Qantas introduces complimentary alcohol for economy passengers on all flights

[jakeseven7]

Ahhh good to see competition and instead of following VA2 downmarket, a bit of a step up from QF.

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Qantas has announced several improvements to its inflight food and drink options, including news that complimentary beer and wine for economy passengers will now be available across all domestic and regional flights, rather than just available to purchase on certain flights.

Qantas has also trumped Virgin with a significantly more generous policy waiving the fees passengers have to pay to rebook flights.

The new offer means those who book domestic or trans-Tasman flights before 30 April 2021 for travel up to 31 January 2022 won’t have to pay a charge to switch and people can switch as many times as they like.

Qantas trumps Virgin with better deal on waiving change fees

Qantas has trumped Virgin with a significantly more generous policy waiving the fees passengers have to pay to rebook flights.

australianaviation.com.au

 

[Virgin Bart]

Didn't see that coming.

 

[justinbrett]

Wow, that’s great news.

It was always thought it was weird that you had to pay in cash - so backwards. I’m guessing Qantas did the sums and it was cheaper to just give it away rather that get EFPOS machines.

They never had change and you can’t be handling cash during covid.

 

[Hvr]

Probably have lots of stock to use as it approaches the 'Best Before' date.

 

[jase05]

I’m sure QF are doing this out of the goodness of their heart and won’t jack up their prices to compensate

 

[kookaburra75]

I’m sure QF are doing this out of the goodness of their heart and won’t jack up their prices to compensate

On flights since Oct last year, we've been served drinks after 4.30pm weekdays on QantasLink flights - which is what they used to do back when things were 'normal'. That includes CBR-SYD and CBR-BNE work runs.

Probably have lots of stock to use as it approaches the 'Best Before' date.

I agree, they would have a lot of mini-bottles of wine they would be trying to get rid of. There's only so many of those they could shift through Qantas Wines.

 

[Katie]

Cripes, I read the subject as "compulsory", not "complimentary".

 

[AIRwin]

Cripes, I read the subject as "compulsory", not "complimentary".

You must have had a compulsory drink beforehand?

 

[Daver6]

Cripes, I read the subject as "compulsory", not "complimentary".

Alcohol kills Covid. It's been drummed into us

 

[Bundy Bear]

I think a few things going on here and instead of the bean counters winning the marketing team won.

1. Probably alot of unused bottles of wine and beer to use up.
2. Virgin is going down market so why not go upmarket
3. Streamlines distribution of food and beverage onboard, don't have to carry an EFTPOS machine of cash.
4. Likely in the future you will only be able to pay for wine and beer via EFTPOS.

 

[jakeseven7]

I think a few things going on here and instead of the bean counters winning the marketing team won.

1. Probably alot of unused bottles of wine and beer to use up.
2. Virgin is going down market so why not go upmarket
3. Streamlines distribution of food and beverage onboard, don't have to carry an EFTPOS machine of cash.
4. Likely in the future you will only be able to pay for wine and beer via EFTPOS.

It was a good news story to launch all three messages bundled up as well:

- Big airline sale
- Unlimited changes to fares, lots of flexibility to dodge pesky state premiers
- Free booze (plus return of hot meals which didn't get as much attention as free booze lol)

Certainly has a lot of my friends booking

 

[justinbrett]

3. Streamlines distribution of food and beverage onboard, don't have to carry an EFTPOS machine of cash.
4. Likely in the future you will only be able to pay for wine and beer via EFTPOS.

I very much doubt it. Considering alcohol is free on most of the busy capital city routes after 4pm, it’s really a minority of flights that have BoB alcohol. Assuming Qantas doesn’t go down the path of BoB food, I just can’t see it being worth their while.

They might meet somewhere in the middle and give all routes free booze after 4pm, but remove the option for BoB alcohol outside of these times (which is how QLK props run - they either have it or they don’t, if they have it, it’s free)

 

[dajop]

2. Virgin is going down market so why not go upmarket

I think some AFF contributors have suggested the QF premium is in the order of 20% based on fare baskets. I guess marketing need to offer something other than the intangible branding to maintain or increase even increase that premium.

 

[jase05]

I think some AFF contributors have suggested the QF premium is in the order of 20% based on fare baskets. I guess marketing need to offer something other than the intangible branding to maintain or increase even increase that premium.

Absolutely. Just doing some routine checks and it looks like VA are about $30-40 cheaper on many routes ex ADL on the cheapest fares and $80-120 on the Flexible fares so I guess people have to weigh up if a couple of drinks and and an average quality warm meal are worth the fare difference. Each to their own

 

[dk4]

...so I guess people have to weigh up if a couple of drinks and and an average quality warm meal are worth the fare difference. Each to their own

I expect many people flying Qantas have made a relationship decision, rather than a single trip price point value decision every time they fly. So less transactional, more holistic - frequent flyer points/status, credit cards, network, lounges, international partners, oneworld....

 

[jakeseven7]

I think some AFF contributors have suggested the QF premium is in the order of 20% based on fare baskets. I guess marketing need to offer something other than the intangible branding to maintain or increase even increase that premium.

Makes sense, personally I'm not seeing that premium at the moment and anyway VA2's schedule is so unreliable when there is a cheapie flight we aren't allowed to book it anymore (for work) because they have been cancelling and rescheduling so much we end up paying more on rebooking at the last minute a more suitable flight.

So they are off our booking system for now. Plus they fired most of their bus dev / corp acc team in Jayne's latest bloodbath so we have no one to call, had to fight to use all our credits, then they 'disappeared', fought to get reinstated, then booked, then flights got cancelled last minute etc etc - massive nightmare for our business.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Now if only they could extend this to the JQ flights (including those in NZ) ...

 

[jb747]

So, they're saying that you have to be drunk to fly.....?

 

[kookaburra75]

Now if only they could extend this to the JQ flights (including those in NZ) ...

I rely on taking my stainless steel thermos, with my special 'tea' (red or white) and a couple of plastic tea mugs. Like the US where you can carry your own pizza's etc on board for meals. At least you can get away with that in Australia as we don't have the international liquid limits. Do they apply in NZ?

 

[serfty]

So, they're saying that you have to be drunk to fly.....?

Hah! RSA should prevent that ...

I agree with prior comments; QF seem to be trying to differentiate themselves.