Qantas is now selling its old drink trolleys stocked to the brim with mini bottles of red and white wine, Champagne, and bar snacks.
The vintage bar carts were removed from the airline’s iconic Boeing 747 aircraft after operating for almost 50 years before retiring in July.
The airline open its memorabilia storage shed to the public on Wednesday, offering 1,000 Qantas 747 bar carts for sale from $947.70 each.
Each pre-loved cart comes complete with 40 mini bottles of red wine, 40 mini bottles of white and a bottle of Champagne from the airline’s business class cellar, Tim Tams, pajamas and an exclusive-to-Qantas first class Sheridan throw.
Within hours of the sale going live, all 1,000 drink trolleys were completely sold out after nostalgic flyers wanted a piece of aviation history.
The sale comes after Qantas revealed plans to cut further costs, including ending its 30-year partnership with Rugby Australia, in an attempt to recover lost profits during the coronavirus pandemic.
Qantas is now selling its old drink trolleys stocked to the brim with mini bottles of red and white wine, Champagne, and bar snacks
Qantas executive manager of product and service Phil Capps said the airline wanted to offer a unique opportunity for aviation enthusiasts to own a piece of the 747 legacy, particularly at a time when travel was out of reach for many.
‘These pre-loved carts served Qantas and our customers well during their world travels from London and Los Angeles to Singapore and Santiago, with each one averaging around 2,000 flights,’ he said.
‘While we no longer have use for them, they still have life in them, especially for those with an appreciation for aviation collectables and an eye for design.
‘There has been huge demand for Qantas 747 memorabilia and Frequent Flyers have expressed keen interest to convert the bespoke in-flight trolley into everything from lamp stands to storage units.
‘The fact they come fully stocked with some of Qantas’ most popular on-board service items will hopefully inspire some high-flying fun at home.’
Mr Capps said customers have been ordering the airline’s wine to enjoy at home while its ‘iso care kits’ featuring pajamas sold out within hours.
The half bar carts were sold for $974.70 each, including delivery, while the full size carts with double the items were available for $1474.70.
Each pre-loved cart comes complete with 40 mini bottles of red wine, 40 mini bottles of white and a bottle of Champagne from the airline’s business class cellar, Tim Tams, pajamas and an exclusive-to-Qantas first class Sheridan throw
The airline operated various incarnations of the 747 ‘Queen of the Skies’ for almost 50 years before retiring the jumbo jet six months early as part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis.
The farewell of the last Qantas 747 in July inspired an outpouring of affection and nostalgia from Australians.
Meanwhile, Qantas has grounded most of its fleet due to travel restrictions and recently recorded a $1.9 billion annual loss for the 2019/2020 financial year.
Up to 20,000 staff have been stood down while 8,000 have been made redundant.
On Wednesday, the airline announced it will end its 30-year partnership with the Wallabies at the end of this year.
‘In an environment where thousands of our people have lost jobs and thousands more are stood down while they wait for flying to restart, we can’t maintain these sponsorships in the way we have in the past,’ Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said.
‘While we’re dealing with this crisis and its aftermath, the cash cost of our sponsorships has to be zero. Without exception, our partners have been incredibly understanding of the situation, particularly as most are facing their own COVID challenges.
‘Qantas has had a very long association with Rugby Australia and the Wallabies, and we’ve stuck with each other during difficult times. Unfortunately, this pandemic has been the undoing. Like all Australians, we’ll continue to cheer them on from the sidelines.’