Article: Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International

[AFF Editor]

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International

Virgin Australia offers an excellent short-haul Business Class product on its Boeing 737. Unfortunately, it's much less competitive on longer international routes.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Sun Jan 29 MEL-PER red wine in J was choice of Merlot or Pinot - both tasted like s**t - good way to cut down costs serving the cough they did

 

[stm1sydney]

Good excuse to hit the gin hard.

 

[stm1sydney]

No surprises in this article really. It's a decent product for int medium haul eg Fiji and Samoa (starting back up soon), I would be happy with one meal and snacks as long as the drinks kept flowing. Seat-back entertainment, not really fussed up to six hours. But lack of lounge access is the killer. Surely it cannot be that hard to do a deal with Aspire or Skyteam?

 

[odysseus]

Completely agree. Not sure why they think it acceptable to have an inferior product internationally i.e. lacking lounges than domestically.

 

[dvb2000]

Qantas is hardly an option when their Business class prices are typically DOUBLE those of Virgin.

The A330 is good, but not that good!

 

[OpsMan]

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International

Virgin Australia offers an excellent short-haul Business Class product on its Boeing 737. Unfortunately, it's much less competitive on longer international routes.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

I flew DPS-SYD overnight in virgin business on Dec 31. No lounge, no pillow, no blanket, worst wine I have ever tasted, row 2 seats don’t recline, no IFE. Truely the worst J experience I have ever had. If virgin are going to sell international business class, then they should provide the proper product. Terrible experience

 

[AIRwin]

I flew DPS-SYD overnight in virgin business on Dec 31.

At least you could count down to the New Year - twice!

 

[blaz]

It is all about the bottom line. You are not comparing apples with apples, so you have to weigh it all up. Luckily I have access to lounges with my credit card, and as long as it is a day time flight, I am fine with it if the price is right.

 

[toowongman]

Not every VA 737 has power outlets in J. Be very aware of that.

 

[simmomelb]

No surprises in this article really. It's a decent product for int medium haul eg Fiji and Samoa (starting back up soon), I would be happy with one meal and snacks as long as the drinks kept flowing. Seat-back entertainment, not really fussed up to six hours. But lack of lounge access is the killer. Surely it cannot be that hard to do a deal with Aspire or Skyteam?

Yeah, I find J totally acceptable for comfort for VA international. What really puts me off VA international is not having lounge access, which I still can't believe and keep scratching my head as to what is going through their minds, I mean are they really saving dollars when they are clearly losing customers who rightly so, would expect this?
I'm quite a loyal Platinum VA customer, as is my better half, but I definitely wouldn't fly to Japan with them purely based on this factor alone.

 

[John in Melbourne]

In 2022, I flew MEL - CNS - MEL four times in VA J. I was a tad peeved at having no lounge access in Cairns, but felt compensated by the lower VA J fare. On one flight, when neither of the two meal choices appealed, I asked for a dessert. I was presented with a tray of two desserts, a small packet of Tim Tams and a chocolate bar. Top marks for the VA crew!

 

[simmomelb]

Not every VA 737 has power outlets in J. Be very aware of that.

They will soon. I believe the retrofitting will be completed this year and the new MAX fleet will have them in every seat, according to my sources. We'll see if that's correct very soon.

 

[BMIS 1]

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Virgin Business Class: Domestic Tops International

Virgin Australia offers an excellent short-haul Business Class product on its Boeing 737. Unfortunately, it's much less competitive on longer international routes.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

The actual food is nothing like the photos. Plus they have zero Gluten Free options, we left Virgin some 6 years ago because of the no Gluten Free options and was told that they would be introducing these options shortly. Guess it's just depends on your definition of shortly.

 

[toowongman]

Top marks for the VA crew!

Yes indeed. I've always felt welcome with VA in J and they do seem to be empowered (or care enough) to make up what they can from what is available to eat in the aircraft. A few years ago there was an OOL-MEL that departed at 1740h, literally 20 minutes before it was an official dinner flight - and thanks to DST you didn't arrive into MEL until after 2000h. So no dinner was loaded and the most of us were mightily unimpressed with the snack. The crew were very aware of this and created quite the feast of sandwiches and snacks from the cart for all of us. Good times.

 

[RooFlyer]

I was a tad peeved at having no lounge access in Cairns, but felt compensated by the lower VA J fare.

I like my lounges as much is the next person here, but if I know there is not going to be a lounge, then a trade off of a lower fare is quite okay for me. I can DIY myself lounge and pre-flight booze.

But I do wish to get their act together regarding international lounges. It’s a hurdle which need not be there, I think.

 

[Milefest]

I can live with a recliner for international medium haul but no lounge is a dealbreaker for me. I generally arrive for international flights earlier than domestic and lounges are a godsend when things go wrong.

 

[Digicola]

Calling it business class for international flights is a stretch. It’s basically premium economy, in that context it makes sense. But they brand it as J so being stingy on lounge access and onboard service makes little sense. Crews usually do the best with what they have.

Pro-tip: Fly out of ADL if you want lounge access before flying to DPS.

 

[stm1sydney]

I can live with a recliner for international medium haul but no lounge is a dealbreaker for me. I generally arrive for international flights earlier than domestic and lounges are a godsend when things go wrong.

Or even when things go really well, and you get through check-in, passport control and security within 10 minutes! As has happened for me the last couple of times at SYD, and then you find you have 2hrs to burn.

 

[AIRwin]

Pro-tip: Fly out of ADL if you want lounge access before flying to DPS.

Or MEL/OOL