Qantas Boeing 737 'RetroRoo' charity joy flight now on sale
By David Flynn, September 1 2015
The famous Qantas RetroRoo – a Boeing 737 decked out in eye-catching 1970s livery – will make a special joy flight from Sydney to Longreach on Saturday October 31, and tickets for what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience are now on sale. Update: tickets are now sold out!
And it's not just the plane that's retro – there's a fun dash of 1970s throwback woven into this all-day event, which will raise money for the Western Queensland Drought Appeal.
Your day will start with a champagne breakfast and special musical performance at Sydney’s Qantas Domestic Business Lounge.
Then it's onto the RetroRoo for a 9.30am wheels-up and a leisurely 2.5 hour flight to Longreach, Queensland – a historic and spiritual cornerstone of Qantas and home to the Qantas Founders Museum, where you'll be hosted at a private tour and lunch.
Then it's back on board and back to Sydney for a 6.50pm arrival.
On both legs of the journey there'll be a delicious '70s themed inflight menu from Neil Perry, some suitably retro cocktails, fun inflight auctions and more!
Maybe we'll even see the crew in those wonderful 1970s Pucci-designed uniforms which they donned for the RetroRoo's delivery flight from Seattle to Sydney in November last year? We can but hope!
Tickets for this one-off flight cost $737 and all funds raised by Qantas will go directly to the Western Queensland Drought Appeal to help those in difficulty as a result of the ongoing drought.
To book your ride on this one-off charity joy flight, click through to the Qantas retro-inspired charity flight web page – but be quick, because seats are bound to sell fast!
This is just one of the special celebrations planned by Qantas in the lead-up to the airline's 95th birthday in November.
Australian Business Traveller is proud to support the Qantas Longreach Drought Appeal Charity Flight – we'll be buying a ticket to send AusBT editor David Flynn on the flight, and are also working with Qantas to help promote this special event.
Read more: Qantas reveals ‘flying kangaroo’ livery on Boeing 737
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
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.
05 Jan 2014
Total posts 25
It even comes with 60 SCs!
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1245
Nope, booking terms and conditions state that points and status credits are not earned on these flights. (You can disregard the "Qantas frequent flyers could earn..." message that appears as part of the booking engine.)
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 735
Really? Lame. They should have thrown in some SCs.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
Lame??? More like pathetic that some on here can't give (to charity) without expecting something in return
30 May 2011
Total posts 37
wow, happening on Halloween! Just thinking of the implications...
QF Platinum
24 Jan 2013
Total posts 138
Awesome! How do they allocate the business class seats? Noticed you can only buy economy class. Thought they'd could earn a lot more for the charity by selling them for an extra premium? :)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
Be interesting to see the mix on the flight... Suspect a lot of P1/Plats who might be sitting a lot further back than usual, or even in a middle seat!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Maybe they'll auction off upgrades in the lounge – although if that's the case it'd best be done after the champagne breakfast, as a few glasses of bubbly under the belt might spur higher-than-usual bids :)
Qantas
13 Jun 2015
Total posts 141
These flight attendants look pretty hot!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Dec 2014
Total posts 284
Just booked it!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
I look forward to sharing the flight wih you, Tom, and with score of other people out for a fun day!
01 Sep 2015
Total posts 2
I have just booked it as well! I am looking forward to sharing this unique day with some other great people. I suppose that we will receive an email closer to the flight with details on the arrival time for the champagne breakfast? I wonder what lunch has in store for us? I also noticed that seats could not be chosen, only 'requests' for either aisle or window seats, I hope that seats are confirmed before the day of the flight.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Hi Adam, good to have you on board, and I'm sure all of that detail will be sorted closer to the date.
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 5
Unintentional, but I like how with the credit card booking fee, the total price comes to "$744" :)
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 5
I also just booked by the way. Perfect chance to visit Longreach!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
As of 1.30pm today there were just 29 seats left on the RetroRoo charity joy flight - so if you want to join the fun, get your skates on and book ASAP!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Aug 2012
Total posts 22
Excellent! I'll also be coming along, such a great opportunity to visit Qantas' cradle and support the resilient folks out in western Queensland. Kudos to Ausbt for throwing your support behind such a great cause!
12 Feb 2014
Total posts 229
Want to say it again, that retro-roo looks perfect. Such a buzz every time I see it.
NEVER EVER repaint it, Qantas.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Aug 2014
Total posts 503
Would look good if they did that for their first 787 with the livery just like AirNZ
QF
10 Jan 2014
Total posts 9
Can't wait for such a fun and exciting day! I'm looking forward to meeting other enthusiasts. Thanks again to AusBT for giving us the inside run on tickets!
I'll be donning some retro 70s party attire if anyone else cares to take some polyester glamour to the outback....
Let's hope those middle seats stay free.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 94
I must be getting old - that livery makes me feel all gooy inside!
08 Jul 2015
Total posts 10
So Excited for this flight!!! Always wanted to go out and vist the mesume, AND fly the retro roo!!! Actully i'm spending the almost $800 to mostly just to fly the Retro Roo!!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Sep 2015
Total posts 1
Qantas has advised this flight is now sold out. Great news for the charity involved.
Qantas
02 Sep 2015
Total posts 37
Hi all, my name in Noel Shone. Iv got 2 seats on this flight thanks to ABT. Im taking my 81 year old mother on this flight and have told her that there is no time for a nannynap but maybe on the way back. Looking forward to the trip and were coming from Melbourne so its a 4 am rise. My mother is also looking forward to this trip and loves flying, shes off to darwin on the 12th for a week. There is no stopping her. See you all in the Sydney business lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Sep 2015
Total posts 2
If anyone needs to offload a ticket, let me know I know someone who i probably should of booked but didnt.. cheers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Sep 2015
Total posts 2
Does anyone know of anyone who has booked and cant go? i know someone who would LOVE to go! thanks
Qantas
22 Sep 2015
Total posts 1
It appears the flights have changed slightly now.
01 Sep 2015
Total posts 2
It shows on my booking summary that the return flight is now via Rockhampton, hence the difference in flight times. It may be due to a lack of fuel facilities or takeoff weight allowance at Longreach? I would like to know what time we are required to meet at the Sydney Business Class Lounge for our 'champagne breakfast', so I can organise airport tranfers- maybe an email is coming soon?
Really looking forward to a memorable day :)
QF
10 Jan 2014
Total posts 9
Hi All,
I spent 45 minutes on hold to QANTAS today about this one and apparently we'll be getting an email in the next day or two. All their info is coming from their charter section. It's a shame about the abridged departure time, I reckon it's a fuel issue too.
Hopefully it'll still be a great day!
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