Australian flag Carrier Qantas has released a new safety video. The video comes as the airline will this year mark 100 years of operations, and enter into its second century of existence.

Qantas is one of the world’s oldest airlines. In fact, the Australian flag carrier was founded in November of 2020, before going on to make its first flight the following year. However, as the 20s have rolled around again, Qantas is looking to celebrate the occasion. In fact, the Australian aviation giant has spent the last 12 months cooking up a special safety video for that exact reason.

Why introduce a new video?

The focus of any safety video is, of course, safety. Over recent years we’ve seen many whacky safety videos released as airlines vow to try and capture passengers' attention. For example, there is the crazy Starlux one which looks more like a music video, or British Airway’s attempt at capturing attention though comedy presented by tv character Chabuddy G. Let’s not forget the one made of Lego.

However, the new Qantas safety video differs. In fact, it seems reminiscent of the British Airway “to fly to serve” campaign of the early 2010s. This video takes viewers on a journey through history. Qantas’ new video will debut onboard aircraft from Sunday (1st March 2020).

Flying back in time

Passengers watching the safety video will be transported back in time. The video opens with an Avro 504 which was borrowed from the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach. The video then continues through the decades, showcasing a number of different aircraft and uniforms.

The Australian airline went out of its way to ensure authenticity was present throughout the film. In fact, every uniform worn was taken from Qantas’ own collection, or borrowed from retired cabin crew who had kept it. Additionally, staff appearing in the video portray their current roles through the ages.

Arguably the most interesting attention to detail, however, is to do with the Boeing 747 Captain Cook Lounge scene. Rather than building a set from scratch, the airline actually flew in wall panels from a retired Boeing 747-200 sat in the Mojave desert.

Commenting on the new video, Qantas’ CEO Alan Joyce said that it was important to keep passengers' focus on the safety video, as many of the airline’s 55 million passengers will see it more than once. He added,

"It [the video] calls out the contribution Qantas and its people have made to aviation, like the invention of the slide raft, as well as the national carrier’s role in connecting Australia to the world”.

What do you make of Qantas’ new inflight video? Is it a great idea to capture the passengers' focus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.