Qantas, the Australian flag carrier, launched service yesterday with the Airbus 380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
After arriving from Australia, Qantas operated a ceremonial flight-to-nowhere from LAX up the coast to do a flyover and U-turn over San Francisco. Ben Mutzabaugh, a reporter for USA Today who writes a blog (more about that another time) was an invited guest on the flight and took a number of pictures.
Click here to view his pictures.
In addition to interior and exterior shots of the aircraft, Ben took several fine shots from the plane of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.
The first photo you’ll see is of him and John Travolta, one of the two celebrities (the other being Olivia Newton-John) on the flight. You may not know that Travolta is a pilot and (multi) aircraft owner.
Qantas will operate the 380 on its nonstop routes between Los Angeles and both Sydney and Melbourne. San Francisco will not be getting 380 service now although the carrier does fly nonstop from SFO to Sydney.
By the way, if you’re thinking that Qantas is some strange word, perhaps of aboriginal origin, then you would be incorrect. It is an acronym created with the first letters of its original name: “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services [Ltd]”.
