Style the friendly skies

Our national air carrier has fittingly turned to Aboriginal designers for their livery and uniforms

Over a decade ago Qantas decided they had had enough of meeting the status quo when it came to the livery (exterior) of their aircraft. A brief was created and ideas bandied about, it was agreed that the airline would step out of the drab and into the Dreamtime.

Adelaide-based Aboriginal design firm Balarinji Designs were brought on board (pun intended) to give a Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 737-800 the makeover of a lifetime. The aircraft were named Wunala Dreaming and Yananyi Dreaming respectively.

The makeover did not stop at the planes exterior, it also flowed through to the interior, food service equipment and exclusive craft merchandise.

Via the hands and creative inspiration, of a collection of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists both airlines were adorned with unique artworks inspired by our Outback landscape.

The works fused traditional Central and Northern Australian Aboriginal art to create what Qantas dubs ‘one of the world's largest pieces of modern art'.

Sydney based designer Peter Morrissey was later commissioned by Qantas to supply staff uniforms. So far, the outfits have met with the approval of the flight crew who wear them with pride and panache.

Kat Hartmann