Qantas is once again pouring spirits on domestic flights
The fully-restocked bar cart was a missing piece needed to restore the airline’s pre-pandemic offering.
By Chris Ashton, April 22 2022
Business class passengers who fancy a tipple with their chicken or beef can once again enjoy the familiar clink of ice in their glass, with Qantas this week reintroducing spirits on all domestic flights departing after 9am.
In addition, the airline will hang your jacket and offer a pre-meal drink on longer east-west routes such as Sydney-Perth. Although small, this trio of premium traveller treats were the missing pieces needed to bring the inflight service back to pre-pandemic era levels.
As first reported in Australian Frequent Flyer, the bar cart has been restocked with popular options including vodka, whisky and gin. Their return marks the end to an absence of over two years, after being ‘temporarily’ suspended in the early days of the pandemic.
They rejoin a selection of Australian wines selected by the Qantas Neil Perry Sommeliers, as well as beers and a range of non-alcoholic options, which all returned back in July 2020.
Qantas continues to ride the tail winds of recovery in 2022, unveiling new destinations and routes including Seoul, Rome, New Delhi and Bengaluaru, and recently reigniting its popular Brisbane-Los Angeles route. It also dusted off its exclusive first and business class lounges.
The year began with the return of Sydney to Los Angeles on the A380 superjumbo in January, will see the Kangaroo Route from Sydney to London via Singapore bounce back from June, and ring out with flights from Melbourne to Dallas/Fort Worth firing up in December.
With record domestic traffic over the Easter long weekend – the first with all state borders open since the pandemic began – and international travel showing welcome signs of recovery, the future of Australia travel is looking bright indeed. And that’s worthy of a toast, so cheers!
23 Apr 2015
Total posts 21
A welcome return! Now can we have Bundaberg ginger beer back too in all cabins…. 🙏🥂
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 470
Bundaberg Ginger Beer was back as of yesterday!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Nov 2018
Total posts 109
About time…. Qantas now charge a minimum of double both Rex and Virgin.
There needs to be a point of difference for this price premium
16 Oct 2012
Total posts 40
Perhaps now they can also give passengers paying the highest domestic fares something to use those dessert spoons for... a proper dessert. I mean it’s pretty hard to eat that miserly Lindt chocolate with a spoon. Alas, it seems pax don’t mind paying a lot more for that little Lindt pleasure. And I’m sure it helps keep the QF business class meal cost to a minimum too.
IMO the QF soft domestic business class product is underwhelming at best. Indeed it doesn’t stack up well compared with VA, where pre takeoff drinks are offered and meals are individually plated. Not to mention the fact the food in VA business class is much more palatable.
17 Jun 2020
Total posts 248
Amazing what competition can do. Shame their call centre and baggage handling is trash.
British Airways - Executive Club
10 Dec 2020
Total posts 3
Whilst it's a move in the right direction for my antipodean cousins I have to ask......
....In pre-coof times was it always policy to only serve booze on post 09:00 flights. What crazy madness is this?! I board a flight LGW-BER at 05:45 then you best be sure to be serving me champagne along with my breakfast! Yes may have already quaffed a bottle or 3 in the lounge but I booked business to ensure the flow of such things was not interrupted by trivial matters such as being at 30,000 feet on a 2( ish) hour hop.
I had no idea you guys n girls ( and I suppose nowadays also the unicorns and helicopters amongst you) were subject to such oppressive behaviour from your flag carrier. I thought how your Brown Shirts ( I think before they were called "the police" or something like that) had acted these last couple years was appalling, verging on war crimes, but this is just disgusting!
That said I guess we have to take account of you lots disgusting behaviour of late where you brought flight tickets AND had the audacity to turn up for those flights expecting to get on them which as Herr Joyce made clear was terrible behaviour and highly privileged of y'all
23 Apr 2022
Total posts 1
Are you really equivocating the unavailability of alcoholic beverages before 9am on a flight to Nazism?
You sir, are an idiot.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 358
I can happily confirm I enjoyed a scotch and dry on my morning flight (I’m on holiday) to Cairns the other day.
A welcome return.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Jan 2018
Total posts 605
"In addition, the airline will hang your jacket and offer a pre-meal drink on longer east-west routes such as Sydney-Perth."
Oh my God, such service only available of 4-figure, trans-continental fares with Qantas?. And yet Virgin do this in business class on MEL-SYD and SYD-BNE sectors all the time. And these are $299 airfares. I guess 'service; can mean different things to different people. LMAO at Qantas over this.
24 Apr 2022
Total posts 2
Please stop serving Sauvignon Blanc in domestic business class 🤮🤮
QFP
22 Jan 2013
Total posts 91
Are u also now able to buy a beer or wine in economy on QF before 5pm??? Can’t believe they removed this when every other airline in Oz (including JQ) didn’t.
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