Qantas supports World Pride by hosting a special flight from L.A. to Sydney and bringing people to the very famous Sydney WorldPride Festival Concert and Mardi Gras, which happened on the 24th and 25th of February. The event is a landmark for the LGBTQI+ community, not only in Australia but worldwide. It started as a protest for gay rights and inclusion and it grew into a magnificent celebration of inclusion where everyone is welcome and happy to participate.
The Pride flight
On the 22nd of February, the WorldPride Flight departed from Los Angeles, California heading to Sydney. It was full of members of the LGTQI+ community who came to participate in this year’s WorldPride Festival and Mardi Gras.
But according to a promotion published by the airline earlier this year, this was not a regular flight. Passengers onboard that very special flight would have access to a wide range of gifts. Starting with a ticket to the Live and Proud Concert, special pre-flight entertainment with Djs and musician G Flip. Once they came on board they would enjoy a makeup masterclass hosted by Mecca Max to prepare them for the big event, in-flight entertainment with Australian comedian Joel Creasey and special drag performances, a special menu designed by Australian chef Neil Perry and inflight movies curated by the LGBTQI+ community.
But the gifts didn’t stop on arrival. The passengers of this very special flight would have access to a wide range of special extras such as complimentary breakfast for 2, welcome amenities and hotel credits on selected premium rooms offered by Marriott Bonvoy.
Qantas also mentioned that this flight was a zero-emissions flight with a 100% carbon offset.
WorldPride Festival
Qantas is the official airline partner for Sydney WorldPride. The airline has been a long-time supporter of the event and has had employees participating in the Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras for over 25 years. Qantas has also been a very vocal supporter of Marriage Equality, in the 2017 referendum.
This year, the festival went from the 17th of February to the 5th of March. The event celebrates our LGBTQI+ community, our diversity and our inclusivity. The two main events of this year were the Loud and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert, held on the 24th of February featuring names like Kylie and Danii Minogue, Charlie XCX and Jessica Mauboy. It was followed by the Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras parade on the 25th of February.
This is proud proof of how far we have come, but it is also a strong reminder of how much further we need to go in terms of inclusion and equality.