Leslie Massey
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and the largest airline in the country by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. Qantas is popularly nicknamed The Flying Kangaroo due to its logo, which features a kangaroo. The kangaroo logo was first used in 1944, inspired by the image on the Australian one-penny coin, and has been changed five times since then. The animal depicted in the Qantas logo is a kangaroo, which is an iconic symbol of Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Flying Kangaroo |
| Animal | Kangaroo |
| Colour of the kangaroo | White |
| Colour of the circle/triangle | Red |
| Colour of the wordmark | Black |
| Colour of the globe | Blue |
| Colour of the route | Orange |
| Typeface of the wordmark | Sans-serif |
| Typeface of the inscription | Capitalized font with sharp serifs |
| Logo design inspiration | Australian one-penny coin |
| Logo designer | Unknown (designed in 1947) |
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What You'll Learn
Qantas' logo is a kangaroo
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and its largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the third-oldest airline in the world, founded in Queensland, Australia, in November 1920. The name Qantas was derived from the airline's original name, Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, as it initially served Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Qantas logo has been changed five times throughout its history, but the image has remained largely the same. The kangaroo, Australia's national symbol, has always been featured in the logo. The first logo was a simple capitalized inscription of the company name, with each letter separated by small solid squares. The second logo, designed in 1930, was completely different and featured a black outline of the Australian continent enclosed in a double circular frame with two red wings spread out to both sides.
In 1944, Qantas introduced the kangaroo to its logo, placing it on its Liberator aircraft. The animal faced left and was drawn in white inside a camel-brown circle, with the wordmark around its perimeter. The logo evoked a sense of kindness and a welcoming feeling, celebrating the company's Australian heritage. The Flying Kangaroo emblem was designed in 1947, featuring a blue and white kangaroo placed on a globe, with elongated white wings.
The logo underwent further changes in 1968, when the globe was removed and the kangaroo was turned to face right, enclosed in a red circle frame. The kangaroo's wings were also removed, and the wordmark was enlarged and placed on the right of the emblem. In 1984, the logo lost its wings, but the kangaroo continued to be a prominent symbol of the airline. Qantas unveiled a new interpretation of its logo in 2007 and again in 2016, with a modern and streamlined look to symbolise a new era of Qantas aircraft.
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Qantas is nicknamed 'The Flying Kangaroo'
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and the largest airline in the country by fleet size, international flights, and destinations. It is also the third-oldest airline in the world, founded in November 1920. Qantas is popularly nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo" due to its logo, which features a kangaroo. The kangaroo is the symbol of Australia, and the white colour symbolises flight safety and care for passengers.
The story of the Qantas logo began in 1930, when the logo gained wings, reflecting the idea of air transportation. The first logo, however, was a simple capitalised inscription with small solid squares separating the letters. The second logo, designed in 1930, featured a black outline of the Australian continent enclosed in a double circular frame with two red wings spread out. In 1944, Qantas introduced a new emblem for its flights across the Indian Ocean, which was inspired by the Australian one-penny coin and featured a kangaroo. This logo was known as the "Kangaroo Service" and was unveiled in 1947. The kangaroo was enlarged and had white wings extended to the right, reflecting the idea of flying.
The logo underwent a significant change in 1968, when the globe was removed and the kangaroo was placed inside a red circle, facing right. The wordmark appeared under the emblem in a bold black sans-serif typeface, creating a modern and powerful visual identity. Qantas' Boeing 707s were flying customers around the world, and the era of the jumbo jet was approaching. The kangaroo logo has become a symbol of the airline, recognised worldwide for its unique and memorable design.
Qantas has continued to evolve its logo, with the wings being removed in 1984 while retaining the flying kangaroo motif. The red triangle in which the kangaroo is enclosed symbolises movement, reliability, and technological power. The bold and italicised wordmark adds elegance and friendliness to the design. Qantas' logo has become a true symbol and visual identity, deeply rooted in the history and core principles of the company. The kangaroo logo adorns the airline's aircraft, promoting the brand and its Australian heritage across the globe.
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The kangaroo symbolises Australia
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and its largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the third-oldest airline in the world, founded in Winton, Queensland, Australia, in November 1920. Qantas is popularly nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo" and has the official slogan "Spirit of Australia". The kangaroo is the symbol of Australia, and the animal has been featured on the Qantas logo since 1944.
The first Qantas logo featuring a kangaroo was inspired by the image on the Australian one-penny coin. The kangaroo was drawn in white and placed inside a camel-brown circle, with the white wordmark Qantas Empire Airways Kangaroo Service around its perimeter. The logo evokes a sense of kindness and a welcoming feeling, celebrating the company's background, its motherland, and its main symbol. Qantas' Indian Ocean passage was called the Kangaroo Service, which likely influenced the logo's design.
The second iteration of the Qantas logo, designed in 1947, featured a blue and white kangaroo placed on a globe, executed in the same colour palette. The kangaroo was enlarged in comparison to the globe, and its white wings were elongated to the right. This logo was used when Qantas began flying the famous 'kangaroo route' from Sydney to Karachi, where BOAC crews took over.
The logo underwent another redesign in 1968, with the kangaroo now facing right and placed inside a red circle frame. The wordmark appeared under the emblem in bold black sans-serif typeface. The kangaroo's wings were removed, and it was drawn in white and laced inside a red triangle, resembling the airplane's tail and wings. The bold sans-serif inscription was slightly italicized, making the insignia look more elegant and friendly.
The kangaroo logo has become a true symbol and visual identity in the world of aviation, deeply rooted in the history and core principles of Qantas. The white colour of the kangaroo symbolises flight safety and care for passengers, as white is one of the colours of the Australian national flag. The red colour of the triangle represents flight dynamics, the desire for development, and improvement. The triangle itself symbolises movement, reliability, and technological power.
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The kangaroo was inspired by the Australian one-penny coin
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and its largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the third-oldest airline in the world, founded in November 1920. Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", Qantas' kangaroo logo was first used on the "Kangaroo Route" in 1944, from Sydney to Karachi. The kangaroo was inspired by the Australian one-penny coin, which featured a kangaroo facing left with “AUSTRALIA” above and “PENNY” below. The Australian Penny was issued with dates ranging from 1911 to 1964 and had a diameter of 30.8 millimeters.
The kangaroo logo has undergone several design changes over the years. The first logo was a simple capitalized inscription with small solid squares separating the letters. The second logo, designed in 1930, featured a black contour of the Australian continent enclosed in a double circular frame with two red wings spread to both sides. The famous "Flying Kangaroo" emblem was designed in 1947, with the kangaroo facing right placed inside a red circle frame. The logo underwent further modifications, with the globe being removed in 1968 and the kangaroo drawn in white inside a red triangle, resembling an airplane's tail and wings.
The choice of the kangaroo as Qantas' logo holds significant meaning. The animal is native to Australia and is widely recognized as an iconic symbol of the country. By featuring the kangaroo in its logo, Qantas celebrates its Australian heritage and reinforces its connection to its motherland. The kangaroo logo has become a well-known emblem associated with Qantas, contributing to the airline's brand identity and recognition worldwide.
Over the years, Qantas has decorated its aircraft with various promotional liveries and special designs. The airline has promoted telecommunications companies, movies, and national sports teams through these decorative liveries. Additionally, Qantas has showcased its association with the Oneworld airline alliance and celebrated events such as the Sydney Mardi Gras with specially designed aircraft exteriors. These liveries not only serve promotional purposes but also allow Qantas to express creativity and engage with diverse audiences.
Qantas has a strong presence in the Australian domestic market and operates subsidiary airlines that serve regional centers and international short-haul flights under the QantasLink banner. The airline group has expanded internationally by establishing Jetstar Asia Airways in the Asian low-cost airline market. Qantas' safety record has been recognized, and it has consistently ranked highly in professional rankings across various fronts. The airline's long history, coupled with its innovative spirit and commitment to safety, has solidified its position as a leading airline in the industry.
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Qantas' aircraft have featured Aboriginal art designs
Qantas Airways Limited is Australia's flagship airline and its largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the third-oldest airline in the world, founded in Winton, Queensland, Australia, on 16 November 1920. Qantas is popularly nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", and its logo features a kangaroo. The airline's name is an acronym of its original name, Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, as it originally served Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Qantas has featured Aboriginal art designs on its aircraft since the mid-1990s. The airline has emblazoned some of its planes with designs from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, featuring eye-catching and colourful artwork. The first two planes to receive Aboriginal liveries were Boeing 747-300s, with the first, VH-EBU, painted in the blue Nalanji Dreaming colours between 1995 and 2005. The artwork reflected the colours of tropical Australia and was designed to celebrate Qantas' 75th birthday in 1995.
Another notable design is the Wunula Dreaming livery, which features bright reds, purple-blues, and lush greens inspired by the colours of Central Australia. The design was inspired by the Wunala Dreaming story of the Yanyuwa people from the Gulf of Carpentaria, in which spirit ancestors in the form of kangaroos lead people to water and food.
Qantas has also featured the work of renowned Aboriginal artists on its aircraft. One such example is the Boeing 787, VH-ZND, which is adorned with a paint scheme inspired by the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye's 1991 painting "Yam Dreaming". The design, led by Balarinji, a Sydney-based and Aboriginal-owned design firm, incorporates the Qantas tailfin and depicts the yam plant, a culturally significant symbol in Kngwarreye's Dreaming stories and a staple food source in her home region of Utopia.
Another aircraft, the Boeing 737-800 VH-XZJ, features the artwork of late West Australian Aboriginal painter Paddy Bedford. The plane, called "Mendoowoorrji", after the country of Bedford's mother, features less bright but striking colours. The design is based on Bedford's 2005 painting "Medicine Pocket".
The sixth aircraft in the Qantas-Balarinji Flying Art Series, launched in 2023, is the A220 Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa, featuring the artwork of renowned Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker. The design tells the Creation story of the Two Sisters, depicting their journey back to their home.
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Frequently asked questions
Qantas' logo features a kangaroo, which is the symbol of Australia.
The kangaroo was chosen because the company’s Indian Ocean passage was called the Kangaroo Service. The animal also appeared on the Australian one penny coin, possibly tied to the idea of a "lucky penny".
Qantas has changed its logo five times, but the kangaroo has always been included. The kangaroo has faced left and right, and has been depicted with and without wings. It has been drawn in white and blue and placed inside a red circle, a camel-brown circle, and a red triangle.
