Qantas has called on the general public to suggest names for its forthcoming fleet of eight Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which it says it wants to name after “Australian icons”.
The airline has published a page on its website where anyone can provide eight name suggestions for the 787s, the first of which is due for delivery in October this year.
“We want their names to reflect the true Spirit of Australia, so your suggestions should be around people, places or things that reflect the depth and breadth of this place we all call home. It could be a notable person, a ground-breaking invention, a piece of our culture, a saying, a man-made or natural landmark, anything that sums up what Australia means to you,” the name-the-plane webpage reads.
But aspiring plane namers will need to be quick, as entries will close on Friday May 26. From then a shortlist of 24 names will be released with the public asked to vote for their favourites before the final eight are announced.
Ever wanted to name a plane?
Well here’s your chance >> https://t.co/BGGYwqOAGz pic.twitter.com/qWi3LF3WU1— Qantas (@Qantas) May 14, 2017
It is also worth noting too that the successful entrants will hand over all rights to the use of the names.
“Entry details remain the property of Qantas and will not be returned to the entrant,” the fine print on the Qantas website reads. “The winners agree to grant Qantas a perpetual and non-exclusive licence to use their entries in all media worldwide and the winners will not be entitled to any fee for such use.”
Qantas has eight 787-9 Dreamliners on order, with options for a further 35. The airline has a long-standing tradition of naming its aircraft, mostly after Australian cities, towns and places. Exceptions in the current fleet include the Airbus A380s, which are named after prominent Australian aviation pioneers, the original Retro Roo 737-800 which is named after former airline CEO James Strong, and the New Zealand-based, Jetconnect-operated 737-800 subfleet, which is named after New Zealand pioneers.
Further information on Qantas’s aircraft naming conventions can be found here.
UMAKANTA BHATTACHARJEE
says:I suggest the name as “Q-Dream”
Mike
says:Pick 8 iconic people from Australian history, 4 men and 4 women.
Dave
says:How many nominations can we get for Planey McPlaneface?
Andrew Ewen
says:Dazza, Bazza, Shazza, and Gazza for the first four? Can’t get much more Australian than that, can you 😉
K Watson
says:I suggest something like “John West” since they are a sardine manufacturer and that name would be entirely appropriate for the 787 economy class and the onboard toilet facilities.
Adrian P
says:WESTERN. NORTHERN TERRITORY ,QUEENSLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES, VICTORIA, SOUTHERN, TASMANIA, ACT AND INDIGENOUS.
james
says:the big red rat – it’s what everyone in travel industry calls QF
Paul
says:U Beautee
Vannus
says:Can’t get better than an Australian icon than naming the first aircraft ‘QANTAS’.
Ben St Aubyn
says:Home and Away
ian
says:Vannus Qantas is hardly an icon, just another airline.
GBRGB
says:“Thurston,” and they can paint the front of the plane to look like head gear.
Harold Pratt
says:Bobby Helpmann for a start then Peter Allen and Michael Kirby.
Robert BAYLISS
says:Secondary name. “Terra Australis”. With the individual aircraft being given the name of an animal unique to this great country.
Harold Pratt
says:Darryl Kerrigan should be “odds on”.
Scott
says:Planey McPlane Face
Billy Hughes
says:Billy Hughes
Darren
says:Dazza. Always wanted my name on a plane.
Kae Bulmer
says:I would like to see one of them named after the first Australian woman pilot Nancy Bird Walton
australianaviation.com.au
says:@Kae Bulmer – Qantas in fact named its first Airbus A380 after Nancy Bird.
Riplander
says:Planey McPlaneface
Rodney Marinkovic
says:Name for first Dreamliner B787, should be “”SOUTHERN CROSS “” . “”CHALS KINGSFORD SMITH “”, “”JAMES STRONG “”, “”ALICE SPRINGS “” “”SAUTHERN AURORA””, “”TERRA AUSTRALIS.”” , “”QANTAS – BOEING’S FRIENDSHIPS “” , “” QANTASVILLE “” .
Greetings from Rodney Marinkovic, winter residence. Home of Qantasville I.
Kings Park Sydney Australia
dave hice
says:named after the kangaroo –“AussieRoo”
Camo
says:@Andrew Ewen
How about Wazza, Muzza, Scott and Charlene for the other 4?
Vannus
says:To ian above……
No, QANTAS is not just another airline! It’s a true Aussie icon!
It’s our National Carrier, of which we can be very proud in many respects’, will turn 100 in 2020, & is the oldest Airline in the English-speaking world.
It has also been awarded the coveted ‘Cumberbatch Trophy’ (Google that!) TWICE!
That’s a feat which hasn’t been achieved by ANY other Airline!
Hooray! for the ‘Flying ‘Roo’!
Henrietta
says:To Rodney Marinkovic, comment above……..
Many of the names you’ve suggested have already been used on older QANTAS aircraft, going back many decades’, including ‘Flying Boats’.
You should read the trilogy of books on the Company, by Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh, one of QANTAS’ founders’, starting with ‘QANTAS Rising’.
Names’ aren’t used more than once.
Allan
says:“Nine-across Nightmare”
Pontius the pilot
says:Priscilla, Queen of the Desert would be a Monte.
John
says:GABBA WACA MCG SCG for the first 4
Colin
says:Connie Jordan who in 1942 became Qantas’ first female licensed ground engineer. A trained music teacher she also held a pilot’s licence and raced an MG in open competition – the first female in Queensland to do so. A real ‘can do’ person.
Mick181
says:Should name one Harry Houdini(yes that one) who believe or not was on the 18 March 1910 the first person to make a powered flight on Australian soil, at Diggers Rest in Victoria in a plane brought out from Germany.
Roman
says:K Watson +1 on John West sardines 🙂
Will Shakespeare
says:Use some interesting thought provoking names?
e.g. Gondwana Spirit or Bird
Andrew
says:Daydream, Dream-time, The Land Down Under, Great southern Land and also name after remarkable Qantas pilot. .Richard De Crespigny (QF32 pilot)
Paulie
says:How about “Spirit of the Anzacs”?
MP
says:Maaaate
Robert
says:“David Boon”
To commemorate his record on a flight to London.
Shelley Hampton
says:As in the wonderful Aussie iconic movie The Castle. ….”How’s the serenity?”… .-
Call them SERENITY
Zarg
says:How about, “Don Bennett”. If you don’t know who he was, look him up! Clue: Would not be a popular name in Nazi Germany!!
franz chong
says:I started thinking past and present Neighbours characters in all this SCOTT,CHARLENE,BILLY,ANNE,PIPER,TYLER,SONYA,NELL as possible contenders in all of this.
Franklyn
says:How about:
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Opera House
Jenolan Caves
Great Barrier Reef
Ayer’s Rock
The Olgas
Bungle-Bungle Ranges
Katherine Gorge
Wilpena Pound
Murray River
The Great Barrier Reef
Migaloo
Barossa Valley
Clare Valley
Margaret River
Steve Bowman
says:Time to turn to a music theme \
Seekers
AC/ DC
mix genre across our diverse musical heritage
Rosemary
says:Kath & Kim,Lawn Hilll, flagstaff Hill, Botany Bay, The Top End, Out West,She’ll be apples,
Dame Mary Gilmore
Dean
says:For the new name I would like DIVERSITY Australia
Dean
says:Also DIVERSITY Australians or DIVERSITY