• expired

All-Inclusive Rural Aid 747 Return Charter Flight from Sydney to Avalon Airshow $747 @ Qantas

1210

Qantas has just released tickets to a 747 charter joyride fundraising flight to the Australian International Air Show at Avalon. And while this deal isn't for everyone, when you consider the inclusions, it will represent great value to some.

Lucky travellers will fly the Queen of the Skies to Avalon for an exclusive, fully inclusive day trip to the Australian International Air Show on 2 March, 2019 for Qantas’ third drought fundraising flight in conjunction with Rural Aid.

For $747, your all-inclusive trip includes:

*Return flights on 2 March 2019 between Sydney and Avalon on board Qantas 747 – VH-OEB
*Low level fly by of the runway on approach to Avalon
*Single day entry to the 2019 Australian International Air Show
*Sparkling wine breakfast in the Sydney Domestic Business Lounge on departure including live entertainment
*Inflight auctions
*Morning tea inflight refreshments
*Private lunch at the Air Show with some special aviation guests
*Gift bag and souvenir lanyard
*Dinner and drinks (including alcoholic beverages) on return flight

You’ll also receive status credits (20 each way, or 40 in total), plus Zone 1 points (actual number of points depends on your status).

I’ve previously attended one of these flights, and they are fantastic fun (and great value, too, when you consider all the inclusions). Plus, all proceeds go directly to the Qantas Drought Relief program, helping to support Australian farmers.

I’ve personally secured my ticket to this fabulous day out. If you’re interested in booking, you’ll need to act very fast, as only 150 seats are available for sale. Previous Qantas charter day flights have sold out on the same day.

EDIT: As at 6.15 PM AEST, the last seats have been sold. Hope to see you there if you managed to book!

Related Stores

Qantas
Qantas

closed Comments

    • +69

      a Qantas 747 day flight charter, complete with all transfers and meals (plus status credits) and a chance to help Aussie farmers seems like a bargain to me - but I'll let others decide :)

      • I agree, great deal!

      • -2

        It is a bargain for sure if the top execs of Qantas let some of their hefty annual pay to the same cause as well. No point if the company looks for charity elsewhere while their own employees are enjoying ridiculously awesome perks. Onus to help the cause should not only be on the donators but all involved in the whole process including every single stakeholder on the big money.

        It's like those NFPs that pay peanuts to the kids who seek donations on the CBD streets wearing their branded t-shirts while the execs and their board of the NFP sitting in their air-conditioned chambers enjoy the salary packages much higher than probably any donator who helps those kids with any sum. Such organisations should be shameful if they can't make their own operating expenses lean at the first place before collecting donations on the name of charity. I am not against the cause at all but the money of donation shouldn't go to feed their expensive senior management.

  • +21

    Could they do one from Melbourne airport as well, so we don’t have to spend 3 hours trying to get in via car……

    • I don't think that distance is even viable with the plane. my shortest flight was Coolangatta to Brisbane few years ago.

    • +4

      It's pretty much known that the best way to get there is via train + free shuttle buses

    • +31

      Bronwyn Bishop is chartering a helicopter.

      • All expenses paid!!!

    • Silly me misread the title and thought this is what it was. Thought it was a decent deal then, this is a bargain (if you are in to aviation). Unfortunately I would need to add a flight from Perth on top.

  • +4

    When you say all proceeds go to Rural Aid, is that after costs are taken out?

    • +4

      Hi Tranter, I'm not sure exactly what portion of the proceeds for this flight will go to Rural Aid and am not associated with Qantas (you'd need to ask them to confirm). However, for the previous Charter flight I attended, I believe that Qantas donated the charter flight and food and all staff (in the air and on the ground) volunteered, so 100% of the ticket price went to the charity.

      • +1

        I hope that's the case this time around as well otherwise not much will be going to Rural Aid.

        Proceeds usually means the net amount after expenses have been deducted.

        • Sure does, unless they donate the plane staff and food .. then as op says most or all the money will be a donation. Still most charities operate this way.

  • +14

    It's for a good cause but it's not really a bargain

    • +6

      A lot of people won't make $747 in a week.

      • +6

        You can get a return flight on a full service carrier (Qantas) to Tokyo for that money. It's fine if it's for a good cause and a bit of an experience but it's really not a bargain

        • +3

          According to the 2016 Census data:

          The median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over in Australia was $662.

          Source: http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getp…

          • -1

            @inherentchoice: That's irrelevant to my comment for two reasons:

            1. That value includes non full time work
            2. It includes people below 18 years old who obviously have a much lower hourly rate than an adult.

            Looks like I hit some nerves. If the shoe fits, wear it.

            • +1

              @[Deactivated]: only a silly comment nerve.

              plenty of people don't work full time, or make $747/wk. Some of them it's a choice, many it's not.

              18mths ago the RBA reckon it's over 30% are pert time workers.
              https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2017/sep/3.html

              • @[Deactivated]: So you're telling me majority, if not all people who earn < $747/week are due to life choices such as not working full time? Would you look at that….

              • @[Deactivated]: Also, read my comment before letting your emotions kick in.

                You need to take a good hard look at your life choices if you work full time and don't make $747 a week.

                • +2

                  @[Deactivated]: i did read your comment, but apparently you jumped into attack/rant mode without reading the original & subsequent comments. You come across as an over entitle, but ignorant private school kiddie. I'm sure you're not, but maybe re-read before you post, because your comment is pretty silly.

        • +2

          @nurries - Not everyone is in a high paying job.

          There's many call centre, disability support, aged workers, cleaners or even tradies (depending on location and access to work) who would earn around that figure after tax. All these people play a role in society. Some do the job because they enjoy the work, others do it because they need a job. You have no right to question peoples earning capacity or look down upon them.

  • +3

    $112050 donation isn’t a huge amount even if it is 100%, more of an indulgence flight.
    Would be nicer if Qantas donated % off all ickets sold on a particular day as well as extra donations from passengers.

    • +13

      It's mostly a 'feel good' indulgence for well-off people and great publicity for Qantas.

      • +4

        I am of the opinion that if you are receiving something material in return then you aren’t giving charity. On that basis I agree this is a “feel good” gesture.

      • -1

        What about the tens of thousands of litres of avgas burnt, that didn't need to be burnt, and sprayed directly into the air? Does that part make them feel good too or perhaps it doesn't count this time, because proceeds go to farmers?

  • +10

    this is really an ad for qantas not a bargain

    • +1

      i agree, not a deal just advertising, shouldn't be posted here
      commented the same previously but my comment got removed and neged!

  • +1

    Isn't VH-OEB the oldest 747 in the qantas fleet?

    • +1

      26 years old.

    • +29

      Hi Tromboc, I'm a longstanding member of OzBargain and mark any affiliated posts accordingly.

      While I operate a blog, as mentioned in another comment, I have no relationship with Qantas. Nor have I linked to my blog anywhere in this post for benefit, which would see the post marked as 'third party'. I do not receive any benefit by promoting this charity flight.

      At the time of commenting, 29 upvotes have been recorded, which suggests that the original post has been able to successfully showcase that the deal holds benefits to some in the community. As mentioned in the deal description, obviously this deal isn't going to be for everyone, however, OzBargain is a community-led forum, and people can vote with their feet.

        • welcome to the ozbargain nanny state.

  • Booked, cheers

  • +3

    Booked as soon as was released!
    Essentially it is a bargain.

    Flights included, entry included, sit down lunch included.

    When the math is done for flights from Sydney, V/Line transfers, entry & overnight accommodation which is what I normally, this is a good deal.

    • +3

      Depends. I'm taking my whole family with originating flight further away than Sydney. We'll be spending less than $747 including 1 nights accommodation at a good hotel in Melbourne CBD.

    • Wait, there's no overnight accommodation included though? It's a same-day thing isn't it?

      • Yes, he's saying that he doesn't need to pay for the o/n accom due to the convenience of it, so that cost is saved (the same as with the v/line transfers).

        • v/line transfers are very cheap $10 return or $20 a family when you purchase them at the same time as event tickets.

        • but if you were doing a same-day trip you wouldn't be saying o/n anyway so that cost doesn't count

  • -1

    Burning tons of fuel "for fun", there are other ways to raise money…

    • Exactly. Not sure why the environment doesn't count this time. Qantas could just write a cheque.

  • +4

    "*Sparkling wine breakfast"

  • This is a fantastic initiative and a great deal for all the av geeks! I'm almost tempted to buy a separate return flight from Melbourne to Sydney (I live in Melbourne) just to experience this. How do I convince the missus to spend the cash………

    • The same way she tells you about all the shoes, handbags and manicures? :)

    • "*Sparkling wine breakfast"

      Or promise her to join the mile high club at an aviation show (deserves a trophy on it's own)

  • A $40 discount would be nice, but then I might be on a 707.

  • Whats your youtube channel Mile so I can watch your av-geek vids?

  • +5

    I got stuck on the "exclusive, all-inclusive" part.

  • will they charge no show fee if you ditch the return leg ?

    • One way business is like $1k on Qantas. This would be a bargain then (assuming they don't charge the no-show return) lol

    • @fl360 As this is a charter flight, the checkin process is completely different (you go straight to the business lounge in the morning and they tick you off a list). You're supposed to be accounted for during the day, so if you just wandered off and missed the bus back to the return flight, it might result in some delays. I guess you could inform them that you wouldn't be using the return leg - but not ideal. Plus, you'd miss all the comraderie on the way home!

      • +1

        you know I probably will buy something at the airshow and I will fly it home to my private airstrip in my Caribbean island home…. so I need to check the no show return leg conditions…

  • My avgeek mind screams 'DEALLLLLL'!!!

    • Passed it to a pilot at work - he was interested until he saw the "Sold out"

  • so only 150 passengers on the flight? That's well below the capacity of that bird! How do they seat you?

    • Good question! Last time they set aside various seats to be reserved for media. Seating is a complete free for all (you can only assign a window or aisle preference at booking), and appears to be luck of the draw. As a Platinum Qantas member, I scored row 23 on the 737. Meanwhile, a friend who is Bronze was in row 6. Who knows that to expect this time around?

  • If the proceeds are going to charity and it's to attend a charity event, would that make the cost tax deductible?

    • I would doubt it - when purchasing a ticket, you are billed direct by Qantas, as opposed to a charity.

    • No. ATO does not let you claim back any donations for which you receive consideration - same as Surf Life Saving lotteries etc.

    • As mentioned above:

      You cannot claim a deduction for a gift or donation if you received something in return…

      https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-Return/2018/Tax-retur…

      In this case you're buying a flight experience, not making a donation. Who knows how much is actually donated in the end.

      • +2

        Rural Aid gets 100% of the $747. I rang and asked

        • Thanks for finding out, good to know. Strange they didn't advertise the fact.

  • +1

    Sold out unfortunately

  • Sold out thanks to OzBargain!

  • -1

    For $747 I'd be expecting inverted flight or at least a loop the loop. More than some poxy low level runway pass anyway.

  • Has anyone received a confirmation email from Qantas? I selected to pay using BPAY, paid immediately but haven't received anything yet.

  • +1

    Why don't Qantas just keep on doing this every day of the airshow? Sell a day, open up sales for the next day. Sell that one, and open up tickets for the day after that. Quickly selling out one day and then quitting - is just so lame.

Login or Join to leave a comment