Reminder: Qantas will give you a second wine
This is a full-service perk that I'm happy to take advantage of.
One of the benefits of flying on Qantas is that it has a generous policy when it comes to drinks on board. Domestic flights on weekdays after 4pm offer free beer and wine for all economy passengers. That's an improvement on earlier in the day, when you have to pay if you want a lunchtime red. (Business class passengers never have to pay and can gloat suitably at this point.)
Speaking from experience, that sauvignon blanc can be very welcome if I've had a busy day on the road. What's perhaps not obvious if you don't fly all the time on Qantas is that you're not restricted to just one drink.
The first wine is invariably offered with the snack or meal. But when the cart comes back down the aisle to pick up rubbish, there's usually a supply of bottles and cans on board. Ask nicely and you can grab a second drink. (On QantasLink flights, wine is usually served from the bottle, but again you can ask for a top-up.)
It's a cheerful perk if you're a drinker (and presuming you're not driving from the airport when you land). That doesn't mean you should act like a jerk. Cabin crew have to follow responsible service of alcohol processes, and if you're coming across like a drunken idiot, then it's likely you'll get a firm but fair "no" if you ask. You're not going to get the option of breaking cricketer David Boon's infamous reputed record of 52 cans of VB on a Sydney-London flight.
You also need to be realistic: once the "please prepare the cabin for landing" announcement goes out, nothing else is going to be served. On extremely short-haul flights (like Sydney to Canberra), that means it's a one-drink maximum.
If you're a wine lover, then using Qantas Wine (the recent rebrand of Qantas epiQure) can help you lift your Qantas Points balance. Check out Points Finder's guide to June's best wine points deals.
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Picture: Qantas
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on finder.com.au.
