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Staff Legacy

TAA 25 Year Club

Discover the history and enduring institutional legacy of the TAA 25 Year Club — established in 1972 to honor the long-serving professionals who built Australia’s national carrier.

TAA 25 Year Club — Honouring our members.
TAA 25 Year Club — Honouring our members.

Our History

Origins of the TAA 25 Year Club

The TAA 25 Year Club was formed in 1972 in recognition of the achievements and contributions TAA and its people had made to both Australian and world aviation since 1946. Admission to the club was automatic but required members to achieve 25 years of continuous service with the airline.

Over the years, membership numbers have varied. Today, around 700 people maintain membership — 43 of whom joined in 1946. Naturally, membership is slowly reducing due to time and qualification constraints.

With the airline’s name change in 1986, the club became the TAA/Australian Airlines 25 Year Club.

Staying the Course

Growth Through Airline Transitions

The merging of Qantas and Australian Airlines in 1992 did not inhibit the functioning of the club. Members — over 2,000 at the time — had worked together for decades and shared a strong association that would not be disbanded.

Qantas also had a club, the Qantas 20 Year Club, and it was suggested the two should merge. However, loyalty to the original TAA 25 Year Club prevailed. Members believed the unique history of TAA would be lost if merged — and many cherished images and icons had already been discarded or destroyed.

Become a Member

Membership Today

Today the club has an average of 700 members. Under the revised constitution, airline staff who achieve 25 years of continuous service — provided they began their career with TAA or Australian Airlines — may join. Many such staff continue their careers with Qantas and other airlines, maintaining the club’s numbers as older members pass on.

The club remains a national organisation, with members residing in every Australian state.

The TAA Museum itself was born from a small group of these forward‑thinking, long‑serving staff members who banded together to preserve TAA’s history for future generations.

Head over to our Membership page if you would like to know more.

TAA MUSEUM

Preserving the legacy of Trans-Australia Airlines — 150,000+ artefacts spanning 1946 to 1992, held by volunteers who refused to let the story disappear.

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25 year club