Qantas Now Selling $305 Cashmere Sweaters, $250 Beach Totes

One reason Singaporeans complain about SQ is because they are so spoiled that not even the best is good enough for them.

It may not be the flashiest or 'best' airline out there, but it represents what it means to be Australian. Reliable, comforting, casual, and unique. Australians can dump on Qantas with the rest of them, but when we see that kangaroo on the tail, we know we are headed home or that its a piece of home no matter where we are. That it'll always be there to take us home (something thats really important when you live in one of the furthest corners on earth)

“There’s a sucker born every minute...”

-P.T. Barnum

@ Ben -- This would pair nicely with reflective Rimowa luggage.

While domestic US airlines do have a public perception problem, many of us are old enough to remember when people dressed up to go to the airport, because if you were going spend that kind of money to travel, it was an important and memorable event.
I believe, with the right marketing,
designer, clothes sporting vintage domestic airline logos, could do quite well.

Cathay Pacific should take note.

Wasn’t athleisure banned in Qantas lounges?

I’m a QF loyal flyer, love seeing the red tail all over the world. But this is ridiculous... ain’t no way I’d drop money on these items. Any money tbh, cos I find them ugly - but DEFINITELY not that much!!

Why is this a 'LOL'?

More of a 'WOW' or even an 'OMG' article but definitly not a 'LOL'

I like the t-shirt, but can I ship to the US or is it subject to a travel ban?

I'm Aussie.

When I see the red roof at JFK, LAX, LHR or SYD I get a tear in my eye. I feel so proud. It is a source of national pride for us (even though yes we will also rip on it's shortcomings) and when I step on board the plane created by an Aussie "(Hi, how are you. Headed home to OZ?") I go all warm and fuzzy.

As someone said it represents Australia. Warm, friendly, not arrogant, quality but not 5 Star, but 4.25 stars and genuine real down to earth and reliable. It's what Australia is - not perfect - but close enough for us 🙂

Nothing beat Boeing merch https://www.boeingstore.com/ maybe a Boeing sweater or hivis jacket while you sit in your https://www.boeingstore.com/products/f-4-phantom-ejection-seat-2. Or get a Boeing 2021 calendar to mark all the (non) delivery dates.

@ChrisC Because the pricing's laughable. As in, Italian name brand territory.

You lock the country and grounded the airline and then offer something for sale that will trigger sweet memories of past travel. Yes, that should trigger warm and cozy feelings that will open the wallets.

Tom Ford would never, ever associate his brand with a US airline. Ben, if you ran Qantas and you were told you could not carry pax freely between Australian states and that intl borders were closed for 12-24 months, what would you to?

Its funny because as a born and bred Australian (Perth) I find this to be so true. I remember my dad once flew PER - SYD - JNB and return on QF rather than PER - JNB direct on SAA when he went on a business trip. His reasoning: "Because its Qantas".

I think this a reason why Virgin have really struggled here because Qantas is so ingrained into Australian society and cultural values that it is almost un-Australian to not fly Qantas when given the chance.

All that being said though. I do love Qantas. It's a great airline. Has a fantastic safety record. Has some of the best employees in the industry. And as others have said QF reflects Australia - laid back, welcoming, casual and friendly.

I just bought the hoodie!

I feel the same nostalgia and connection to BA, and have bought several of their t-shirts before - at normal t-shirt prices though. I wouldn't pay the prices QF are charging here!

I actually quite like the sweaters, and I'm an American who's never actually flown QANTAS. Their logo is pretty iconic and they haven't monkeyed with it too much over the years. (Unlike United, which idiotically ditched the tulip logo for the stupid Continental globe logo.) But $305 for a sweater is too rich for my blood!

Hideous. Wouldn’t be seen dead in it...

This has got to be one of the most tone deaf marketing exercises ever done by Qantas management.

Several customers haven’t been able to get refunds for many months. The mental health of several staff is terrible (included several actual and attempted suicides). And yet the airline is focusing on rubbish like this? It all looks hideous too.

@tim @rudy so true. #feelslikehome After a long trip overseas there is nothing like getting on board a Qantas aircraft and coming into Sydney on the Red Roo ... wow.

Flew them a lot before COVID.

Way back, I remember loving when they played “I Still Call Australia Home” in the cabin on final approach on those beautiful 747s. Though I’m American, it was impossible not to get a teary eye hearing the song on approach.

But I’m not paying that much for a sweater or t-shirt

I don't know whether it is, but this struck me as something Qantas was going to do anyway to mark its centenary and not another pandemic-related measure. The previous offerings were to clear stock, or in the case of the B747 carts using the pandemic as a pretext to monetise something that they would normally have just left on the retired aircraft.

Like other Aussies who have already posted, I have a soft spot for Qantas, and while I have an eye to my FF account (and status) and usually fly with them, I don't limit myself to them (I do chose QF metal LAX to JFK rather than other transcontinental options). With all that, I won't be buying any of this merch.