FLY ME TO THE MOON!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

QANTAS

Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an acronym for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, New South Wales, with its main hub at Sydney Airport. It is Australia's largest airline, the oldest continuously operated airline in the world and the second oldest in the world overall. Qantas headquarters are located in the Qantas Centre in the Mascot suburb of the City of Botany Bay. Qantas still retains a 65% share of the Australian domestic market and carries 18.7% of all passengers travelling in and out of Australia.

With the COVID crisis, QANTAS like most other airlines around the world is struggling to survive. Most of its flights have been suspended and most of its planes are languishing in the airports, being maintained and hopeful for a return to the skies. It has shed one-fifth of its employees while keeping another 15,000 stood down. Government support is the only way the company and its employees can weather the COVID storm. 

Here's to happier days, when the kangaroo can fly again and we can travel to our destinations of choice around the world!

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part fo the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part fo the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part fo the Wordless Wednesday meme.

SUNSET MILE HIGH

Snapped this on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne some time back. Sunset high up in the sky above the clouds is quite amazing! Worth getting a window seat if you can...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds the world's largest natural harbour, and sprawls towards the Blue Mountains to the west. Residents of Sydney are known as "Sydneysiders". Sydney is the second official seat, and second official residence, of the Governor-General of Australia, the Prime Minister of Australia and the Cabinet of Australia.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

AIRPLANE

Melbourne Airport (IATA: MEL, ICAO: YMML), also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne, and the second busiest airport in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the Melbourne metropolitan area.

The airport is 23 km from the city centre. The airport has its own postcode—Melbourne Airport, Victoria (postcode 3045). This is adjacent to the suburb of Tullamarine.The Melbourne–Sydney air route is the fifth most-travelled passenger air route in the world and the second busiest in the Asia Pacific region. The airport features direct flights to 33 destinations in all states and territories of Australia in addition to numerous destinations in Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.

Melbourne is the most common destination for the airports of five of Australia's seven other capital cities.N1 Melbourne serves as a major hub for Qantas and Virgin Australia, while Jetstar Airways and Tiger Airways Australia utilise the airport as home base. Melbourne is the busiest airport for international export freight as of August 2011, while second busiest for import freight. Domestically, Melbourne serves as headquarters for Australian air Express and Toll Priority and handles more domestic freight than any other airport in the nation.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.