Qantas to honour Luke Davies at Mardi Gras after death of former cabin crew and partner Jesse Baird

Qantas is planning to honour the life of flight attendant Luke Davies at Sydney Mardi Gras following the tragic death of him and his partner Jesse Baird. 

Family and friends of the flight attendant and TV presenter have written tributes for the couple, after Police officer Beaumont Lamarre-Condon was charged with their murders. 

Baird, who was 26, and 29-year-old flight attendant Davies were last seen alive on 19 February. The search for them culminated when remains were located inside two “surf bags” at a rural property in Bungonia, a small town about 115 miles from Sydney, on 27 February.

On 2 March, Qantas is set to honour Davies by placing his name on the front of its float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. The parade is set to take place across Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade in the harbour city between 6 pm-11 pm. 

Davies started working with Qantas in September 2022 in Brisbane before moving to Sydney in November last year to work across the company’s international network.

A colleague of Davies has recalled one of his final acts of kindness onboard Qantas. Brooke Walters recalled how Davies spent more than eight hours looking after a passenger with dementia on a flight from Sydney to Singapore just three weeks ago.

Walters said Davies was working in the first-class cabin when a passenger informed him that her husband was struggling with the condition. 

The couple were on their way to Europe to visit their son in what could have been the man’s final trip. 

“She was really saddened by it because she kept saying he was the most beautiful husband and kindest man, and she was losing him to this cruel disease,” Walters told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The husband had deteriorated in the last three months really badly, so it was going to be their last trip to see their son, and Luke wanted it to be as comfortable as possible.

“Luke took it upon himself to care for them constantly,” she added.

In a statement, Qantas executive manager cabin crew Leeanne Langridge said this is an “incredibly sad time for those who worked alongside Luke Davies at Qantas”.

“Luke was a much-loved member of the Qantas cabin crew community in Brisbane and Sydney. He had a passion for travel, life, his family and friends and the customers that he served. He will be deeply missed,” she said.

“The whole team at Qantas are thinking of Luke and Jesse’s loved ones.”

• Dec 01 2023

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