Qantas marks 90 years in Singapore

Australian national carrier Qantas marks nine decades of operations in Singapore today, 17th April.

The airline first made its way to the city-state on 17th April 1935 when Qantas de Havilland DH86 aircraft set off from Brisbane carrying just two passengers bound for Singapore. 

The flight took three and a half days, making 16 stops en route to the Kallang Airport whose location was adjacent to the current site of Singapore’s National Stadium.

This was the milestone that kickstarted Qantas’ global network, and Singapore remains the airline’s largest hub outside of Australia.

Qantas executive vice-president in Asia Nick McGlyn declared: “With over 100 flights per week into and out of Changi, Singapore is more important to Qantas than ever and is now our largest international operation outside of Australia. We are proud of the role we have played in the history of aviation here in the Lion City, and look forward to serving Singaporeans for many years to come.”

Today, nearly a century on, Qantas flies over 150 flights weekly, connecting Singapore with Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, and Sydney, as well as London, UK via its flagship QF1 service aboard the Airbus A380.

Likewise, the Qantas network spans 56 routes making their way to 34 destinations in 25 nations throughout the globe.

A touch of history

To commemorate this milestone anniversary, Qantas gives the world a unique look at its history through a one of a kind collection of historical content from its official archives.

These artefacts provide a fascinating snapshot of Qantas’ inaugural operations to Singapore, as well as the aviation industry over the past 90 years.

The collection includes a photo taken in May 1935 of members of the Nanyang Students Society prior to boarding a scenic Qantas flight around Singapore, a ticket from Singapore to Brisbane dated June 1935, the Qantas check in desk at Raffles Singapore, as well as a Qantas DH86 aircraft parked in front of the passenger terminal at Kallang Airport, which still stands today.

McGlyn was moved to remark: “It is incredible to think that the Flying Kangaroo has been here in Singapore for over nine decades, launching operations before the start of World War II. From just two passengers on the inaugural service in 1935, to the thousands of passengers we now fly every day to and from the Lion City, the story of Qantas in Singapore represents the incredible development of the aviation industry.”