AMID emotional scenes in both Sydney and Melbourne, Ansett staff partied through the night, saying farewell to the airline they loved and the workmates they had come to regard as family.

In Melbourne, amid chants of “Ansett, Ansett, Ansett”, hugs to long-time friends and autographing of each others’ uniforms, more than 1000 workers farewelled a part of Australian history.

There were similar tearful scenes in Sydney, as hundreds gathered at the Ansett terminal. Shortly after 9pm, as one of the last Ansett flights to leave Sydney taxied on to the tarmac, Ansett workers spontaneously gathered at a balcony overlooking the airport and began singing: “Leaving, on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again.”

In Melbourne, the originally jovial atmosphere gave way to tears as the last flight departed.

Administrator Mark Korda was welcomed at the wake, where staff thanked him for his efforts to save their jobs. “It is the greatest privilege of my career to have worked for the Ansett family,” he said. “We got within 48 hours and we are just sorry we did not get there.”

Partygoers blamed years of company and government mismanagement. Sally Gardener, who took her 10-month-old son to the party in Sydney, said: “Ansett staff feel like they have been let down by everybody.” Another partygoer, an unnamed trainee pilot, said: “It is absolutely disgusting what has happened. TheGovernment never wanted Ansett to succeed. All roads lead to the Government.”