Qantas is known for being a very LGBT-friendly airline. Perhaps it’s largely reflective of Australia as a whole, or perhaps it has something to do with Qantas’ management (the CEO is openly gay).
Sydney’s Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is coming up soon, between February 17 and March 5, 2017. Qantas has long been a big supporter of the event, though this year they’re doing something extra special.
Qantas has repainted an A330 with some rainbow elements. “QANTAS” is written in rainbow colors, and the kangaroo on the tail is holding a rainbow flag. The plane has registration VH-QPJ, and operated its first flight this past Friday.
This Qantas A330 has a special livery to mark their sponsorship of the Sydney LGBT Mardi Gra. Photo by Victor J Pody https://t.co/BEjuFXrZSu
— Airliners.net (@airliners_net) February 10, 2017
The one strange thing is that they have the rainbow flag upside down, at least compared to how it’s usually flown. Now I’m not actually sure that there’s a “correct” way to fly it, though I’ve always seen it with red at the top and purple at the bottom, while this has it the other way around.
Interestingly Qantas isn’t the first airline to have a “gay” plane, though. Last year WOW Air took delivery of their first A330, which they gave the registration TF-GAY. That’s certainly a bit more subtle than Qantas’ approach.
Cool stuff (in my opinion)!
@Ben Thornton
+1
What everyone seems to be missing and not talking about is the idea of right and wrong. What is right and wrong and who gets to decide.
Those on the wrong side are demonized and made to feel guilty and shameful, so they go underground and form communities of their own.
The problem with those who practice homosexual sex is that, like the "hippies" during the free love era, they not only want...
What everyone seems to be missing and not talking about is the idea of right and wrong. What is right and wrong and who gets to decide.
Those on the wrong side are demonized and made to feel guilty and shameful, so they go underground and form communities of their own.
The problem with those who practice homosexual sex is that, like the "hippies" during the free love era, they not only want freedom to do whatever they want, but they want their values to be shared and validated.
They are making moral truth claims. Consensual sex doesn't hurt anyone so it should be accepted and even celebrated in its many forms. Lack of tolerance is the root of all evil. Etc. Now a majority of people (at least those in power and those who respond to these kinds of polls) accept homosexual behavior as normal and acceptable.
The problem is so are racists and anti-semites and bigots. They make truth claims too: whites are better than blacks or browns or yellows, Jews are taking all our money, women are inherently inferior to men.
What makes them wrong? Just cause we live in a "modern" society? In the 21st century? Because the majority now accepts it?
The reason why these claims about free sex and sexuality fall flat, unlike the call against racial slavery, discrimination, and exploitation is because of its lack of a credible truth foundation (one example: anyone who has learned college level ecology and evolution as I have, knows that there is no way for homosexual sex, especially exclusively homosexual sex to increase "genetic fitness", which means increased offspring. But no scientific paper would be willing to produce such an article because of the backlash. Just like the Harvard president who cited scientific studies that show men are more proficient in maths than women got fired, for citing science).
Whereas the reason William Wilberforce or Martin Luther King were so persuasive is because they rooted their claim in God and the Bible. God created all people in his image. So all have inherent dignity. Christ tells us to love our neighbors, even those of other faiths, even our enemies.
Yes many people have used and use the Bible and God as reasons to do all sorts of horrible things. But the point is, there can be a debate as to what is right or wrong.
It's wrong to hate or attack someone just because of their race or religion or sexual orientation, period. But it seems very wrong to not allow people to respectfully voice their beliefs and even make legislation based on those beliefs. Anyone who thinks only religious conservatives legislate their "morality" is sadly mistaken. Everyone in power legislates what they think is good and bad and right and wrong.
@Ben Thornton - not sure a travel site is the right place for these kinds of discussions, but you are right. Western society is drowning in moral relativism, buttressed by political correctness and euphemisms such as "marriage equality" to support norms and values that are completely at odds with the natural moral law. Acts that were considered perversions by nearly every society in every age of human history are now celebrated as "alternate lifestyles," with...
@Ben Thornton - not sure a travel site is the right place for these kinds of discussions, but you are right. Western society is drowning in moral relativism, buttressed by political correctness and euphemisms such as "marriage equality" to support norms and values that are completely at odds with the natural moral law. Acts that were considered perversions by nearly every society in every age of human history are now celebrated as "alternate lifestyles," with the support of big corporations (such as Quantas). With even the male-female distinction now up for discussion, we have moved beyond immorality to societal insanity. No nation has ever gone on that path without completely imploding and collapsing within a few short generations. It's only a question of time in the West, unless people wake up and return to a morality that is guided by the natural law and perennial moral principles (i.e. by God).
@Peter more than 70% Aus public support marriage equality. Our polis are playing politics! That's why Qantas supporting the community!
Not only Australian marriage laws aren't modern, the abortion laws are even worse.
Such a great country, they should simply fix those.
A good thing. Corporate entities embracing diversity is a good thing. The travel industry as a whole does employ a large number of LGBTQ individuals.
@Andre wrote:
"Pathetic and disgusting. Why would *any* airline or company make a statement having to do with anyone’s sexual behavior?"
That's your basic error. Our sexuality is fundamental to what makes us human; reducing it to "sexual behaviour" is ridiculously narrow-minded. It's a bit like the fallacy that people "choose" their sexuality: they may choose how to express it, but the actual state is not so much a choice.
Perhaps you should...
@Andre wrote:
"Pathetic and disgusting. Why would *any* airline or company make a statement having to do with anyone’s sexual behavior?"
That's your basic error. Our sexuality is fundamental to what makes us human; reducing it to "sexual behaviour" is ridiculously narrow-minded. It's a bit like the fallacy that people "choose" their sexuality: they may choose how to express it, but the actual state is not so much a choice.
Perhaps you should try to think a little less about physical sex acts when sexuality is mentioned. It's way more complicated than that.
Do you think they would use that plane to fly to LHR via DXB ??
(I see it's noted in the article. Please disregard my previous post even though I think this is a great thing)
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce is also openly gay. Helps explain his company's support of the LGBT community.
This scrum of disapproval about Qantas is -- once again -- frightening. And how fragile the recent (RECENT! folks) acceptance and legal support in many countries of the world. Many, but not most and far from all.
What is terrifying, however, is the attitude that "the problem is over."
Since Trump's election there have been anti-gay bills being prepared in every Red state in the USA. That didn't take long did it? Misogyny....
This scrum of disapproval about Qantas is -- once again -- frightening. And how fragile the recent (RECENT! folks) acceptance and legal support in many countries of the world. Many, but not most and far from all.
What is terrifying, however, is the attitude that "the problem is over."
Since Trump's election there have been anti-gay bills being prepared in every Red state in the USA. That didn't take long did it? Misogyny. racism, bias toward the disabled, religious bigotry, and, yes, homophobia are alive, rampant and living next door.
Btw, the complaining about "flaunting" is a number one indicator (among many) that someone knows little about gay people.
Why do those straight people hold hands, or have love scenes in movies and those awful, awful ads or, for heaven sake, a "pageant" with some woman wiggling around in a bathing suit! Now, the American president marries one "model" after another, each one younger still. Why does he talk about grabbing pussy any time he wants? Worst of all he says that he thinks his daughter is "hot," he'd hit on her any time.
Talk about flaunting. TACKY, beyond tacky.
Pity the poor gay people having to listen to that!
Gay marriage -- a llllooooonnngggg time coming, kids -- has benefitted many people. But, it has not "solved the problem." It is like saying that straight people can marry any time they like, so why do they want healthcare or jobs or to not be ridiculed, equality for women, respect and protection by the law and the instruments of the law, the police? Straight people can get married -- isn't that enough? But, NO, for example, they're always screaming about some education nonsense -- gays pay the taxes for education, seldom reap any benefits and still the straight parents can't pull a national education system together. They are sooooo gross. Why do they shove that stuff in gay faces?
So, Eric, Andre, Credit and DB...if possible, think before you speak. Maybe, maybe, look at things from the other guy's perspective.
"SIN would be illegal. CGK i don’t know. It’s maybe okay in China but sure the government won’t like it."
@Hans there is no nice way to say this. You're wrong.
There would be nothing wrong with landing a plane with a rainbow flag in SIN. Just FYI, there are many establishments in SIN which display rainbow flags, and no, the gestapo don't rush in and arrest everybody the minute the flag goes up.
Come...
"SIN would be illegal. CGK i don’t know. It’s maybe okay in China but sure the government won’t like it."
@Hans there is no nice way to say this. You're wrong.
There would be nothing wrong with landing a plane with a rainbow flag in SIN. Just FYI, there are many establishments in SIN which display rainbow flags, and no, the gestapo don't rush in and arrest everybody the minute the flag goes up.
Come visit, with or without a rainbow flag, and see for yourself. Then post.
I was brought in Europe 20-30 years ago and we never had any issues with gays, quite a bit of family friends were gays etc. but it wasn't in everybody s face every five minute like today, basically same as being heterosexual, it is a private mater.
I am raising kids and terrify of what school system teaches.
Again I have no problem with sexuality.
But one of my niece less then 10 years...
I was brought in Europe 20-30 years ago and we never had any issues with gays, quite a bit of family friends were gays etc. but it wasn't in everybody s face every five minute like today, basically same as being heterosexual, it is a private mater.
I am raising kids and terrify of what school system teaches.
Again I have no problem with sexuality.
But one of my niece less then 10 years old was told in class by a lesbian teacher it was OK to explore her sexuality with girls WTF!
Driving down LA with my kids a few days before gay pride (I think) and there was aggressive posters everywhere.
It is just too much... just keep your sexuality to yourself, be happy with the fact mostly everything is tolerated and accepted in todays society and stop pushing it, after all if everyone was gay it would be the intinction of the human race! Quite a big step for us humans, no?
I feel like today it is the heterosexual, that is respectful of everyone and would simply people to keep their sexuality to themselves that is being discriminated upon the most.
Let's Give heterosexual some credit and please everyone keep your sexuality to yourself And be happy.
I saw the plane taxiing in SIN on Feb 11
Pathetic and disgusting. Why would *any* airline or company make a statement having to do with anyone's sexual behavior? Whatever happened to the common courtesy of not shoving your values down other people's throat? Oh... I guess this only applies to conservative values, not to liberal / hedonistic ones that apparently can be flaunted at every opportunity.
Sunday = Soft News Day
I'd rather be gay anywhere in Australia than in Alabama.
Yay! I love it when a big company makes a risky, overt gesture of solidarity with my tribe! If you're aboriginal, you'd feel the same if they reached out to aboriginals (as they did, when casting their award-winning ads). I love it when Lucky points it out, cuz that's his job and I wouldn't know about this plane (or Qantas' good record on LGBTQ issues) if Lucky didn't tell me. This post is just a...
Yay! I love it when a big company makes a risky, overt gesture of solidarity with my tribe! If you're aboriginal, you'd feel the same if they reached out to aboriginals (as they did, when casting their award-winning ads). I love it when Lucky points it out, cuz that's his job and I wouldn't know about this plane (or Qantas' good record on LGBTQ issues) if Lucky didn't tell me. This post is just a garden variety example of Lucky coming through for us.
The predictable, illogical, philosophically incorrect arguments the trolls make are always gonna be there, so I don't give them no never mind. Well, I almost ignore them. Well, OK, I do actually read them, but I never take the bait. Well, almost never:
-Grindr works great in Riyandh and Jeddah. (And yes, by "works", I mean...)
-An openly gay blogger visiting Saudi Arabia, or flying Oman Air, or reviewing hotels in Dubai does more to help gay Arabs than everything the Trolls above me have done in their lifetimes.
-Mean people suck
"Last year WOW Air took delivery of their first A330, which they gave the registration TF-GAY. That’s certainly a bit more subtle than Qantas’ approach."
OK, someone enlighten me. What's Qantas' VH-QPJ registration supposed to be referring to?
Lucky - have you seen the Gay380 Qantas did a few years back? It's proudly on display at their Centre Of Service Excellence (COSE). It's pretty dang cool.
"Qantas is known for being a very LGBT-friendly airline. Perhaps it’s largely reflective of Australia"
Fact #1: Unlike the United States, gay marriage in Australia is still not legal.
Fact #2: The Australian Marriage Ammendment Act 2004 specifically defines marriage to be between a man and woman only.
Questions:
1) How truly gay friendly is Australia?
2) Is Australian laws out of step with public opinion & community sentiment?
You decide.
Kudos to QANTAS. But shame on you, Lucky, for spending money in countries that impose the death penalty on homosexuals.
@ Credit Sigh... amateur troll on a niche blog, go train in pro -trolling (real internet trolls elsewhere would have you for breakfast) and at least make an effort to be funny/sarcastic/witty once in a while. Because at the moment you're just boring....
@Eric -
The real snowflakes are the GOP:
-They're white.
-They're cold.
-Abd if you out enough of them together, they'll shut down the schools.
@Eric
Oh yes, I'm really sure you are super concerned about the plight of the aboriginal population in Australia or minorities in other countries. Here's the deal, corporations only care about making money, they don't care about social justice or political correctness unless it helps their bottom line. They aren't doing it just to force some agenda down your throat. If QANTAS is doing this, clearly they think that more people will like this than...
@Eric
Oh yes, I'm really sure you are super concerned about the plight of the aboriginal population in Australia or minorities in other countries. Here's the deal, corporations only care about making money, they don't care about social justice or political correctness unless it helps their bottom line. They aren't doing it just to force some agenda down your throat. If QANTAS is doing this, clearly they think that more people will like this than won't like it and that it will make them more money than not doing so. Essentially, there are more people, or at least potential QANTAS customers out there who support gay rights and equality than there are alt-right troglodytes like you.
LOL! @Eric said 'snowflake'. I still don't know what SJW means, but I think he called me one once. @Eric, it takes a real special snowflake to get offended by a rainbow on a plane. Just sayin....
Enough with the pandering to special snowflakes and the SJW cause of the moment. What about supporting aboriginals who are still discriminated against? Minorities in other countries who face real hardships? etc?
It is interesting though that Lucky trumpets something like this yet visits and supports airlines and other entities operated by, or connected with, regimes that have the death penalty for homosexual activity. But hey, a little flag painted on a tail fin makes...
Enough with the pandering to special snowflakes and the SJW cause of the moment. What about supporting aboriginals who are still discriminated against? Minorities in other countries who face real hardships? etc?
It is interesting though that Lucky trumpets something like this yet visits and supports airlines and other entities operated by, or connected with, regimes that have the death penalty for homosexual activity. But hey, a little flag painted on a tail fin makes up for that I guess?
Suspect that it is purple at the top as that is over the red background - red on top would get lost against the background.
@John...Yes, IKR? It is disgusting that people still don't have equal rights. Very disgusting.
Well done!
@ John -- Yes, you are.
Disgusting
*is not legal
Considering gay marriage is on legal in Australia, I don't think it's because Qantas is "reflective of Australia as a whole."
@Credit. What a surprise as a previous Trump commenter and supporter, you're homophobic as well.
I'm sure you and your fuhrer wanna make America 100% white, straight and Christian again, but your master plan, like Hitler's ultimately won't work, it will have the opposite effect. In the mean time scum like you are turning the country into a pariah and laughing stock of the whole world.
I know I used some big words there and...
@Credit. What a surprise as a previous Trump commenter and supporter, you're homophobic as well.
I'm sure you and your fuhrer wanna make America 100% white, straight and Christian again, but your master plan, like Hitler's ultimately won't work, it will have the opposite effect. In the mean time scum like you are turning the country into a pariah and laughing stock of the whole world.
I know I used some big words there and references to world history so I probably lost you. Here's it in simple terms even you can comprehend... you don't have a decent bone in your bigoted body.
@Credit- Same-sex marriage isn't legal in Australia...
...or is it because Australia is in the southern hemisphere and the fact that maybe rainbows are opposite down there and the red is on the bottom!?!?....mind blown
Actually Credit is wrong. Gay marriage isn't legal in Australia, the home of Qantas.
Can this land at CGK, SIN, PVG, or PEK???
SIN would be illegal. CGK i don't know. It's maybe okay in China but sure the government won't like it.
I'd hate it if I'm a scheduler and have to schedule around this...
At least they know DXB is a no go so didn't paint a 380....
They couldn't put red on top of the flag or it would clash with the red on the tail. So red is used at the bottom as the bottom of the flag never touches the "red" area of the Roo tail.
The flag is upside down because Qantas said if they would have painted it correctly the red colour from the top stripe would have mixed and camouflaged with the red colour of the tail. I think it's nice that they did this!
@ Credit -- Go find a new blog to troll.
Gay Marriage not legel in Australia yet.
Discrimination. Gay marriage is legal now. Gays shouldn't be a protected group any more than heterosexual people are. Choosing to support one group over others is how hegemony starts.
Boycott Qantas until they hold up and advertise heterosexual relations next.
Yea.