Qantas says it has no plans to charge for meals, drinks and baggage
By David Flynn, May 25 2018
Qantas says it won't introduce a no-frills 'Economy Basic' fare which would see passengers pay extra for meals and drinks, checked luggage and even inflight movies.
The airline floated the scheme in a survey sent earlier this week to members of its invitation-only Qantas Advisory Panel, calling out "Qantas flights between Australia and New Zealand" for the proposed "pay as you use" model.
Read more: Qantas is looking at 'buy on board' for meals, inflight movies
However, following the proposal being revealed on Australian Business Traveller and subsequently picked up by newspapers, radio and TV outlets, Qantas moved quickly to deny it would go down the contentious 'buy on board' route.
“We often ask questions to get a sense of what the market thinks but that doesn’t mean we intend to do something,” a spokesman for the airline said. “Specifically on this question, we have no intention on unbundling our fares."
(Interestingly, this was more definite on ruling out the concept when compared to the airline's original statement to Australian Business Traveller, which merely said "we have no plans to introduce this at this stage.")
"Given we’re in the middle of rolling out free Wi-Fi, we are clearly committed to being a full service airline," the spokesman added.
Australian Business Traveller understands the same question has been repeatedly put to the Qantas Advisory Panel in recent years, but judging from Qantas' comments – influenced no doubt by strong protests against the notion of a stripped back 'seat-only' fare – this may now be off the table for good.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
02 Dec 2015
Total posts 30
Good. Should never have been on the table. Some airlines have this option because they don't have a budget carrier like Jetstar. Qantas already has this option with Jetstar. If I wanted buy on board I would naturally gravitate to Jetstar. Enough said.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
Good to see public preassure has caused an immediate and definitive back down
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Oct 2016
Total posts 37
They were never planning it in the first place though...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2017
Total posts 2
I have no issue with a company engaging with it's customer base to acertain what the customer really wants.
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 174
I wonder if Qantas was asking the wrong question. The panel is made of up frequent flyers who like all-inclusive fares but what if Qantas had positioned this not as 'pay as you use' but a lower-priced 'basic economy fare'? If they had given examples of how much cheaper that fare would be compared to a regular full service fare and maybe suggested the price for meals and bags this could have had a very different outcome. After all, frequent flyers with lounge access can eat their meal before that short flight to NZ and many are adept at efficient packing and would be carry-on only, especially business travellers, so promoting this as a significantly cheaper economy fare could have been more appealing than talking about paying for meals etc.
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 12
I agree with you. But those business travellers eating in the lounge would probably be flying business class already anyway.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
13 Mar 2015
Total posts 79
Well...they have Jet Star for that option.
21 Jul 2011
Total posts 89
Those pax fly Jetstar and Tiger. Enough said.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 387
Smart move Qantas and thanks AUSBT for helping to apply the common sense blow torch!!
12 Sep 2017
Total posts 17
Can AusBT apply some pressure on the delays of posting of FF points in QF after flying JQ ? It takes over a month, and they keep making excuses - Qantas blaming Jetstar, Jetstar blaming Qantas - no one wants to own this issue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Oct 2013
Total posts 33
Yes, I have found that too - even the website missing points claim feature does not help..
04 May 2018
Total posts 30
Yep still waiting 8 weeks for 3 JQ flights. QF just say not our problem it is a JQ issue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 362
I agree. This is why Qantas/Jetstar works so well and has been so successful. It’s incredibly clear which each one offers and passengers choose which one suits them. Airlines around the world envy this strategy - many have tried, many have failed.
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 12
I agree exactly. Why they even consider it is a funny thing
04 Feb 2013
Total posts 6
Great news.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2017
Total posts 84
They must have read the previous thread
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 699
Well they backflipped quickly...
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 174
Not a 'backflip' as Qantas never said it was definitely going to launch Economy Basic and BoB, more a 'backdown' from considering the idea to totally ruling it out.
12 Feb 2015
Total posts 89
Media beat up. Qantas could equally be testing market reaction to unbundled services to test their full service marketing strategy against the likes of Air New Zealand.
16 Dec 2016
Total posts 58
No - AusBT backflipped quickly. It was never on the table by my reading. It was just good click bait for this site.
SilkAir - KrisFlyer
28 Mar 2017
Total posts 17
Qantas clearly has read my responses to the panel survey!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Aug 2014
Total posts 72
QF food is poor anyway in economy, I give I miss every time.
09 Jan 2016
Total posts 43
Poor, it’s terrible! I’d happily pay to get something better than the slop they serve up in economy!
24 Apr 2018
Total posts 13
Ha. Are you new here? I haven't flown QF enough to have a view on the food but they them charging for it won't improve it.
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 110
often the solution to getting something better meal wise on flights that qualify for such a thing is to be something you usually are not like a vegetarian,lactose intolerant or even jewish.sometimes such things and excuses if you order say a kosher meal well in advance get you something tastier.
21 Jul 2011
Total posts 89
It’s not just the food, the the entire paradigm shift that this would entail. Fly Y in the US or Europe on legacy carriers and this is EXACTLY where this would take us all. Yes the food can be average, but it’s all about an cultural attitude in my mind.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jan 2013
Total posts 13
This would have been a nightmare. Crew working out who had included it and who had not, then being slowed down by collecting payment.
24 Apr 2018
Total posts 13
Had the option of prepurchasing food for JQ4 earlier this year. Collecting payment does slow down the process but they didn't seem to spend any time (in the aisle, anyway) figuring out who had prepaid.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jan 2013
Total posts 13
That’s the point - you expect it on a LCC like Jetstar. An with respect, you are using a 10 hour flight as an example vs capital city hops, the majority 90 mins.
24 Apr 2018
Total posts 13
I'm not "comparing" anything, just adding to the discussion, principally that my experience was that collecting payment does slow things down, but that figuring who has paid and for what didn't seem to be an issue.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
19 Jul 2014
Total posts 27
I'm sure it would be handled as 'An enhancement to better serve our Customers'
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Dec 2017
Total posts 18
Nice that it is off the table :)
27 May 2017
Total posts 21
Thank Gosh
06 Jun 2017
Total posts 28
Qantas would do it if they thought they could get away with it. They just "tested the water", and the negative feedback was too much, otherwise why put it out there?
20 Jun 2012
Total posts 7
I like the decision, but here's hoping passenger vote by booking basic economy on other carriers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
Alas some common sense from Qantas. As many have rightfully said you have Jetstar to offer an alternative for those who want it. Let's hope Qantas management get back on track with some basic thinking.
15 Feb 2018
Total posts 43
This idea was simply a case of bean counters looking at how they could cut costs and charge people for services to make money. All businesses do it from time to time. If they wanted a real cross section of comments, they should have asked all their silver and above frequent flyers, not just a select few. Fortunately, common sense prevailed.
13 Feb 2015
Total posts 13
Famous. Last. Words.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 164
Thank goodness. Some questions do not need to be asked.
05 Aug 2017
Total posts 17
Note that qantas charges for alcoholic beverages on some routes. Flew SYD-CNS a few weeks ago and a small bottle of wine was like $7 or so. I asked the stewardess why they charge. She told me on “holiday routes” they always do. Don’t understand this policy...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 May 2018
Total posts 73
No Johnny9.. Alcohol on Qantas in Economy is free on flights scheduled to depart after 4pm.. and has been for many years. Othertimes it's $6 for a beer or wine.
Free of course in business.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jan 2013
Total posts 13
Not true Racala - see https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/onboard/inflight-dining/domestic.html?int_cam=au%3Ainflight-dining%3Aarticle%3Adomestic-options%3Aen%3Ann#economy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Nov 2017
Total posts 3
Show me the bottle!
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