Collection Plate on QF International Flight

[SYD]

It's been around for 2 decades or more with QF.

The idea is that after your last flight back to Oz you won't need those last remaining few sheckles of foreign currency, so you may as well donate to charity.

I’d stretch that to 3 decades or more!

 

[RooFlyer]

Its a brilliant scheme - besides notes, what else are you going to do with the foreign currency coins that are floating around your carry-on?

 

[Lynda2475]

Absolutely standard and a great initiative. BA also have a similar scheme.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Its a brilliant scheme - besides notes, what else are you going to do with the foreign currency coins that are floating around your carry-on?

I mean I personally have banker's envelopes with the name of each country I visited and the coins/notes collected. I try and avoid using cash whenever possible, but I know in some countries like Singapore and Germany that's easier said than done, hence the need to keep the cash, as hunting for an ATM and using a credit card to withdraw cash is far from ideal.

Absolutely standard and a great initiative. BA also have a similar scheme.

The more I think about it, the more I think it should be standard. Perhaps what surprises me now is why other airlines aren't making such an appeal towards the end of such international flights. This is literally the first international flight I've been on with any airline where such an appeal was made.

-RooFlyer88

 

[sudoer]

The more I think about it, the more I think it should be standard. Perhaps what surprises me now is why other airlines aren't making such an appeal towards the end of such international flights. This is literally the first international flight I've been on with any airline where such an appeal was made.

It is standard. Many airlines have already been doing this for decades.

Some might have paused collections during the pandemic, but if you flew international with QF, BA, EK, AA, JL or CX (among many others) before the pandemic then perhaps this was just the first time you've paid attention to the announcement or envelope in the seatback pocket.

Probably best to sit down before reading this - almost all major airports also have foreign currency donation bins, usually airside just after security.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It is standard. Many airlines have already been doing this for decades.

Some might have paused collections during the pandemic, but if you flew international with QF, BA, EK, AA, JL or CX (among many others) before the pandemic then perhaps this was just the first time you've paid attention to the announcement or envelope in the seatback pocket.

Key here is I haven't. For AA I've only flown domestically between Canada and the US with them. BA has been domestic flights within UK/Ireland and South Africa. Haven't flown EK, JL or CX either.

Probably best to sit down before reading this - almost all major airports also have foreign currency donation bins, usually airside just after security.

Never seen that. Then again I'm more interested in getting to the lounge as soon as possible. For just $700 CAD a year you can feed a hungry Kangaroo as they leap from airport to airport with a Platinum card that offers lounge access!

 

[1022]

Have you not noticed that every pair of headsets QF hand out (including domestic) are wrapped with a Change for Good envelope?

 

[AIRwin]

Have you not noticed that every pair of headsets QF hand out (including domestic) are wrapped with a Change for Good envelope?

Not everyone uses it?

 

[mrsterryn]

We tend to have a plastic bag of change ready to go in the little bag once we are aboard. Random coins that we have brought home

 

[QF029]

I've been on many QF domestic flights and don't recall them ever announcing this. Now granted, my travel on QF has been limited to during COVID times so maybe they paused the appeal?

Domestic flights are very different to international flights where many people return home with some foreign currency coins. You can't exchange coins at forex shops and unless you return regularly to that country or region (i.e. EU) they are wasted. We get that you've only just heard of it but it's a great initiative and if you don't trust it, don't give. Simple.

 

[Lynda2475]

We tend to have a plastic bag of change ready to go in the little bag once we are aboard. Random coins that we have brought home

Me too. whilst packing for last international trip found some random small notes from Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and a bunch of coins from Hong Kong. Put in an envelope and donated on first flight where crew came through collecting.

I find I have less and less coins to donate though as most recent trips have not required cash at all. One can easily spend a month in the UK and never need cash once.

 

[eminere]

From memory Emirates does something similar but have not noticed it on SQ.

EK's is the Emirates Airline Foundation and yes, announcements for donations are made prior to landing.

 

[RichardMEL]

To be fair I don't think I've heard this on domestic flights since the pandemic. Are the change boxes still in terminals? I don't recall seeing any recently, but I hadn't been looking out for them. Back in the olden days I even did drop a few foreign coins in one myself

I figure it was stopped with covid, coins.. and well not may people on domestic flights possibly have coins these days? I know it's still rare for me to use cash these days - now more out of habit than anything.. so it may have become a thing of the past domestically.

However as noted through this thread has been going on for years internationally and makes a lot of sense. Sure, I wouldn't donate notes (No, I wouldn't be the jerk to put old of circulation old bank notes in either) unless they had terribly little value, but sure if I left a country I do not visit on a regular basis I'd throw in coins absolutely. Gets them out of my hair and potentially to do a good deed. Win/win imo.

I'm all for it. And again, there's no compulsion to give anything so I'm not sure why this is an issue. No like constant credit card sales pitches on some carrers (and please QF don't start! )

 

[DC3]

… coming by with a plastic bag to collect donations. Is this normal for a QF international flight?

Yes, all the time. Optional to donate

 

[SeaWolf]

I've been on many QF domestic flights and don't recall them ever announcing this. Now granted, my travel on QF has been limited to during COVID times so maybe they paused the appeal?

I recall being told that there's a collection box somewhere in the QANTAS domestic arrivals area of their major terminals, but I've never been able to find it at Sydney.

 

[jb747]

I think it was originally an initiative from the cabin crew. Excellent idea anyway. I always used to stick any coins that I had on the last leg of a trip into one of the envelopes.

 

[sudoer]

I recall being told that there's a collection box somewhere in the QANTAS domestic arrivals area of their major terminals, but I've never been able to find it at Sydney.

I'm not sure whether there are usually collection boxes at domestic terminals? The one I'm aware of at SYD T1 is between security and the QF lounge escalator:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm pretty sure the is one at HBA; I've used it within the least 18 months.

 

[sudoer]

Sure enough, looks like the donation boxes are in domestic as well - at least a few years ago there was a Unicef box near the (now closed) Qantas Heritage Collection.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

 

[RichardMEL]

Yes, they were definitely dotted around the major domestic terminal gate areas. As I wrote earlier I've not noticed one since pandemic, but had not been looking for them so it's possible they still are around.

Used to be the envelopes provided in seat pockets. I never look in them so not sure if they are still around on domestic