From the latest issue of Frequent Flyer News

Where there's smoke... there's Qantas

And no, this is nothing to do with the latest series of incidents currently plaguing the beleaguered airline!   You may have noticed an additional item on your on-board duty-free selection that has anti-smoking lobbyists fuming. This month Qantas has resumed the controversial sale of tobacco on board after almost ten years since it was 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 allegedly states: "It's vital that duty free carts are taken out into the economy cabin, with the cigarettes displayed prominently on top''. Some are seeing it as no coincidence that the move comes as Qantas appoints a recently retired tobacco executive to its board. Paul Rayner, who was finance director of British American Tobacco and previously chief operating officer of British American Tobacco Australasia, joined the Qantas board as a as a non-executive director earlier this month. Qantas are adamantly denying that there is any link. Qantas claims that they are merely catering for consumer demand, whilst lobby groups see the move as an unacceptable return to the "bad old days". They claim the move acts to normalise and condone the act of smoking. Greedy cash grab or good customer service? We'll leave that decision up