Spirit of Australia Qantas ad, circa 1983

[ahardyau]

Back in the days before Strong and Dixon decimated the company, leaving nothing but old haggered crew with attitude and a confrontational industrial agenda.

[PETECEEISME]

Didnt some politician once say "Life wasnt meant to be easy." Possibly old MJF had a crystal ball, cos he sure as hell was right on the money looking at where our wonderful country is at today. Thats why I find this ad and this era so appealing, it was a time when the Spirit of Australia was alive and well. Reflection is a wonderful feeling. AVAGUDAY!!

[ahardyau]

Yep. we've become a nation of lazy whingers, underpinned by boatloads of foreigners who have no respect or allegiance to this country.And the government don;t have the balls to have pride in our country any more, for fear of being labelled poiltically-incorrect. Former great companies like Qantas would nowadays rather spend their money on some token aboriginal paintings on their aircraft rather than giving hard-working staff a pay rise.

**End of Rant**

[stegatops]

Yes....this was the best one...........at a happier, more innocent age when they didnt lock you up and charge you with sexual harrassment for winking at someone.............before the dark times.

[PETECEEISME]

Right on the money there stegatops,, and it s not going to get better, get ready for the ride of ur life the next 10 years, thank christ i'm going to retire to the Philippines where my ruddy pension will allow me to live a little more comfortably than dear oldOZ. And those pinays love to make a guy feel hes alive.

[ahardyau]

the pinays give you the spirit of australia in many ways? lol

[RiOlizzy]

Awesome ad haha love the old ones. And those 'winks' by the cabin crew sure make me wanna fly Qantas.

Now a question... does anyone remember from either the late 80's early 90's, an TV ad for an airline with heaps of people holding up boards on a beach and the boards made a big face? The shot was a birds eye view. And this face had big red lips and blue eyes? Sounds crazy yes, but it's really bugging me. I thought it might of been Ansett or Qantas but maybe not... thoughts anyone?

[lthrskinhd]

The ad was for British Airways.

[stegatops]

The one with the music by Yanni? That was british airways for sure. Look up " British Airways add from 1989" Youll see it.

[ahardyau]

@RiOlizzy It was British Airways

[FreshPrinsess]

Are you kidding? "Still Call Australia Home" is good enough to be our national anthem. Go die in a fire.

[rowie0210]

what a crock! Qantas Flight Attendents dont wink at you..they throw your meal at you and snarl more like it.

[PETECEEISME]

yea well that may be qantas but asian spirit they strip off and welcome ya to the mile high club. duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,  who cares if its a snarl a smile or a wink..

[314noceu]

Kangaroo is delicious.

[PETECEEISME]

Yes,, but dingo is better.

[DinoProAustralia]

I think this was more Mid to late 70 actually with that orange Flight jacket. I have a copy of "...From the dawn of Aviation QANTAS Story 1920-1995 and by the 1980's the tail livery and cabin crew dress had changed. These uniforms mach the "Ritchie Era" of the 70's

[jason090874]

I flew Qantas to Hawaii in 1986 and the male cabin crew had the orange flight jackets! Qantas had the same livery on its planes from the 70s untill 1984/85 when the livery changed with the arrivel off there first 767!

[DinoProAustralia]

Well there you go... im just saying what i read

[PETECEEISME]

Maybe,, but I recorded the add in the 80's and generally tv commercials run for weeks not years,, so I would have to presume this ad was made within a few months of it being screened. Whatever,, its still just the best ad Ive always thought.

[freddy813]

So 80's... lol :P

[Eansinn]

Is this the first time "the spirit of Australia" became known with Qantas?

[PETECEEISME]

This was the first ad that Qantas ran with this particular theme, yes. They did have ads prior to 1982, but this theme with the flying kangaroo was the start of their marketing campaign featuring the Spirit of Australia.

[AnthonyDonohue]

Love the Pucci uniforms

[kiwiblue2008]

Totally awesome!