Stuck at home and desperate to recreate the magic of long-haul flying? Well, you can if you head over the website of famed Australian airline Qantas.
It’s not unusual to find bits and pieces of old aeroplanes for sale. eBay’s full of them from sections of aluminium remoulded into luggage tags to complete rows of seats. Qantas, though, is going a step further and is selling off the drink trolleys from its fleet of now-retired 747 ‘Jumbo Jets’ — complete with bottles of drink still in them.
The trolleys are taken from the fleet of four-engined 747s, which after 50 years of service have now been pensioned off, and replaced with newer, more fuel-efficient twin-engined aircraft. That’s a shame — the 747’s iconic shape will soon be lost to us forever, on current trends — but the bonus is you can have a first-class party at home. The trolleys are still stocked with all their first-class drinks, from champagne to mini-bottles of white or red wine, shaving and bathroom kits, a luxurious travel rug, and even sets of pyjamas. Oh, and Tim-Tam chocolate bars (basically an Aussie version of a McVitie’s Penguin).
“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. 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” said Phil Capp, Qantas’ head of products and service. “There has been huge demand for Qantas 747 memorabilia and Frequent Flyers have expressed keen interest to convert the bespoke inflight 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.”
How much? Well, you can get a ‘half’cart’ for $974 Australian, which is around €580, or $1,474 Australian (€885) for a ‘full-cart’. The only snag? Qantas will only deliver to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Anyone got some relatives down under?
