Qantas starts selling cigarettes inflight after 10 years

[AlphaVictor]

This is strange.
Qantas brings back sale of inflight cigarettes | NEWS.com.au

Airlines, such as QF are trying to cry poor, by taking items (ice, drinks, food, olives) off flights to save costs on fuel and now they bring back cartons of ciggies?

Love the quote

A letter recently sent to Qantas staff by management states: "It's vital that duty free carts are taken out into the economy cabin, with the cigarettes displayed prominently on top''.

 

[MelUser]

Nice to know there will be some discretion in the first and business cabins - perhaps they could just put them out in the J self service bar with an honour box? Or perhaps they will be discretely sold during the dead of night behind the galley curtain when all other F/J PAX are asleep?

 

[PeNT]

What will they think of next

 

[NYCguy]

This is an absolute disgrace. We should all contact QF and do what we do best - COMPLAIN!

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'm not a smoker, and will in fact object if anyone lights up near me, but i don't see the big deal here. They are simply selling it on board, not allowing you to smoke them. Heck they SERVE alcohol already. You can buy sigarettes a few minutes before you board the flight, and a few minutes after you've landed, is it really going to create that much disruption?

 

[Hvr]

I don't believe it is appropriate to sell death sticks on board a plane. Of course there will be people who will light up and cause all sorts of problems on board. There is still the odd problem taking their own alcohol and drinking it on board.

The real fun will start when an under age person purchases cigarettes and the airline gets fined. There are young people who go around to retailers trying to purchase cigarettes from retailers who do not check their age. Wonder how many will volunteer to check out Qantas?

I don't smoke but do notice that stores seem to keep their cigarette displays very discreet. Is this a legislative thing? If so will QF be required to adhere to the same standards whenflying into or out of states with these requirements?

 

[Myrna]

Sydney, 16 July 2008
The Chairman of Qantas, Mr Leigh Clifford, today announced the appointment of Paul Rayner as a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Qantas Airways Limited.
Mr Rayner will fill a casual vacancy on the Qantas Board, with immediate effect.
"My fellow Directors and I are delighted that Paul has accepted our invitation to join the Qantas Board," Mr Clifford said.
"Paul has recently retired as Finance Director of British American Tobacco plc and was previously Chief Operating Officer of British American Tobacco Australasia Limited. His substantial financial, operational and international experience will be a valued asset to the Qantas Board."
Mr Rayner joined Rothmans Holdings Limited in Australia in 1991 and held a number of senior executive appointments before being appointed Chief Operating Officer of British American Tobacco Australasia in 1999. He joined the Management Board in 2001 and was appointed Finance Director, based in London, in 2002.
Mr Rayner, who holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Administration, is currently a Non-Executive Director of Centrica plc and also serves as Chairman of Centrica's Audit Committee.

 

[bambbbam2]

I don't see the big deal. As others have said, it's a legal product.

i would rather some poor smoking sucker subsidises my fare, thank you very much.

 

[oz_mark]

STill can't smoke them on the plane, and smokers would just be buying the elsewhere anyway (most likely duty free at the airport).

 

[Alanslegal]

Again, like any business, it's (sad to see) profit over principle.......

Since it's going to happen, the question is where would it stop? (Scaremongering) but will condoms, Morrissey inspired lingerie or even cough magazines be eventually be offered for sale in private F suite cabins??

I think QF management has lost it's mind really when I think society these days want clean, healthy & responsible living.

 

[Mal]

What is the big deal with selling cigarettes? Do people boycott Coles, Woolies, or your local convenience store/petrol station because they sell them?

Qantas can sell whatever they want Duty Free. I don't really care as long as they only sell them to those of the correct age.

 

[trooper]

I am a rabid EX-smoker... but even so..as has been pointed out it is a LEGAL product.. why shouldn't they sell it?

If the Anti smoking groups/individuals (who are, predictably up in arms about this) were really serious wouldn't they be lobbying for a complete ban on importation/sale/use of tobacco?

Yet they aren't. (and to my knowledge never have been?) That's just weird. Instead they want commercial organisations to look after things for them.. with voluntary bans?

How half assed is that?

 

[opusman]

Cigarettes are a legal product, and frankly, if QF can make a bit of extra money out of cigarette sales maybe it will keep the price of the flights down.

 

[NYCguy]

Cigarettes are a legal product, and frankly, if QF can make a bit of extra money out of cigarette sales maybe it will keep the price of the flights down.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tuapekastar]

Whilst I am quite surprised Qantas has gone back to flogging DF smokes, because it's really difficult to see it being worth their while, I cannot see why such a song and dance is being made about it.

At the risk of repeating what's already been said here, they're legal to posess, legal to sell on the plane DF, no-one's going to smoke them on the plane, and people can buy them at (almost) any airport DF.

Okay, I'm not really surprised the various health and anti-smoking lobby groups are kicking up a fuss...that's their job!

 

[acampbel]

There are pros and cons in the decision by Qantas to sell cheap cigarettes to the nicotine dependent :-

Pros - they will make more money from their Duty Free sales.

Cons - the name "Qantas" and the phrase "Good corporate citizen" will never be uttered in the same sentence without the accompaniment of derisive laughter.


Good to see that the BAT stooge is making an impact on the Qantas board .....


Cheers,

Andrew

.

 

[Maca44]

Even though they do not weigh much, my only gripe is the cigarettes
could take up room where some nice scotch, red wine and champers could be stored.

 

[oz_mark]

Cons - the name "Qantas" and the phrase "Good corporate citizen" will never be uttered in the same sentence without the accompaniment of derisive laughter.

No better or worse a corporate citizen that Coles or Woolworths on this matter.

 

[NM]

ok, its probably the cynic in me coming out again, but is it just coincidence that the story of selling cigarettes and the announcement of a new member of the Qantas Board appear on the same day? The new board member is Mr Paul Rayner, who was previously the Finance Director of British American Tobacco Plc, and before that the Chief Operating Officer of British American Tobacco Australasia Limited.

 

[SeatBackForward]

ok, its probably the cynic in me coming out again, but is it just coincidence that the story of selling cigarettes and the announcement of a new member of the Qantas Board appear on the same day? The new board member is Mr Paul Rayner, who was previously the Finance Director of British American Tobacco Plc, and before that the Chief Operating Officer of British American Tobacco Australasia Limited.

I doubt you need to be cynical. I'm sure it was ansolutely connected. I can imagine the conversation between Rayner and Dixon

Rayner: "I like to see tobacco in Duty free Stores before i fly"
Dixon: "yeha pity we don't sell them onboard"

LIGHTBULB moment.

Dixon: "I'll get onto it right away"