Collection Plate on QF International Flight

[kangarooflyer88]

I've flown Qantas a number of times domestically, but until recently have not set foot on a Qantas international flight. Throughout all of those flights, I would say that aside from serving a meal or snack on the flight, there's not much different between it and a typical domestic service in North America. However, I just got off QF 136 from CHC to SYD and just prior to landing an announcement was made asking passengers to donate any spare change they may have to Qantas' charity with a purser coming by with a plastic bag to collect donations. Is this normal for a QF international flight?

-RooFlyer88

 

[Anna]

Yes.

 

[Hvr]

Yes, I've seen it before. It's called Change for good.

https://www.qantas.com/travelinsider/en/trending/how-your-loose-change-adds-up-to-31-million.html

 

[AIRwin]

Not just QF:

Change for Good

A UNICEF initiative since 1991

www.unicef.org

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Not just QF:

Change for Good

A UNICEF initiative since 1991

www.unicef.org

From the site you linked to (emphasis added):

The participating carriers are Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific Air, easyJet, Japan Airlines and Qantas

I see a number of these airlines are budget carriers - perhaps they get a kickback?!

Don't get me wrong, it seems like a good cause, I just wonder whether they could perhaps do it at the airport instead of on the flight? I mean no one buys duty free with spare change these days. At the same time, I reckon many folks wouldn't hesitate tapping their card on a reader to donate say $2 to the charity. All I'm saying is that coming around the cabin to collecting cash seems like something you'd find on an EasyJet or RyanAir. Not even JetStar stoops to that level on board!

 

[UP4014]

QF donate it all and cover the admin themselves, I would suggest all the airlines do the same.

They’re looking for foreign coins or notes you are going to put in the bottom draw and never use again.

 

[serfty]

At the same time, I reckon many folks wouldn't hesitate tapping their card on a reader to donate say $2 to the charity.

It's been around for 2 decades or more with QF.

The idea is that after your last flight back to Oz you won't need those last remaining few sheckles of foreign coin, so you may as well donate to charity.

 

[jpp42]

This was suspended during Covid and must have restarted only recently.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I don't know if collection plate is how I'd describe it. In fact I can't recall a QFi flight where they haven't done this!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The idea is that after your last flight back to Oz you won't need those last remaining few sheckles of foreign coin, so you may as well donate to charity.

I'd hardly consider the $5 NZ note I have in my pocket as being just a few shekels. Did you now that note features the first person to climb the highest mountain in the world - Sir Edmund Hilary?

 

[jpp42]

Did you now that note features the first person to climb the highest mountain in the world - Sir Edmund Hilary?

There is no one first person to climb Mt Everest. The credit is shared by Hilary and his Sherpa co-climber, Tenzing Norgay.

 

[milehighclub]

Not even JetStar stoops to that level on

They contribute to a charity called Starkids (A charitable partnership between Jetstar and World Vision Australia) and also collect spare change along with card too as they have the payment machine for buy onboard.

https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/about-us/community-and-environment/starkids

 

[MrJetset]

It’s an incredibly successful corporate fundraising partnership that has raised over $185 million to date.

There used to be collection boxes at domestic gates but haven’t seen them in years.

Did it really impact your experience that much? You can always choose not to donate.

The main reason to donate yourself would be to claim the tax deduction, however as posted above it’s really looking to collect change and small notes.

 

[ZigZagWanderer]

Absolutely normal.

Those foreign coins are completely useless to most people. This practice makes use of them for charity, instead of them being discarded.

 

[TheInsider]

From the site you linked to (emphasis added):

I see a number of these airlines are budget carriers - perhaps they get a kickback?!

Don't get me wrong, it seems like a good cause, I just wonder whether they could perhaps do it at the airport instead of on the flight? I mean no one buys duty free with spare change these days. At the same time, I reckon many folks wouldn't hesitate tapping their card on a reader to donate say $2 to the charity. All I'm saying is that coming around the cabin to collecting cash seems like something you'd find on an EasyJet or RyanAir. Not even JetStar stoops to that level on board!

Makes me think if you are actually a kangaroo flyer!
They have made announcements on domestic flights for decades saying to place spare change in the terminal. As for international the same, but the envelope with cash/coins in it and then placed into the bag.
Don't see how this is a bad thing at all nor a LCC thing. That's just odd reasoning.

 

[JohnK]

Have seen this many times on QF over the years.

From memory Emirates does something similar but have not noticed it on SQ.

 

[sudoer]

I'd hardly consider the $5 NZ note I have in my pocket as being just a few shekels.

Then don't donate it...? You don't need to justify it to anyone, including strangers on a forum who have no clue how much spare change you might have left from your trip to NZ.

Weird anti-charity vibes here.

 

[Vic]

I'd hardly consider the $5 NZ note I have in my pocket as being just a few shekels. Did you now that note features the first person to climb the highest mountain in the world - Sir Edmund Hilary?

Mallory and Irvine????
Tenzing... has been mentioned

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Makes me think if you are actually a kangaroo flyer!
They have made announcements on domestic flights for decades saying to place spare change in the terminal.

I've been on many QF domestic flights and don't recall them ever announcing this. Now granted, my travel on QF has been limited to during COVID times so maybe they paused the appeal?

As for international the same, but the envelope with cash/coins in it and then placed into the bag.
Don't see how this is a bad thing at all nor a LCC thing. That's just odd reasoning.

This was the first time I ever experienced this and I've flown many airlines on my hops around the planet which is what caught me off guard.

Then don't donate it...? You don't need to justify it to anyone, including strangers on a forum who have no clue how much spare change you might have left from your trip to NZ.

Weird anti-charity vibes here.

I'm all for charity. Heck, I participated in the MS Gong ride last month and raised several hundred for the charity. I just found the whole thing a bit jarring. Perhaps it was all that Christmas music I heard blaring at CHC whilst waiting for an hour in the security lane or the upgrade fiasco that set me off, but this just seemed weird.

-RooFlyer88

 

[oz_mark]

I can't remember Qantas not doing this on the international flights.