The historic day when the first Qantas B707138 was seen at the Nadi International Airport?
July 2, 1959, marked a historic day at the Nadi International Airport. This was the day the first Qantas B707-138 made its inaugural flight to our shores.
Children from across schools in Nadi were taken on a tour of the new Qantas 707-138.
Those who witnessed the take-off from Newtown Beach said it was an audio-visual spectacular-with the sound of the early model turbojets followed by a trail of black smoke.
The sleek, silver, and white fuselage of the Boeing 707 jet created history as Qantas became the first airline in the world to operate commercial passenger jet services across the Pacific.
Qantas also was the first airline based outside the USA to operate the new passenger jet.
Qantas flight EM774 departed Sydney Airport at 3.35pm on July 29, 1959, bound for Nadi, Honolulu and San Francisco.
A temporary parking and refueling bay was constructed outside the Airport Fire Station and hangar area at the Nadi International Airport.
A bus service was provided to the old Terminal for passengers disembarking or in transit while the new terminal was under construction at the time with new taxiways and parking areas.
Qantas B707 jets were the first to provide Trans-Pacific services on July 29, 1959, flying from Sydney – Nadi – Honolulu – San Francisco and return.
Shortly afterward, Pan American also introduced their B707 service.
The second Fiji Airways DH 114 Sr. 1 Heron VQ FAL was quickly put into service between Suva and Nadi. Flights connected with the international services provided by TEAL, Qantas, TAI, Pan American, and Canadian Pacific.