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Secret Message Behind Qantas’ Last 747 Flight Most Australians Missed

The retirement of Qantas’ Boeing 747 fleet sparked more public sympathy than any politician of the last 20 years’. It has been heralded for months with Qantas earlier in July announcing a program of events which would give Australians the chance to farewell its last remaining humpbacks.

Qantas intended to retire its iconic “Queen of the Skies” fleet throughout the back end of 2020, but the date was brought forward as The Pandemic knee-capped international travel.

After operating three one-hour “farewell jumbo joy flights” departing from Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, in response to requests from employees and customers for one final chance to fly on the 747, over this past month, Qantas’ last 747 today took off for the last time.

Flight 7474 pranced off the tarmac at Sydney Airport at 3.30pm, arcs of water spouting in the background, to the applause of onlookers. It then began a journey that will take it to a boneyard in California’s Mojave desert.

Though Qantas released a detailed presser this morning, they left one final surprise for last, which few Australians realised until after the jet had gone (and they once again buried their heads in Twitter).

Final @Qantas 747 flight going out in style pic.twitter.com/v5X5oyZd5c

— Charles Powell (@charlesalexpow) July 22, 2020

The plane’s flight path, tracked online by the likes of Plane Finder, was in the shape of the Qantas’ famous kangaroo icon.

Qantas waited until almost 8pm this evening (on Wednesday the 22nd of July) to announce this afternoon’s ‘secret’ message.

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It’s not the only surprise of the day, either. As The Guardian reported this morning, “[t]here is a place on a Boeing 747 that you’ve probably never seen.”

“At the back of the giant plane there is a panel that opens up to an incredibly narrow set of stairs. Squeeze your way up these and you come to a small cavity where eight slender beds are wedged in Jenga-style configuration, with curtains for privacy.”

“You have to ask yourself how anyone could sleep up here without having a panic attack. But the crew of a 747 has to do just that – or at least used to,” The Guardian added, bringing yet another piece of aviation history to the public domain for one last time, after being invited on board for one final look.

Qantas took delivery of its first 747 (a -200 series) in August 1971, the same year that William McMahon became Prime Minister, the first McDonalds opened in Australia and Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool topped the music charts. Its arrival – and its economics – made international travel possible for millions of people for the first time.

Qantas 747s were at the forefront of a number of important milestones for the airline, including the first Business Class cabin of any airline in the world. Their size, range and incredible reliability meant they were used for numerous rescue missions: flying a record 674 passengers out of Darwin in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy; evacuating Australians out of Cairo during political unrest in 2011 and flying medical supplies in and tourists home from the Maldives and Sri Lanka following the Boxing Day Tsunami in December 2004.

The last rescue missions the 747 flew for Qantas were to bring hundreds of stranded Australians home from Wuhan in February this year.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the 747 changed the face of Australian aviation and ushered in a new era of lower fares and non-stop flights.

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“This aircraft was well ahead of its time and extremely capable. Engineers and cabin crew loved working on them and pilots loved flying them. So did passengers. They have carved out a very special place in aviation history and I know they’ll be greatly missed by a lot of people, including me.”

“Time has overtaken the 747 and we now have a much more fuel efficient aircraft with even better range in our fleet, such as the 787 Dreamliner that we use on Perth-London and hopefully before too long, the Airbus A350 for our Project Sunrise flights non-stop to New York and London,” added Mr Joyce.

Qantas’s first female Captain, Sharelle Quinn, will be in command of the final flight and said the aircraft has a very special place in the hearts of not just Qantas staff, but aviation enthusiasts and travellers alike.

“I have flown this aircraft for 36 years and it has been an absolute privilege”, Captain Quinn said.

“From the Pope to pop stars, our 747’s have carried over 250 million people safely to their destinations. Over the decades, it’s also swooped in on a number of occasions to save Aussies stranded far from home.”

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Captain Quinn added, “It has been a wonderful part of our history, a truly ground breaking aircraft and while we are sad to see our last one go, it’s time to hand over to the next generation of aircraft that are a lot more efficient.”

Captain Quinn and crew will fly the 747 to Los Angeles with a full cargo hold of freight before its final sector to the Mojave.

How To Get The Best Deal

So things are still tough. How do you make sure you’re not getting ripped off, especially in these difficult times?

“The basics haven’t changed – do your research, try and work out how many other people are interested in the property and how long it has been on the market,” Patterson-Ross says.

“But there are some tricks to keep an eye on. If a property is being advertised without a big reduction, it might mean that the landlord is feeling confident the local market hasn’t been as badly affected and demand will still be high. It might also mean they haven’t caught up yet and will be open to lower offers. It could also mean that they’re happy with taking the loss and claiming it through negative gearing – they don’t need you as much as you need them.”

“On the other hand, big reductions could be a great deal – it could also mean there’s big problems and moving in will be 12 months with wet walls and mould.”

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The reality is that negative gearing, as well as other economic factors, has made the Australian property market a particularly unforgiving place – and The Bat Kiss hasn’t changed that just yet.

However, many tenants and landlords are hoping that COVID-19 might be a shock to the system, as it’s revealed the problems with the market. Going forward, maybe we’ll see more progressive policy and market change, thinks Patterson-Ross.

“There’s even plenty of landlords right now wondering if letting the market decide the rent is really the best idea – they thought it was great when rents only went up. Long-term stability isn’t as fun as eye-watering profits, but maybe it’s actually what we’d all be better off with.”

How To Re-Negotiate A Better Deal With Your Current Landlord

Maybe moving out isn’t an option, and you’d rather try and work with your current landlord to get a better deal on your rent. The upheaval of The Pandemic might be just the opportunity you need to re-order things back in your favour.

“There isn’t one set outcome everyone should get to, but the only way to get there is just to start,” Patterson-Ross explains.

“Explain your situation and what you need and then make sure you get anything you agree to in writing. How much is it, how long will it last for – and what happens if the world is still upside down at the end.”

“If you aren’t getting a response or can’t agree to a renegotiated rent, get advice from your local Tenants’ Advice service and then in touch with the relevant government department in your state. [For example] in NSW that’s NSW Fair Trading.”

The Tenant’s Union of NSW also has a handy guide for renting during COVID-19 with advice on asking for a rent reduction or renegotiation, which is relevant for prospective renters looking for a place anywhere in the Australian property market.

Good luck, and hopefully you find a nice place that doesn’t break the bank.

Being able to book flights as casually as buying a pair of shoes

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As Senior Content Editor of The Telegraph (and proud millennial) Lizzie Frainier wrote in March, travel, like avocados, has become an expectation of modern life.

“The avocado stands for a lot more. It represents the life expectations of my peer group – from dining out each week and new clothes, to the latest iPhone and, most importantly, travelling the world.”

“Scan the social media accounts of my generation and you’ll see there’s one thing that binds us together: that as often as we can (when work and budget allows), we get on a plane or train and experience somewhere new.”

Even when borders re-open globally, the economic constraints and lingering health concerns of jet-setting means travel will never be quite so laissez-faire as it was last year, or if it ever is again, it won’t be until Coronavirus is as far away from 2020 as Polio.

Crowds

It’s not all doom and gloom. As The Washington Post reports, “Theme parks, museums and iconic landmarks are known for drawing a crowd. But as they reopen and look to the future, those crowds are expected to be much smaller — and more controlled.”

You have to pay to play though: picture mandatory temperature checks, masks, rides, lines and seats spaced to allow for social distancing and (in the case of Disney World) characters that interact from afar.

“In preparing to reopen during this unusual time, we have to manage our theme parks in a very different way from what we’ve known before,” the Walt Disney Co. said in a statement announcing plans for a phased reopening of its Florida parks starting July 11.

The Louvre, in Paris, which has long struggled with heaving crowds, now requires all visitors (or the much-reduced number that can now get to Paris at all) to book a time slot.

Cheap international airfares

DMARGE recently wrote about the golden era of travel, inspired by a stunning image from the 1960s. We could be set to revert (somewhat) to this kind of business model where airlines are forced to put their prices up, differentiating themselves with a better product, as less people travel.

On the flip side if you don’t have the coin, this could make international travel much more difficult for you. As The Washington Post reports, “While it can feel like airlines charge passengers for everything from choosing a seat to checking a bag, in reality, deregulation [over the last few decades] lowered the cost per mile for flying, making international travel more accessible than ever before.”

“The impact of the pandemic on airlines may translate to less travelers flying abroad, and, as a result, will make other parts of international travel more expensive.”

“If the airlines can only put half as many people on the plane, it’s going to cost a whole double,” says Rick Steves, the Washington-state-based European travel expert told The Washington Post.

It’s also worthy to note that as borders open we may see some hot deals to get people flying again and to grab market share, but most experts doubt this will last in the long term.

Embracing your inner Anthony Bourdain

As Group Director of Food and Beverage at Ovolo Hotels, Vincent Lombino told DMARGE in June, a hotel renaissance could be on the cards. Why? Travellers will be more fearful to travel, and – when they do start travelling again – many will be reticent to check out the dodgy looking kebab shop on the corner or the street food stalls we once we so enamoured with.

Mr Lombino told us this could see hotel restaurants, after being sneered at for years, another chance to differentiate themselves: “People will find trust and faith in the strong brands,” Mr Lombino told us. In fact, “instead of running out the door” Vincent says they’ll stay “in their cool little bubble.”

A recent Traveller article makes a similar point: “Sadly, some of the world’s great gastronomic experiences just won’t exist after COVID-19. Consider the pintxos bars of the Basque Country, for example, in Spain’s north. All of those amazing displays of cold food laid out on the bars, platter after platter, row upon row – they just can’t exist anymore. The entire culture of tapas in Spain, in fact, with diners standing up and walking around and jamming in with hundreds of others, will take a long time to recover, if it ever does.”

Cultural traditions

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Slurping Guinness in an Irish pub, drinking wine at an Italian mass and the classic four kiss French greeting will all be off the cards for the immediate future. How long they will take to return is anyone’s guess.

All you can eat buffets

As DMARGE reported in June, Qantas’ removal of the ‘self serve’ buffet and drink areas, in favor of snacking stations, in their airport lounges (instead allowing customers to choose from a selection of bespoke dishes from staff) could be a sign of things to come across the board in the future.

While Qantas hasn’t ruled out a return of the buffet, it seems unlikely to come back any time soon: “Some initiatives will become the norm while others such as capacity restrictions will ease as time goes on,” Qantas said in relation to the change.

“We haven’t ruled out a return of the buffet, toastie and pancake maker in the future or the reintroduction of self-serve beverage stations when restrictions ease, in the meantime, we are hopeful Qantas customers will enjoy the extra personalised offering.”

Frequent flyers like Immanuel Debeer have told DMARGE they welcome the change. Quite the contrary: it’s an opportunity to enjoy better meals – and stops the grots of the world from ruining the butter (we wish we could say this was just a metaphor).

Intrigued? Qantas introduced a shared butter bowl “a while back” founder of Flight Hacks Immanuel told us, “in a bit to be more eco friendly (getting rid of single-serve packets).” Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out though: “It… would look like a crime scene after a few minutes,” Immanuel joked.

Jests aside, “I see the Qantas Lounges opening up as a huge positive sign for the travel industry,” Immanuel told us. “The ‘new experience’ could also be seen as an improvement.”

“Personally, I hate buffets so I see this as a step up in the service offering.”

Dirty airport lounges

It may be wishful thinking to expect this change to remain even if and when The Virus is eliminated, but Immanuel also told us, “Cleaning will now be a top priority, for anyone that’s travelled through Sydney on a busy day, you might know that the lounge there turns into a pig stall from time to time. I feel like [airlines] will now prioritise cleaning, which can only be seen as a good thing.”

Cheap cruising

As Traveller reports, cruising is a sector of the travel industry that has been hit particularly hard and will have to evolve if it doesn’t want to sink – particularly larger ocean liners, which will have to work a little harder to adapt than small ship cruising, expedition cruising and river cruising.

“Regardless of your choice, expect that there will be no more ‘interior’ rooms with no windows or fresh air,” Traveller reports. “Expect temperature checks every time you embark or disembark the vessel. Expect to see and to have to use hand-sanitiser everywhere.”

“Expect touchless devices for check-in and entry to your room. Expect the dining buffets to look drastically different, or disappear altogether. And expect that if there is a vaccine for COVID-19, you will have to prove you’ve had it.”

Getting to the airport late

As Traveller reports, once flights start to build up the boarding process both inside the terminal and aboard the aircraft itself “will be even slower and more tedious than in the past.” Airlines will also need more time between flights for cleaning, possibly leading to delays.

It’s also not over once you disembark. You will now have to remember to keep your distance around those notoriously crowded luggage carousels, Traveller reminds. “Perhaps grab a coffee and wait for the human parting of the seas to occur.”

Easy insurance

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This is another tricky one as the travel insurance business has not yet announced new plans for coverage in the pandemic era. Traveller describes the situation well: “Of course, overseas travel is banned by the federal government and many companies have suspended travel insurance with any plans to provide coverage for COVID-19 wholly uncertain. But if we’re to head off to New Zealand and the Pacific in the near future we’ll all need travel insurance.”

Fortunately, “the insurance industry will need travel insurance, too, since it’s a lucrative segment of their market with comparatively fewer and smaller claims than other areas,” Traveller reports. “Watch this space (and the fine print).”