Qantas was founded on November 16, 1920, in outback Queensland. The name came from Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services. It is the world's third-oldest airline still flying and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Early work meant joyrides and mail runs between Winton, Longreach, and Charleville. From that it grew into Australia's international flag carrier, the airline that represents the country abroad.
Qantas helped start the Royal Flying Doctor Service. In 1947 it launched the famous Kangaroo Route from Sydney to London, a four-day trip with many stops. In the 1980s it flew an all-747 international fleet. It merged with Australian Airlines in 1992 and was privatized in 1995. In 1998 it helped found the oneworld alliance, where members link schedules and networks. The company keeps pushing the limits of distance.
In 2018 it opened the first regular nonstop link between Australia and Europe, the 17-hour Perth to London run with the Boeing 787-9. Its Project Sunrise plan will use special Airbus A350-1000ULRs for Sydney to London and New York nonstop, near 20 hours. Qantas has no fatal jet accidents, a record noted in the film Rain Man. With Jetstar it carries most of Australia's international flag traffic.