Back in August 2017 Australian indie pop duo Client Liaison released their 1980s themed video clip for “A Foreign Affair”, featuring Tina Arena and a whole swag of references to defunct airline Ansett Australia. So where did they film the clip?
Scene by scene
The duo arrive into the terminal.
Walk up to the check-in counter.
And present their passports.
Once onboard, they take their seats in business class.
And consult the aircraft safety card, like every conscientious passenger.
Back in the economy class cabin, a young child sleeps.
They take to their air.
Then end back at the terminal.
As a couple are reunited.
So where did they film it?
This one was easy – someone over at the Australian Frequent Flyer forums answered it:
moa999
Dec 2, 2017Was reportedly filmed mostly at AVV.
Including using ex-Qantas VH-EBU which is stored at Avalon and currently painted in Avalon Airport livery.
Avalon Airport management advertises the use of the airport as a filming location:
Avalon Airport offers a range of distinctive locations including:
- The passenger terminal inside and out
- The airside run-way (specific locations only)
- A retired jumbo jet – available for filming inside and out all year round.
- Australian bush settings including shrubbery, farmland and cattle
- Large hangars
The aircraft interiors in the clip were filmed onboard Qantas 747-300 VH-EBU “Nalanji Dreaming” – stored beside Avalon Airport’s hangar 6.
She was put into long term storage at Avalon Airport in 2005 and was used as a parts bin, but has since been repainted.
Much of the interior remains, including the cockpit.
Galley.
Business class cabin.
And economy class cabin.
The terminal scenes were filmed at the Jetstar check-in counters.
But Avalon Airport doesn’t have any jetbridges – which got me stumped.
Thankfully the Film Victoria website had this photo of a circular tunnel.
But it isn’t a jetbridge – but a hallway.
Located nowhere near the terminals, but attached to an office building between hangers 1 and 3.
An aerial photo footnote
In the background of the video clip an overhead view of an airport at night is presented.
It was far too busy looking to be Avalon Airport, so I started doing the rounds of world airport via Google Maps to try an find a match.
JFK in New York? No!
Frankfurt, German? No!
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington? Still no.
Boston Logan? Nope!
Chicago O’Hare? No!
Turns out it was Newark Liberty International Airport, in New Jersey.
And what about the safety card?
Midway through a video clip, a closeup of a Ansett Australia branded A320 safety information card appears.
Ansett Australia did operate Airbus A320 jets, but the safety cards looked different.
So where did they get their safety card from – an alternate Ansett design, or was their logo just photoshopped in?
There’s a very similar one here – http://www.flickriver.com/photos/8358092@N02/
Nice find – looks to be the same layout and design, just different colours:
I travelled extensively from the mid 80s to the mid 90s, usually on Ansett.
Every week I was flying somewhere on business. The 4am Monday rise, the drive to the airport, the 7-8am flight. Push back and breakfast.
Local flights they had news on the TV system. International they pulled down screens and showed a movie. You didn’t get a choice. It was what was on that screen.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to XXXXX where the local time is …..” Set your watch, get your bags.
Taxi to the hotel, pick up the inevitable reams of faxes from the office. Get a cab to a meeting, take clients out to dinner, then hit the local clubs.
Ansett were the best of the best. I flew so much some of the crew recognised me. “Oh hello, you were with us to Jakarta last week”
At the time I disliked the lifestyle. It was lonely. I missed every wedding anniversary for nearly a decade. Some of the places were outright dangerous. Riots, wars, coupes, typhoons, food poisoning, accidents in taxis, shakedowns from police. Getting back on Ansett, you knew you were going home.
I miss it all now. The excitement, the mystery, the flights the hotels, the restaurants, bars and clubs.