Qantas has started delivering over 1,000 pre-loved Boeing 747 bar carts to lucky customers across Australia.
Of the many Australian Frequent Flyer members who ordered one of these fun collectibles, Hvr was the first to take delivery. Hvr posted some photos of their newly-delivered cart on Tuesday morning.
Qantas put the used galley carts on sale last week, with each cart having flown an average of 15 million kilometres in service on the Boeing 747. The carts had a price-tag of $947.70 for a half bar cart, or $1,474.70 for a full bar cart, and come fully stocked. The half bar cart contains:
- 40 mini bottles white wine and 40 mini bottles of red wine & 1 bottle of Champagne from the Business class cellar
- 2 Qantas Business Class amenity kit featuring ASPAR Travel Essentials
- 1 Sheridan throw made exclusively for Qantas First Class made of 100% combed cotton
- 2 Qantas Business Class sleeper suits M/L & L/XL (suitable for most shapes and sizes)
The wine supplied with the carts is surplus stock due to expire soon. Qantas warned customers that “50% of the mini bottles included have a best before date of January 2021 and 50% of bottles have a best before date of April 2021”.
The bar carts also include a beautifully-designed and cleverly written brochure. Here’s part of it (click on the image to open a larger version):
While the official Qantas brochure contains some basic instructions, a Qantas flight attendant has posted an unofficial (albeit much more interesting) guide to ensuring you have a genuine Qantas bar cart experience! Milehighclub posted the following instructions on AFF:
How to tell if your Qantas bar cart is genuine:
The breaks probably don’t work and when you stop, it will keep on moving
Tubs will do one of the following – will go in and won’t come out or will go in and collapse to the bottom with any weight on them whatsoever
There should be remains of a faulty sticker, or if you are really lucky, the tag that reports its faulty but somehow manages to get back into the networkHow to use your bar cart:
If you purchased a full sized cart – you must use 2 people to move it
Put the items you use the most, in the least convenient location. To really add to the experience, don’t use the other door to access the rear contents, instead pull everything out to get to it, then sigh loudly when you realise it was actually in the front all along
To ensure the security of your bar cart, use barbed wire, then use your bare hands to remove it and curse at the end that these things are so hard to remove
To upgrade your cart to business class, drape linen over it. Carts cannot be upgraded to First, as carts do not enter the cabin in first
When moving your cart, ensure to hit as many items in your house as possible
Do not close the door, slam it shut instead to make as much noise as possible disturbing everyone around you. Then go oops when you realise what you did.
Some of the used bar carts needed a bit of cleaning after they arrived, but most recipients are extremely happy with their purchases! If you haven’t received your Qantas bar cart yet, don’t worry – deliveries are still underway.
If you’re the new proud owner of an airline bar cart and looking for some inspiration, Limewood may have some ideas for you. This member posted:
Had our Qantas 727 Trolley for 15 years, has all Boeing plates and numbers, its 30 years old. Had a mate who worked in catering, he got it for us, however it was all banged up and ready for tip, so we did some panel beating, fixed wheels, added some stickers and it looks like this now.
You can see photos of Limewood‘s Boeing 727 bar cart (and impressive home bar setup) on the AFF forum.
The Qantas 747 bar carts did sell out quickly, so many have unfortunately missed out. But if you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum member, be sure to check your latest Qantas newsletter for details of a competition to win one of the prized souvenirs.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: 747 Bar Carts
