Anti-smoking lobby groups have attacked a move by Qantas to
resume inflight cigarette sales as a "greedy cash grab" at
the expense of good health.
The national airline has reintroduced tobacco sales on board
this month, almost 10 years after they were stopped.
Legislation prohibits the packs from being advertised in the
shopping catalogue but it is legal to stack them on the
duty-free trolley and wheel them through the cabin.
A letter recently sent to Qantas staff by management states:
"It's vital that duty free carts are taken out into the
economy cabin, with the cigarettes displayed prominently on
top".
Qantas has defended the move as a response to customer
demand, but lobby groups argue it is an unacceptable return
to the "bad old days".
"At a time when Australian governments are moving to put
tobacco displays out of sight to protect young people in
particular, Qantas has gone backwards," said Anne Jones,
chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health.
"Retail tobacco display is a powerful form of advertising,
especially in association with a highly respected brand name
like Qantas, and research shows it normalises and encourages
young people to smoke." She said the group had received
several complaints from air host staff concerned they have to
"push tobacco as part of their job".
Another group, Quit, joined the criticism, with executive
director Fiona Sharkie labelling it a "greedy cash grab".
"International flights are an opportunity for smokers to give
up smoking, but having cheap cigarettes promoted to them by
Qantas in-flight completely undermines this opportunity," Ms
Sharkie said.
"Perhaps the flying kangaroo should be renamed the cancer
kangaroo, such is their insistence on the in-flight sale and
display of a product that will ultimately kill more than half
of long-term users." But Qantas Group general manager of
customer product and services Lesley Grant defended the move,
which she said was motivated by passenger demand.
"The availability of cigarettes reflects customer demand," Ms
Grant said.
"Regardless of what the product might be, if we see changes
in demand we review our product range." Full service inflight
shopping also was offered by Singapore Airlines, Cathay
Pacific, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, she said.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
