft making its inaugural flight from Brisbane to Singapore, carrying just two passengers.

The journey took an arduous three and a half days, with 16 stops along the way, eventually reaching Kallang Airport near today’s National Stadium.

This flight served as the foundation of Qantas’ extensive global network, with Singapore now standing as its largest hub outside of Australia.

Nick McGlyn, Qantas’ Executive Vice-President for Asia, stated: “With over 100 flights each week to and from Changi, Singapore has become increasingly vital to our operations, representing our largest international presence beyond Australia. We take pride in our long-standing contributions to aviation in the Lion City and are excited about further serving the community for many years to come.”

Today, Qantas operates over 150 flights weekly from Singapore to various destinations, including Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Sydney, and London via its flagship QF1 service, which utilizes the Airbus A380.

Moreover, the airline has expanded its network to cover 56 routes connecting 34 destinations across 25 countries worldwide.

A Glimpse into History

To commemorate this monumental anniversary, Qantas is sharing a unique collection of historical artifacts from its archives, showcasing its journey to Singapore and the evolution of the aviation industry over the past nine decades.

The collection features intriguing items such as:

• A photograph from May 1935 depicting members of the Nanyang Students Society before embarking on a scenic flight around Singapore.
• A ticket from Singapore to Brisbane dated June 1935.
• A photo of the Qantas check-in desk at Raffles Singapore, alongside a historical image of a Qantas DH86 with the terminal at Kallang Airport.

McGlyn remarked: “It’s remarkable that the Flying Kangaroo has been serving Singapore for over 90 years, having started its operations before World War II. Our growth from just two passengers on the original flight to thousands flown every day illustrates the remarkable evolution of the aviation industry.”