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Can you name that plane? Qantas asks public to name its 787s

written by australianaviation.com.au | May 15, 2017

Can you name that plane?

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.

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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.

 

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Comments (45)

  • 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

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