A recreation of the iconic Qantas Kangaroo Route in golden age of travel departed Sydney for London this morning for the first time since the 1940s.
Recreated by Captain’s Choice, guests were surprised by Qantas ground staff dressed in vintage Emilio Pucci uniforms from the 1970s, to check them in.
Before departure, guests officially celebrated the beginning of their journey last night with an exclusive welcome dinner at the Sydney Opera House, featuring a special performance by the Australian Girls Choir.
The evening was attended by Dr Michael Ben-Meir, CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria, and Wendy Miles (nee Fysh), daughter of Qantas co-founder Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh.
The epic journey follows in the footsteps of the Kangaroo Route but in a modern Qantas A330-300 aircraft, with stops in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkata, Colombo, Cairo, Rome, and Toulouse en- route to London.
The Kangaroo Route was made famous by Qantas last century and describes the commercial passenger air routes flown between Australia and the United Kingdom via the Eastern Hemisphere. The route has been operated since the 1930s but earned its legendary moniker in the 1940s as a descriptor for the “hops” that were reminiscent of a kangaroo’s, covering long distances.
During the journey guests will experience an almost identical flight path as the one Qantas first wholly operated in 1947. At that time, the route from Sydney to London took four days and seven stops to complete, with just 29 passengers aboard a Lockheed Constellation aircraft. In true Captain’s Choice style, however, the journey has been reimagined with exceptional sightseeing, exclusive experiences and stays in refined residences.
“Today marks the departure of a long-held dream for the Captain’s Choice team, bringing the legendary Kangaroo Route to life for our guests,” Captain’s Choice CEO Bas Bosschieter said.
“Given our history with Qantas across many private charters, including our first-ever journey 30 years ago, it feels fitting for Captain’s Choice to be the custodians of this iconic route recreation. This journey has all the hallmarks of a Captain’s Choice adventure – an extraordinary collection of destinations, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and a deep connection to history and culture.”
