How The West Was Flown To (Virgin Style)
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anat0l
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Sat 15 Oct
Dinner at 1930h was arranged through a thread I created in the Social forum (http://www.australianfrequentflyer..../meet-moderate-member-perth-sydney-33115.html) and was mainly driven by my desire to burn up a $100 Priority Privilege voucher which was valid for use against food and beverage whilst dining at a Priority Privilege hotel restaurant. Whilst I was thinking about selecting dining at Burswood with its variety of restaurants, I eventually decided against it considering how busy it could be on a Saturday night and the effort required to get out to Burswood. So I settled on the restaurant at the Crowne Plaza, Gusti.
Stairs leading up to the front of Gusti, the restaurant of the Crowne Plaza Perth
Gusti is your typical, Australian style hotel restaurant. The small menu of dishes had some interesting elements to them, although that $100 voucher certainly was well worth it given the premium charged on each of the dishes! We were expecting a party of four people - StevePER, missafternoondelight, v8Statesman and myself - and the former two made an appearance some time after 1930h or so. We decided to give a bit more time for v8Statesman to appear but after seeing no signs in person, phone or forum, we decided to go ahead with what was turning into a rather late dinner.
It was the first time I'd met both StevePER and missafternoondelight, so it was good to make more AFF connections on the West coast. StevePER and missafternoondelight both had already had fairly big days and weren't too peckish, ordering a simple salad each, so it was left to me to order one of the mains. As StevePER and missafternoondelight were both driving, both were modest with the alcohol. For myself, I didn't decide to push my luck either, although what a comical debacle ordering a wine turned out to be!
I ordered a kangaroo dish for the main and requested a glass of the suggested accompanying red wine. I was then promptly told by the waiter that the particular wine I asked was unavailable. So, I then nominated another red from the by-the-glass selection in the wine menu. Cue a few minutes of wait, then the waiter returned saying that that wine was also unavailable. Finally, I selected another wine of which they confirmed was indeed available, and just for my troubles they said that I could have my selection on the house.
One of the nice touches offered by the restaurant was when we were offered a glass of water to drink. They offered a selection of accompaniments to the water, including the usual lime and lemon but also some fruits. StevePER and I stuck to the usual citrus selection whilst missafternoondelight opted to try some strawberry water.
My selection - kangaroo with cous cous pearls
As the night went on, we gravitated between topics on flying and not-so-much about flying, such as StevePER's two wonderful kids and missafternoondelight's upcoming Korean junket (conference, junket - whatever, it's all the same
), or her idea of an AFFFFA 
. Although dessert was not really beckoning us greatly, StevePER manage to acquiesce to temptation and ordered a sweet dessert for himself, whilst I ordered a cheese plate so we could all share. We barely made a dent in it, so I asked if the remainder could be sent upstairs to my room instead.
Cheese plate. Nothing exceedingly special, but there you have it.
The end of the night would be different for all of us: one of us probably should get some much needed sleep, one of us probably wouldn't be looking at sleep too soon and another had a family to get back to in good time. The bill for the three of us came to a token amount after including the voucher, which otherwise totalled a rather handsome amount that would be nice to be able to charge to a corporate expense account (especially just for two salads, one main and two desserts). So we all said goodbye, though not before I gave StevePER my two Crown Lagers (not to drink whilst driving, of course!) - hey, if I ain't gonna drink it, at least someone should gain a benefit out of it.
Thanks to both StevePER and missafternoondelight for coming out for dinner and a chat - it was great to meet both of you.
The dinner party at Gusti's
There wasn't much left to do after dinner, so I packed up for tomorrow, set the alarm, scheduled a shuttle bus pickup and then hit the sack.
Dinner at 1930h was arranged through a thread I created in the Social forum (http://www.australianfrequentflyer..../meet-moderate-member-perth-sydney-33115.html) and was mainly driven by my desire to burn up a $100 Priority Privilege voucher which was valid for use against food and beverage whilst dining at a Priority Privilege hotel restaurant. Whilst I was thinking about selecting dining at Burswood with its variety of restaurants, I eventually decided against it considering how busy it could be on a Saturday night and the effort required to get out to Burswood. So I settled on the restaurant at the Crowne Plaza, Gusti.
Stairs leading up to the front of Gusti, the restaurant of the Crowne Plaza Perth
Gusti is your typical, Australian style hotel restaurant. The small menu of dishes had some interesting elements to them, although that $100 voucher certainly was well worth it given the premium charged on each of the dishes! We were expecting a party of four people - StevePER, missafternoondelight, v8Statesman and myself - and the former two made an appearance some time after 1930h or so. We decided to give a bit more time for v8Statesman to appear but after seeing no signs in person, phone or forum, we decided to go ahead with what was turning into a rather late dinner.
It was the first time I'd met both StevePER and missafternoondelight, so it was good to make more AFF connections on the West coast. StevePER and missafternoondelight both had already had fairly big days and weren't too peckish, ordering a simple salad each, so it was left to me to order one of the mains. As StevePER and missafternoondelight were both driving, both were modest with the alcohol. For myself, I didn't decide to push my luck either, although what a comical debacle ordering a wine turned out to be!
I ordered a kangaroo dish for the main and requested a glass of the suggested accompanying red wine. I was then promptly told by the waiter that the particular wine I asked was unavailable. So, I then nominated another red from the by-the-glass selection in the wine menu. Cue a few minutes of wait, then the waiter returned saying that that wine was also unavailable. Finally, I selected another wine of which they confirmed was indeed available, and just for my troubles they said that I could have my selection on the house.
One of the nice touches offered by the restaurant was when we were offered a glass of water to drink. They offered a selection of accompaniments to the water, including the usual lime and lemon but also some fruits. StevePER and I stuck to the usual citrus selection whilst missafternoondelight opted to try some strawberry water.
My selection - kangaroo with cous cous pearls
As the night went on, we gravitated between topics on flying and not-so-much about flying, such as StevePER's two wonderful kids and missafternoondelight's upcoming Korean junket (conference, junket - whatever, it's all the same
), or her idea of an AFFFFA . Although dessert was not really beckoning us greatly, StevePER manage to acquiesce to temptation and ordered a sweet dessert for himself, whilst I ordered a cheese plate so we could all share. We barely made a dent in it, so I asked if the remainder could be sent upstairs to my room instead.
Cheese plate. Nothing exceedingly special, but there you have it.
The end of the night would be different for all of us: one of us probably should get some much needed sleep, one of us probably wouldn't be looking at sleep too soon and another had a family to get back to in good time. The bill for the three of us came to a token amount after including the voucher, which otherwise totalled a rather handsome amount that would be nice to be able to charge to a corporate expense account (especially just for two salads, one main and two desserts). So we all said goodbye, though not before I gave StevePER my two Crown Lagers (not to drink whilst driving, of course!) - hey, if I ain't gonna drink it, at least someone should gain a benefit out of it.
Thanks to both StevePER and missafternoondelight for coming out for dinner and a chat - it was great to meet both of you.
The dinner party at Gusti's
There wasn't much left to do after dinner, so I packed up for tomorrow, set the alarm, scheduled a shuttle bus pickup and then hit the sack.
Re: Sat 15 Oct
Great trip report, makes me excited that I have cancelled two upcoming QF J SYD-PER flights and rebooked onto DJ's A330 J.
)
Great trip report, makes me excited that I have cancelled two upcoming QF J SYD-PER flights and rebooked onto DJ's A330 J.
Great tip! So was this extra snack service offered incidentally or did you hint that you might like something more later on, so that's how it was procured? (Just so I can plan my approach, to hopefully enjoying a second service as well.
)
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Great TR, looks much better than the QF 767/737 offerings. Will definitely be worth trying out on my next transcon 
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Re: Sat 15 Oct
It's nice to see I am not the only one that likes to eat!
Great trip report, makes me excited that I have cancelled two upcoming QF J SYD-PER flights and rebooked onto DJ's A330 J. Great tip! So was this extra snack service offered incidentally or did you hint that you might like something more later on, so that's how it was procured? (Just so I can plan my approach, to hopefully enjoying a second service as well.
It's nice to see I am not the only one that likes to eat!
Read our AFF credit card guides and start earning more points now.
anat0l
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Sun 16 Oct
Sunday 16 October
A wonderful view to wake up to
Most people - unless you need to go to church or other place of worship - would probably think waking up at 0700h or so on a Sunday isn't appropriate. Well, I had to do it.
The shuttle company adds in a generous buffer to get people to the airport on time for their flights. This pretty much meant that I had to get up early for my 1130h flight to SYD. No time to worry about breakfast (that's what lounge access is for), I had a quick shower and a change, then a quick inspection of the room before I headed downstairs to settle my room folio. When you put in a request for the airport shuttle, the hotel merely calls the company to make note of the fact that there will be a pickup. However, it is still your responsibility to head out to meet the shuttle. In the case of the Crowne Plaza Perth, one had to walk out of the reception and to the street to flag down the shuttle bus as it approached. Luckily this was not an onerous task and the shuttle arrived only a few minutes late of its expected arrival time.
Now I understood further why the shuttle built in so much time. The shuttle makes a very long snaky journey all over the Perth central suburbs to various hotels, motels and even backpacker hostels, picking up more pax along the way. We started where I was in East Perth and gradually started moving towards the North. We even had a drop off of some pax to the regional train station as they were catching one of the long distance trains. One elderly gentleman sitting in the front started to get a bit agitated at the time we were spending snaking around the suburbs and not heading to the airport, particularly as it was getting fairly close to T-60 before departure of his flight. I reassured the gentleman that we would be OK, especially since I worked out that we were both heading on the same flight! As fate held true, we eventually picked up all the pax we needed and proceeded on the Graeme Farmer Fwy towards the airport.
Once we were at the airport, I mentioned that the elderly gentleman, who I later learned through introductions was named Robert, was actually a Canadian tourist, so he did need a bit of help getting around and actually also needed special assistance (he walks alright for short distances but otherwise needs a wheelchair, which he had prearranged with Virgin). The driver of the shuttle implored me to help Robert get to Virgin check-in, but I had no problems helping him out. Robert was a nice man and his resilience was amazing as he planned out a great tour of both West and East coast Australia all by himself.
We walked over to the Virgin terminal where I decided to cut Robert some time from the usual line by letting him join me in the Priority Check-in queue, where we checked in together. The CSA did well to find both our bookings and help Robert with his special assistance needs. I helped Robert get his bag checked in and a wheelchair was summoned and Robert even managed to get a nice forward seat with a block next to him. The CSA offered to sit us together, however that would've required me to downgrade my seat from Business to Economy (i.e. next to Robert). As much as I wouldn't have minded to chat with Robert throughout the flight, I politely declined as I'd have preferred to keep my Business seat. I asked if Robert could be upgraded instead to sit next to me in Business, but no dice.
Both of us cleared security together and I waited for Robert to finish screening before guesting him into the PER T3 VA lounge. We didn't have much time in the lounge before boarding, especially since Robert needed to go extra early given his special assistance needs. Still, there was hopefully enough time for a coffee, a bite and a chat, and I needed to quickly freshen up and repack a bit. I made Robert a coffee and got some refreshments before I disappeared to the bathroom to repack and freshen up. Unfortunately, during that time Robert was summoned to leave for boarding, so by the time I came out he was gone. Hopefully I could still offer parting words once we were on board and airborne.
Panorama shot of the small PER T3 VA Lounge
The VA lounge in PER is quite small. It's probably about 50% the size of the BNE D QF J Lounge or about twice the size of the "curtain" area in the BNE D VA Lounge. I really can't imagine how packed it would be during peak hours, especially if flights were delayed or cancelled. The barista told me that there were definitely plans to extend the lounge capacity.
Sorry TSAS... no go on a press toaster here in PER...
...and just in case some of you didn't quite understand the message :mrgreen:
Not much longer after Robert left, all of us were called to head upstairs for boarding.
Flight: Virgin Australia DJ560 Perth (PER T3) - Sydney (SYD T2)
Depart: 1130h Sched; 1125h Actual
Distance: 2,039 mi (3,281 km)
Aircraft: VH-XFB "Cable Beach" Airbus A330-200
Class: Business
Seat: 4A
Boarding our flight at PER T3
The good side about the boarding experience this time at PER was that (a) Priority Boarding was clearly marked, and (b) (this one especially) Virgin used two gate agents to board the plane. The down sides were (a) once again, I think the Priority Boarding was fairly free-for-all, with little checks for eligibility, and (b) by the time I had reached the boarding gate, a good 20-40% of the plane had already been boarded. Looks like our call in the lounge was not quite on the dot. Luckily I was in Business.
Overall, Priority Boarding only managed to sort us out into the order which we marched onto the plane, as the slow snaking line of pax headed out into the sunshine to board the A330-200 via a single set of stairs at door 2L. Think jetway traffic except snaking from the plane to tarmac and around the terminal pathways.
Me in the line to board our aircraft
One of Virgin Australia's new symbols of domestic pride - the Airbus A330-200 Cable Beach in new livery
Slowly but surely we all inched closer to the aircraft stairs. Two ground crew members checked all pax on the tarmac as they approached the plane. Once up the stairs, I was once again greeted by CSM David and directed to turn to the left into the now-familiar Virgin Business cabin.
As expected, the same crew from my flight yesterday was on my flight to SYD, although this time Whitney and Craig swapped "active" roles, so I got to see Whitney a lot more this flight rather than Craig. Whitney greeted me again and took care of all the pre-flight procedures - hanging my coat, offering me a pre-flight beverage and handing out Bvlgari amenity kits. I forgot to mention it but a minor point anyway - along with noise cancelling headphones, pillows and blankets, every Business class passenger is also given a bottle of water.
Loading on the flight back over to the more populated side of Australia was higher this time compared to yesterday's flight, with double the number of pax, which was still enough for everyone to sit on the edges of the cabin rather than having to sit in the middle section. FlightStats suggested that our departure was ahead of schedule, though when I looked at my watch our pushback didn't seem to be anything extraordinary. Oh well. A fairly standard taxi out to the farthest end of the runway before a roaring take-off and a sharp attack angle into the air...we were on our way to SYD.
Lunch was being served on this flight and I was strongly encouraged by Whitney and Craig to try Luke Mangan's signature coughtail, "The Australian". I opted to give it a go as my pre-flight drink. The premixed coughtail was served up with a lime wedge as well as a bowl of spiced nuts.
The Australian coughtail by Luke Mangan, served with a bowl of spiced nuts
Sunday 16 October
A wonderful view to wake up to
Most people - unless you need to go to church or other place of worship - would probably think waking up at 0700h or so on a Sunday isn't appropriate. Well, I had to do it.
The shuttle company adds in a generous buffer to get people to the airport on time for their flights. This pretty much meant that I had to get up early for my 1130h flight to SYD. No time to worry about breakfast (that's what lounge access is for), I had a quick shower and a change, then a quick inspection of the room before I headed downstairs to settle my room folio. When you put in a request for the airport shuttle, the hotel merely calls the company to make note of the fact that there will be a pickup. However, it is still your responsibility to head out to meet the shuttle. In the case of the Crowne Plaza Perth, one had to walk out of the reception and to the street to flag down the shuttle bus as it approached. Luckily this was not an onerous task and the shuttle arrived only a few minutes late of its expected arrival time.
Now I understood further why the shuttle built in so much time. The shuttle makes a very long snaky journey all over the Perth central suburbs to various hotels, motels and even backpacker hostels, picking up more pax along the way. We started where I was in East Perth and gradually started moving towards the North. We even had a drop off of some pax to the regional train station as they were catching one of the long distance trains. One elderly gentleman sitting in the front started to get a bit agitated at the time we were spending snaking around the suburbs and not heading to the airport, particularly as it was getting fairly close to T-60 before departure of his flight. I reassured the gentleman that we would be OK, especially since I worked out that we were both heading on the same flight! As fate held true, we eventually picked up all the pax we needed and proceeded on the Graeme Farmer Fwy towards the airport.
Once we were at the airport, I mentioned that the elderly gentleman, who I later learned through introductions was named Robert, was actually a Canadian tourist, so he did need a bit of help getting around and actually also needed special assistance (he walks alright for short distances but otherwise needs a wheelchair, which he had prearranged with Virgin). The driver of the shuttle implored me to help Robert get to Virgin check-in, but I had no problems helping him out. Robert was a nice man and his resilience was amazing as he planned out a great tour of both West and East coast Australia all by himself.
We walked over to the Virgin terminal where I decided to cut Robert some time from the usual line by letting him join me in the Priority Check-in queue, where we checked in together. The CSA did well to find both our bookings and help Robert with his special assistance needs. I helped Robert get his bag checked in and a wheelchair was summoned and Robert even managed to get a nice forward seat with a block next to him. The CSA offered to sit us together, however that would've required me to downgrade my seat from Business to Economy (i.e. next to Robert). As much as I wouldn't have minded to chat with Robert throughout the flight, I politely declined as I'd have preferred to keep my Business seat. I asked if Robert could be upgraded instead to sit next to me in Business, but no dice.
Both of us cleared security together and I waited for Robert to finish screening before guesting him into the PER T3 VA lounge. We didn't have much time in the lounge before boarding, especially since Robert needed to go extra early given his special assistance needs. Still, there was hopefully enough time for a coffee, a bite and a chat, and I needed to quickly freshen up and repack a bit. I made Robert a coffee and got some refreshments before I disappeared to the bathroom to repack and freshen up. Unfortunately, during that time Robert was summoned to leave for boarding, so by the time I came out he was gone. Hopefully I could still offer parting words once we were on board and airborne.
Panorama shot of the small PER T3 VA Lounge
The VA lounge in PER is quite small. It's probably about 50% the size of the BNE D QF J Lounge or about twice the size of the "curtain" area in the BNE D VA Lounge. I really can't imagine how packed it would be during peak hours, especially if flights were delayed or cancelled. The barista told me that there were definitely plans to extend the lounge capacity.
Sorry TSAS... no go on a press toaster here in PER...
...and just in case some of you didn't quite understand the message
:mrgreen:Not much longer after Robert left, all of us were called to head upstairs for boarding.
Flight: Virgin Australia DJ560 Perth (PER T3) - Sydney (SYD T2)
Depart: 1130h Sched; 1125h Actual
Distance: 2,039 mi (3,281 km)
Aircraft: VH-XFB "Cable Beach" Airbus A330-200
Class: Business
Seat: 4A
Boarding our flight at PER T3
The good side about the boarding experience this time at PER was that (a) Priority Boarding was clearly marked, and (b) (this one especially) Virgin used two gate agents to board the plane. The down sides were (a) once again, I think the Priority Boarding was fairly free-for-all, with little checks for eligibility, and (b) by the time I had reached the boarding gate, a good 20-40% of the plane had already been boarded. Looks like our call in the lounge was not quite on the dot. Luckily I was in Business.
Overall, Priority Boarding only managed to sort us out into the order which we marched onto the plane, as the slow snaking line of pax headed out into the sunshine to board the A330-200 via a single set of stairs at door 2L. Think jetway traffic except snaking from the plane to tarmac and around the terminal pathways.
Me in the line to board our aircraft
One of Virgin Australia's new symbols of domestic pride - the Airbus A330-200 Cable Beach in new livery
Slowly but surely we all inched closer to the aircraft stairs. Two ground crew members checked all pax on the tarmac as they approached the plane. Once up the stairs, I was once again greeted by CSM David and directed to turn to the left into the now-familiar Virgin Business cabin.
As expected, the same crew from my flight yesterday was on my flight to SYD, although this time Whitney and Craig swapped "active" roles, so I got to see Whitney a lot more this flight rather than Craig. Whitney greeted me again and took care of all the pre-flight procedures - hanging my coat, offering me a pre-flight beverage and handing out Bvlgari amenity kits. I forgot to mention it but a minor point anyway - along with noise cancelling headphones, pillows and blankets, every Business class passenger is also given a bottle of water.
Loading on the flight back over to the more populated side of Australia was higher this time compared to yesterday's flight, with double the number of pax, which was still enough for everyone to sit on the edges of the cabin rather than having to sit in the middle section. FlightStats suggested that our departure was ahead of schedule, though when I looked at my watch our pushback didn't seem to be anything extraordinary. Oh well. A fairly standard taxi out to the farthest end of the runway before a roaring take-off and a sharp attack angle into the air...we were on our way to SYD.
Lunch was being served on this flight and I was strongly encouraged by Whitney and Craig to try Luke Mangan's signature coughtail, "The Australian". I opted to give it a go as my pre-flight drink. The premixed coughtail was served up with a lime wedge as well as a bowl of spiced nuts.
The Australian coughtail by Luke Mangan, served with a bowl of spiced nuts
anat0l
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Re: Sat 15 Oct
The snack service wasn't offered. I guess it all started when I got into a discussion with Craig about the food. That lead to a discussion about what do J pax get if they want a snack, then he told me about basically getting anything from the regular menu. We got into discussing that and he said that the gourmet pies were excellent. I mentioned to him that I hadn't tried one yet so he said he would put one aside for me if I would like one later, which I agreed would be a nice idea.
Unfortunately as I said, there were no more meat pies left, so I ended up eating a vegetarian pie, which tasted good.
I suppose the way to start the conversation is to simply go, "If I'm feeling a bit peckish later....."
Great trip report, makes me excited that I have cancelled two upcoming QF J SYD-PER flights and rebooked onto DJ's A330 J. Great tip! So was this extra snack service offered incidentally or did you hint that you might like something more later on, so that's how it was procured? (Just so I can plan my approach, to hopefully enjoying a second service as well.
The snack service wasn't offered. I guess it all started when I got into a discussion with Craig about the food. That lead to a discussion about what do J pax get if they want a snack, then he told me about basically getting anything from the regular menu. We got into discussing that and he said that the gourmet pies were excellent. I mentioned to him that I hadn't tried one yet so he said he would put one aside for me if I would like one later, which I agreed would be a nice idea.
Unfortunately as I said, there were no more meat pies left, so I ended up eating a vegetarian pie, which tasted good.
I suppose the way to start the conversation is to simply go, "If I'm feeling a bit peckish later....."
anat0l
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Sun 16 Oct
Just as lunch was about to start in earnest, Robert appeared from the aisles behind me. He'd obviously remembered that I'd be up in the pointy end and was seeking me out, although I'm not sure how easily he managed to get through the "iron curtain" (a.k.a. the divider between Y and J :mrgreen. We had a brief chat where he basically thanked me for my helping him at PER, but I kept telling him that it was really nothing. I wished him all the best for all his future travel in Australia and a safe return back to Canada. As a parting gift, I let him have my Bvlgari amenity kit that I was given at the beginning of the flight. Craig, seeing all this, asked me about him and I recounted our short morning together. Craig was then only to happy to give me another Bvlgari amenity kit to replace the one I gave away.
Well, I'd done my good deed for the day.
Anyway, back to lunch. The table cloth was laid out as Whitney studiously set up my tray with the entree salad. Whitney offered a wine to go with my meal, and I wanted to have a red to complement the lamb I had selected for a main later. My first choice was the Sangiovese, however Whitney unfortunately informed me that it wasn't loaded today. My attention then turned to the Pinot Noirs, as I wanted to try something else albeit the GSM was obviously a stalwart choice. Whitney offered a tasting pour as I sampled the Ninth Island, but didn't find it to my liking. After another sampling, I settled on the O'Leary Walker.
For those of you who would be looking for a tipple, unfortunately there was no Lanson Champagne available on this flight. Not that Lanson is exactly a Champagne that I'd miss quickly at all. Unfortunately for me there was also no Juniper's Estate dessert wine available either.
Bread basket was offered with the entree and I could hardly decide between the choices given, so Whitney offered an easy solution - one of each roll. The bread was complemented on the tray with extra virgin olive oil and dukkah, which made a very tasty combination.
VA service cart with my tray being set up
Entree salad and bread rolls, served with olive oil and dukkah
If you didn't think twice, this little wonder almost looks like makeup
The entree salad comprising basically of antipasti items was delicious with the pesto dressing, though the boccocini had gone quite soft (but very difficult to maintain it otherwise). Olive oil and dukkah with bread was a very tasty alternative to olive oil and balsamic. Don't try and use the butter - it was as hard as a bar of soap (no puns!).
Following the entree was the main course, of which I selected the Moroccan lamb. This was accompanied by a normal green leaf salad with balsamic dressing. Note that the meal service on board is multi-course, where each course is presented and then the relevant plates are cleared before the next course is presented. Whilst the initial tray and course is done from the service cart, future clearings of plates and presentation of courses is done via tray service.
Main course of Moroccan lamb, with a side salad
The lamb dish was a great concept overall and was quite tasty, although the whole dish was quite dry. Using lamb as the meat of choice doesn't help things as it tends to be dry quite easily, especially when cooked in the style that it was. The addition of preserved lemon and mint was a nice touch, but more of each could've helped, especially since the cous cous was dominated quite a bit by the date. Still, this was a better effort at food at 35000 ft compared to the pancakes of yesterday. Perhaps I'm spoilt by the QF F Lounge, where I had the pleasure of having a similar dish there except with the addition of harissa and sour cream (I think it was sour cream, or yoghurt), and it was a slightly more moist tagine rather than this drier stewed preparation, and of course it was eaten on the ground. Still, for the not so discerning of palates and out just for a bite, this dish does the job and you're not likely to be sending it back to the kitchen.
Normally following the main meal would be a selection of either a cheese plate or dessert. However, I was feeling a bit tired (it was the red wine - I admit!) and kindly asked Whitney whether it would be possible to have both a cheese plate and dessert, and have it later. Whitney replied that it would be no problem and made sure that after all the other pax had had a selection, she would put aside a cheese plate and dessert for me to have later before landing. She seemed quite enthusiastic that I would be having the dessert, as she said that the dessert was delicious indeed (obviously a good experience from crew training classes in the cuisine!).
Off to the bathroom to freshen up. I should make a note that there are two toilets aft of the Business cabin, but one is for Economy and one is for Business. Not that I think the FAs really tell the Economy pax not to use the Business toilet, despite a sign on the door reading "Business Class passengers only". The Business toilet is on the right hand side of the aircraft whilst the one of the left side was the Economy toilet. You can tell which toilet is which by seeing whether it is equipped with Grown amenities (hand wash and moisturiser bottles). After a trip to the bathroom, I reclined my seat, drew the blinds down and rolled out the blanket as I laid back for a quick nap. Of course it was quicker than yesterday, given that tailwinds going Eastwards shaves off a neat 30-60 minutes from the flying time.
I wish I didn't have to wake up as I was probably in the Zzzzone
but of course this wasn't a long haul flight and it probably wasn't good for me to have such a long nap. Whitney gently shook me awake and offered then to serve my cheese plate and dessert from lunch. I accepted her offer and requested with it my steady choice of a soy latte.
Cheese plate with thin crispbread crackers, apricots and walnuts; and a raspberry and passionfruit mousse
Another soy latte
Can't say too much could go wrong with these two courses, although I guess I found that six thin wafer crackers didn't seem enough to enjoy all of the cheese. QF sometimes makes the opposite problem because they provide slightly thicker crisp slices as well as spiced bread at times, which is a whole lot more wholesome than wafer cracker. For the cheese purists who adore the stuff without the accompaniments, there is obviously no issue here, and the wafer cracker may actually be better since it both is unobtrusive and has little taste.
Just as lunch was about to start in earnest, Robert appeared from the aisles behind me. He'd obviously remembered that I'd be up in the pointy end and was seeking me out, although I'm not sure how easily he managed to get through the "iron curtain" (a.k.a. the divider between Y and J
:mrgreen. We had a brief chat where he basically thanked me for my helping him at PER, but I kept telling him that it was really nothing. I wished him all the best for all his future travel in Australia and a safe return back to Canada. As a parting gift, I let him have my Bvlgari amenity kit that I was given at the beginning of the flight. Craig, seeing all this, asked me about him and I recounted our short morning together. Craig was then only to happy to give me another Bvlgari amenity kit to replace the one I gave away.Well, I'd done my good deed for the day.
Anyway, back to lunch. The table cloth was laid out as Whitney studiously set up my tray with the entree salad. Whitney offered a wine to go with my meal, and I wanted to have a red to complement the lamb I had selected for a main later. My first choice was the Sangiovese, however Whitney unfortunately informed me that it wasn't loaded today. My attention then turned to the Pinot Noirs, as I wanted to try something else albeit the GSM was obviously a stalwart choice. Whitney offered a tasting pour as I sampled the Ninth Island, but didn't find it to my liking. After another sampling, I settled on the O'Leary Walker.
For those of you who would be looking for a tipple, unfortunately there was no Lanson Champagne available on this flight. Not that Lanson is exactly a Champagne that I'd miss quickly at all. Unfortunately for me there was also no Juniper's Estate dessert wine available either.
Bread basket was offered with the entree and I could hardly decide between the choices given, so Whitney offered an easy solution - one of each roll. The bread was complemented on the tray with extra virgin olive oil and dukkah, which made a very tasty combination.
VA service cart with my tray being set up
Entree salad and bread rolls, served with olive oil and dukkah
If you didn't think twice, this little wonder almost looks like makeup
The entree salad comprising basically of antipasti items was delicious with the pesto dressing, though the boccocini had gone quite soft (but very difficult to maintain it otherwise). Olive oil and dukkah with bread was a very tasty alternative to olive oil and balsamic. Don't try and use the butter - it was as hard as a bar of soap (no puns!).
Following the entree was the main course, of which I selected the Moroccan lamb. This was accompanied by a normal green leaf salad with balsamic dressing. Note that the meal service on board is multi-course, where each course is presented and then the relevant plates are cleared before the next course is presented. Whilst the initial tray and course is done from the service cart, future clearings of plates and presentation of courses is done via tray service.
Main course of Moroccan lamb, with a side salad
The lamb dish was a great concept overall and was quite tasty, although the whole dish was quite dry. Using lamb as the meat of choice doesn't help things as it tends to be dry quite easily, especially when cooked in the style that it was. The addition of preserved lemon and mint was a nice touch, but more of each could've helped, especially since the cous cous was dominated quite a bit by the date. Still, this was a better effort at food at 35000 ft compared to the pancakes of yesterday. Perhaps I'm spoilt by the QF F Lounge, where I had the pleasure of having a similar dish there except with the addition of harissa and sour cream (I think it was sour cream, or yoghurt), and it was a slightly more moist tagine rather than this drier stewed preparation, and of course it was eaten on the ground. Still, for the not so discerning of palates and out just for a bite, this dish does the job and you're not likely to be sending it back to the kitchen.
Normally following the main meal would be a selection of either a cheese plate or dessert. However, I was feeling a bit tired (it was the red wine - I admit!) and kindly asked Whitney whether it would be possible to have both a cheese plate and dessert, and have it later. Whitney replied that it would be no problem and made sure that after all the other pax had had a selection, she would put aside a cheese plate and dessert for me to have later before landing. She seemed quite enthusiastic that I would be having the dessert, as she said that the dessert was delicious indeed (obviously a good experience from crew training classes in the cuisine!).
Off to the bathroom to freshen up. I should make a note that there are two toilets aft of the Business cabin, but one is for Economy and one is for Business. Not that I think the FAs really tell the Economy pax not to use the Business toilet, despite a sign on the door reading "Business Class passengers only". The Business toilet is on the right hand side of the aircraft whilst the one of the left side was the Economy toilet. You can tell which toilet is which by seeing whether it is equipped with Grown amenities (hand wash and moisturiser bottles). After a trip to the bathroom, I reclined my seat, drew the blinds down and rolled out the blanket as I laid back for a quick nap. Of course it was quicker than yesterday, given that tailwinds going Eastwards shaves off a neat 30-60 minutes from the flying time.
I wish I didn't have to wake up as I was probably in the Zzzzone
but of course this wasn't a long haul flight and it probably wasn't good for me to have such a long nap. Whitney gently shook me awake and offered then to serve my cheese plate and dessert from lunch. I accepted her offer and requested with it my steady choice of a soy latte.
Cheese plate with thin crispbread crackers, apricots and walnuts; and a raspberry and passionfruit mousse
Another soy latte
Can't say too much could go wrong with these two courses, although I guess I found that six thin wafer crackers didn't seem enough to enjoy all of the cheese. QF sometimes makes the opposite problem because they provide slightly thicker crisp slices as well as spiced bread at times, which is a whole lot more wholesome than wafer cracker. For the cheese purists who adore the stuff without the accompaniments, there is obviously no issue here, and the wafer cracker may actually be better since it both is unobtrusive and has little taste.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2007
- Posts
- 2,367
Very enjoyable and informative report-thanks.
Just curious about the Koko Black your visited, is it different in some way to the many Koko Black stores located in Melbourne? You mentioned that it was the only one of it's kind in Australia, being a fan of theirs I'm interested in what they have that is new or different.
Just curious about the Koko Black your visited, is it different in some way to the many Koko Black stores located in Melbourne? You mentioned that it was the only one of it's kind in Australia, being a fan of theirs I'm interested in what they have that is new or different.
anat0l
Enthusiast
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- Dec 30, 2006
- Posts
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Great trip report, anat0l!Some questions:Why did you go via Sydney rather than direct BNE-PER/PER-BNE? Was it to try the A330? I was thinking of trying the 738 direct one way MEL-PER and via SYD the other way to try the A330.Why didn't you take advantage of the limo offer?Is there only one beer available?Thanks for printing the menu - I couldn't find it on the website. Wine selection looks reasonable.
anat0l
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Posts
- 11,666
Sun 16 Oct
By the time my tray was cleared it was time to prepare the cabin for landing. Whitney, Craig and David all made a stop by my seat to thank me for flying with Virgin as well as hear all the feedback I had to offer on the service. This flight was pretty much as flawless as the previous one bar a few small nuances. Oh, and there was the matter of the malfunctioning IFE in my seat during this flight, but since I don't really watch any TV it didn't impact me at all. Besides, I could've used the screen in 4B (or a handful of other seats) if I really wanted to watch TV. The problem was already reported to David before this flight so he was well aware of the issue.
Descent into Sydney with a wonderful view of the harbour
Familiar trampling ground - back into SYD
Touchdown was a little rough but otherwise we were on the ground without a hitch and soon taxiing back to T2 into the nominal gate 40. I thanked David, Craig and Whitney a final time before I was handed back my jacket (in VA cover, of course) and I strided on into the terminal. As soon as I got into the terminal, I made a beeline for the exit and straight to the CityRail station. Thank goodness for the wisdom of CityRail for setting up handy terminals which issue the most common tickets (e.g. single and return to the city stations) and accept credit card for payment, including Amex! With ticket in hand within seconds, I was through the gate and down to the platform with a few minutes to spare - excellent timing!
Not much to say about the ride to Town Hall, which was the closest station to my hotel, Hilton Sydney. Perhaps I should've gotten off at Central and simply walked there, which may have been faster than traversing the city loop. Navigation from Town Hall to the Hilton was simple once I realised I was in the QVB and the hotel was just across the road.
Although my flight was on time and I had timed my arrival at the Hilton quite nicely, there was going to be barely enough time to meet Alanslegal and guest him into the Executive Lounge with time to enjoy some canapes and free alcohol. Sucks that the Exec Lounge ceases the evening service at 8pm sharp. Check-in was otherwise easy and quick, and the front desk also did well to make the necessary arrangements to account for my Hilton Macquarie Guest Pass (thanks LW!). Once I had my keys and room allocation in hand, I sent some quick messages to Alanslegal to make arrangements to meet later at glass rather than the Executive Lounge.
My Executive Floor room at the Hilton Sydney
You may be wondering why all the pillows. I can never remember which pillows suit me best and the standard pillows do vary in hardness etc. from property to property and even room to room. So I always order some extra pillows to vary the hardness/softness/support that I need, plus if I need to prop up other pillows then that's useful too. Also, not everyone is comfortable sleeping on a pillow with a surface area the size of a small Pacific island nation...at least, not all the time. So no, I was not intending to have a pillow fight, and no I was not planning to build a fort (yes I'm looking at you, thewinchester :mrgreen.
The Hilton Sydney is perhaps one of the more maligned properties of the group in the Australasian region, besides the Hilton on the Park and occasionally Hilton Auckland. The main complaints of the Executive Rooms are:
For me, the Hilton Sydney is a fairly respectable property for the city that it is in. Think of it like New York - rooms are very much typically smaller in New York unless you bend over, and that applies to both cheaper brands as well as luxury brands. And due to the thoroughfare, there's definitely a higher chance that the hardware has been used quite a bit. However, the Hilton Sydney this time at least was a good experience. No odd neighbours meant that paper thin walls weren't a big issue for now. The kettles had been replaced with newer and better ones (the last time I stayed here the kettles were old and the heating element was heavily oxidised). The bathroom was a manageable size for a single like me; perhaps not enough room for a couple using it at the same time, or the discerning female who has a lot to do in the bathroom . Finally, the Magic system is excellent - just one single point-of-call to service just about any need or request. A big gimmick, I know, but a nice subtle touch for me. And for most part, the staff are great (though most Hiltons in Australasia are good with their staff, save for perhaps Hilton on the Park).
Anyhoo.... quickly unpacked then went down to the Executive Lounge to grab a very quick bite just before the staff were about to take everything off the servery. A few bits and pieces (hot finger foods, finger sandwiches and what not) was washed down with a Sauvignon Blanc just as the staff were taking the plates away. Alanslegal had arrived so I headed down to meet up with him.
glass is a fantastic bar - sure, the prices reflect the obvious hotel markup, but it's hard to walk into the restaurant and bar and not marvel at the attention to detail, especially the magnificent shelves of wines which stretch right up to the ceiling.
A line up of Champagne, along with one plucky and savvy bartender
Alanslegal and I struck up a nice conversation over a couple of drinks - a nice and relaxed Sunday night (and not too much more, since for Alanslegal tomorrow was another work day). He stuck to his solid favourite of mojitos, whilst I tried to vary the schedule a bit. First up, I had a glass of dessert wine. The choices on the menu by the glass included a Brokenwood Semillon Sauvignon 2008 from Cowra, an Alain Brumont Petit Manseng 2005 from France and an expensive Chateau Broustet Semillon Sauvignon Sauternes 2005 from France. I asked for an opinion from one of the bartenders, whose face made him look rather too young to be working on a licensed premises! The appearing-young man didn't know these wines, so he asked for help from his more senior sommelier, whose advice eventually had me trying the Brokenwood. A nice number and definitely not too sticky, just as was stated in the tasting notes, but a pleasant one just to sup slowly away at.
My next drink was not actually on the coughtail list, but seeing as it was an IBA coughtail I thought any bartender worth his grain of salt would know how to knock up a Singapore Sling. Indeed, another bartender (not the young-looking one) was more than up to the task.
Singapore Sling
Alanslegal and I didn't go late into the night seeing as he had to get up the next morning for work, so after the second round of drinks I signed off on the bill. Alanslegal had never been inside the rooms in the Hilton Sydney before so I showed him my room before he headed off. Not long after he left he messaged me again if we wanted to get together for breakfast the next day in the Executive Lounge. Why not?
I wish I could say that I then quickly retired for the night, but alas no. Being a Hilton Gold and getting free internet is definitely one way to get back into work unintentionally. Unfortunately there were a whole swathe of emails to be sent ready for the next day that had to be done, so I put on a pot of green tea and ended up working past the stroke of midnight. Thankfully I tried my hardest not to go far beyond that so I could get some rest in the very comfy Hilton bed.
By the time my tray was cleared it was time to prepare the cabin for landing. Whitney, Craig and David all made a stop by my seat to thank me for flying with Virgin as well as hear all the feedback I had to offer on the service. This flight was pretty much as flawless as the previous one bar a few small nuances. Oh, and there was the matter of the malfunctioning IFE in my seat during this flight, but since I don't really watch any TV it didn't impact me at all. Besides, I could've used the screen in 4B (or a handful of other seats) if I really wanted to watch TV. The problem was already reported to David before this flight so he was well aware of the issue.
Descent into Sydney with a wonderful view of the harbour
Familiar trampling ground - back into SYD
Touchdown was a little rough but otherwise we were on the ground without a hitch and soon taxiing back to T2 into the nominal gate 40. I thanked David, Craig and Whitney a final time before I was handed back my jacket (in VA cover, of course) and I strided on into the terminal. As soon as I got into the terminal, I made a beeline for the exit and straight to the CityRail station. Thank goodness for the wisdom of CityRail for setting up handy terminals which issue the most common tickets (e.g. single and return to the city stations) and accept credit card for payment, including Amex! With ticket in hand within seconds, I was through the gate and down to the platform with a few minutes to spare - excellent timing!
Not much to say about the ride to Town Hall, which was the closest station to my hotel, Hilton Sydney. Perhaps I should've gotten off at Central and simply walked there, which may have been faster than traversing the city loop. Navigation from Town Hall to the Hilton was simple once I realised I was in the QVB and the hotel was just across the road.
Although my flight was on time and I had timed my arrival at the Hilton quite nicely, there was going to be barely enough time to meet Alanslegal and guest him into the Executive Lounge with time to enjoy some canapes and free alcohol. Sucks that the Exec Lounge ceases the evening service at 8pm sharp. Check-in was otherwise easy and quick, and the front desk also did well to make the necessary arrangements to account for my Hilton Macquarie Guest Pass (thanks LW!). Once I had my keys and room allocation in hand, I sent some quick messages to Alanslegal to make arrangements to meet later at glass rather than the Executive Lounge.
My Executive Floor room at the Hilton Sydney
You may be wondering why all the pillows. I can never remember which pillows suit me best and the standard pillows do vary in hardness etc. from property to property and even room to room. So I always order some extra pillows to vary the hardness/softness/support that I need, plus if I need to prop up other pillows then that's useful too. Also, not everyone is comfortable sleeping on a pillow with a surface area the size of a small Pacific island nation...at least, not all the time. So no, I was not intending to have a pillow fight, and no I was not planning to build a fort (yes I'm looking at you, thewinchester :mrgreen
.The Hilton Sydney is perhaps one of the more maligned properties of the group in the Australasian region, besides the Hilton on the Park and occasionally Hilton Auckland. The main complaints of the Executive Rooms are:
- Smaller rooms than most other properties
- Dated furniture
- Paper-thin walls
- Cramped bathroom
- The idea of being able to see a silhoutte of anyone taking a shower from the bedroom proper doesn't appeal to some at all
For me, the Hilton Sydney is a fairly respectable property for the city that it is in. Think of it like New York - rooms are very much typically smaller in New York unless you bend over, and that applies to both cheaper brands as well as luxury brands. And due to the thoroughfare, there's definitely a higher chance that the hardware has been used quite a bit. However, the Hilton Sydney this time at least was a good experience. No odd neighbours meant that paper thin walls weren't a big issue for now. The kettles had been replaced with newer and better ones (the last time I stayed here the kettles were old and the heating element was heavily oxidised). The bathroom was a manageable size for a single like me; perhaps not enough room for a couple using it at the same time, or the discerning female who has a lot to do in the bathroom
. Finally, the Magic system is excellent - just one single point-of-call to service just about any need or request. A big gimmick, I know, but a nice subtle touch for me. And for most part, the staff are great (though most Hiltons in Australasia are good with their staff, save for perhaps Hilton on the Park).Anyhoo.... quickly unpacked then went down to the Executive Lounge to grab a very quick bite just before the staff were about to take everything off the servery. A few bits and pieces (hot finger foods, finger sandwiches and what not) was washed down with a Sauvignon Blanc just as the staff were taking the plates away. Alanslegal had arrived so I headed down to meet up with him.
glass is a fantastic bar - sure, the prices reflect the obvious hotel markup, but it's hard to walk into the restaurant and bar and not marvel at the attention to detail, especially the magnificent shelves of wines which stretch right up to the ceiling.
A line up of Champagne, along with one plucky and savvy bartender
Alanslegal and I struck up a nice conversation over a couple of drinks - a nice and relaxed Sunday night (and not too much more, since for Alanslegal tomorrow was another work day). He stuck to his solid favourite of mojitos, whilst I tried to vary the schedule a bit. First up, I had a glass of dessert wine. The choices on the menu by the glass included a Brokenwood Semillon Sauvignon 2008 from Cowra, an Alain Brumont Petit Manseng 2005 from France and an expensive Chateau Broustet Semillon Sauvignon Sauternes 2005 from France. I asked for an opinion from one of the bartenders, whose face made him look rather too young to be working on a licensed premises! The appearing-young man didn't know these wines, so he asked for help from his more senior sommelier, whose advice eventually had me trying the Brokenwood. A nice number and definitely not too sticky, just as was stated in the tasting notes, but a pleasant one just to sup slowly away at.
My next drink was not actually on the coughtail list, but seeing as it was an IBA coughtail I thought any bartender worth his grain of salt would know how to knock up a Singapore Sling. Indeed, another bartender (not the young-looking one) was more than up to the task.
Singapore Sling
Alanslegal and I didn't go late into the night seeing as he had to get up the next morning for work, so after the second round of drinks I signed off on the bill. Alanslegal had never been inside the rooms in the Hilton Sydney before so I showed him my room before he headed off. Not long after he left he messaged me again if we wanted to get together for breakfast the next day in the Executive Lounge. Why not?
I wish I could say that I then quickly retired for the night, but alas no. Being a Hilton Gold and getting free internet is definitely one way to get back into work unintentionally. Unfortunately there were a whole swathe of emails to be sent ready for the next day that had to be done, so I put on a pot of green tea and ended up working past the stroke of midnight. Thankfully I tried my hardest not to go far beyond that so I could get some rest in the very comfy Hilton bed.
anat0l
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Posts
- 11,666
Menu: DJ560 PER-SYD 16 Oct 2011 J
Virgin Australia Business Class Coast-to-Coast Eastbound
Breakfast Flights (scheduled departure 0401 - 0930)
Juice
Fresh orange juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a selection of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection served with Greek yoghurt and honey (healthier choice, vegetarian, gluten free)
Mains
Classic hot breakfast - pork sausage, bacon, pumpkin and za-atar spiced potato cake with roasted trussed cherry tomatoes (gluten free)
Sweet corn fritters, smoked salmon, fennel and herb salad with lemon dressing (available as a vegetarian option on request)
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
Lunch and Dinner Flights (scheduled departure 0931 - 2259)
Bakery
Your choice of warmed bread served with Luke Mangan's extra virgin olive oil and dukkah
Starters
Boccocini, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, baby spinach salad and pesto dressing (vegetarian, gluten free)
Pumpkin and coriander soup (vegetarian, gluten free)
Salads
Mesclun salad with balsamic dressing (vegetarian, healthier choice)
Mains
Moroccan spiced lamb with date cous cous, preserved lemon, almond and mint
Pan seared Tasmanian ocean trout with caponata sauce and green asparagus (gluten free)
Pan fried gnocchi with tomato, artichoke, basil and green olives (vegetarian)
Cheese
Maffra Red Wax Cheddar (Gippsland, Victoria)
Tarago River Gippsland Brie (Gippsland, Victoria) (gluten free)
Roaring 40's Blue (King Island, Tasmania)
Served with dried apricots, walnuts and crackers. Gluten free crackers available on request.
Dessert
Raspberry and passionfruit mousse
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
Overnight Flights (scheduled departure 2300 - 0400)
Supper
Pumpkin and coriander soup served with warm bread (vegetarian, gluten free)
Toasted prosciutto, mozzarella and pesto panini
Both choices are accompanied by a passionfruit curd cake
Breakfast
Juice
Fresh orange juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal or sourdough roll served with a selection of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection (vegetarian, gluten free, healthier choice)
Cereal
Luke Mangan's Swiss-style muesli with Greek yoghurt, served with ginger and lemongrass poached fruit (vegetarian)
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
From The Bar
Aperitif
Campari
'The Australian' coughtail by Luke Mangan
A blend of white spirits, cognac and cranberry juice, freshened with ginger and lime syrup
Spirits
Absolut Vodka
Bundaberg UP Rum
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Hennessy VS Cognac
Grant's Family Reserve Scotch
Jim Beam
Liqueurs
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cointreau
Guest Beer
Burragum Billy Organic Lager (4% alc/vol)
Soft Drinks
Still Water
Sparkling Water
Pepsi
Diet Pepsi
Lemonade
Tonic Water
Soda Water
Ginger Ale
Juices
Orange
Apple
Tomato
Wine Selection
Champagne
Lanson Gold Label Brut 1999
Reims, France
White Wine
Patina Wines Riesling 2008
Orange, NSW
Chalkers Crossing Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tumbarumba, NSW
Caledonia Australis Chardonnay 2008
Gippsland, VIC
Arrowfield Show Reserve Chardonnay 2007
Hunter Valley, NSW
Nugan Estate Vision Chardonnay 2007
Riverina, NSW
Red Wine
O'Leary Walker Pinot Noir 2008
Adelaide Hills, SA
Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2007
TAS
Amadio Pinot Noir 2008
Adelaide Hills, SA
Kalleske Clarry's GSM (Grenach/Shiraz/Mourvedre) 2009
Barossa Valley, SA
Step Rd Sangiovese 2006
Langhorne Creek, SA
Zonte's Footstep Shiraz/Voignier 2007
Langhorne Creek, SA
Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Coonawarra, SA
Dessert Wine
Juniper Estate Cane Cut Riesling 2009
Margaret River, WA
Australian Fortified Wine
Morris Wines Classic Tawny
Rutherglen, NE VIC
Virgin Australia Business Class Coast-to-Coast Eastbound
Breakfast Flights (scheduled departure 0401 - 0930)
Juice
Fresh orange juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a selection of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection served with Greek yoghurt and honey (healthier choice, vegetarian, gluten free)
Mains
Classic hot breakfast - pork sausage, bacon, pumpkin and za-atar spiced potato cake with roasted trussed cherry tomatoes (gluten free)
Sweet corn fritters, smoked salmon, fennel and herb salad with lemon dressing (available as a vegetarian option on request)
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
Lunch and Dinner Flights (scheduled departure 0931 - 2259)
Bakery
Your choice of warmed bread served with Luke Mangan's extra virgin olive oil and dukkah
Starters
Boccocini, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, baby spinach salad and pesto dressing (vegetarian, gluten free)
Pumpkin and coriander soup (vegetarian, gluten free)
Salads
Mesclun salad with balsamic dressing (vegetarian, healthier choice)
Mains
Moroccan spiced lamb with date cous cous, preserved lemon, almond and mint
Pan seared Tasmanian ocean trout with caponata sauce and green asparagus (gluten free)
Pan fried gnocchi with tomato, artichoke, basil and green olives (vegetarian)
Cheese
Maffra Red Wax Cheddar (Gippsland, Victoria)
Tarago River Gippsland Brie (Gippsland, Victoria) (gluten free)
Roaring 40's Blue (King Island, Tasmania)
Served with dried apricots, walnuts and crackers. Gluten free crackers available on request.
Dessert
Raspberry and passionfruit mousse
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
Overnight Flights (scheduled departure 2300 - 0400)
Supper
Pumpkin and coriander soup served with warm bread (vegetarian, gluten free)
Toasted prosciutto, mozzarella and pesto panini
Both choices are accompanied by a passionfruit curd cake
Breakfast
Juice
Fresh orange juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal or sourdough roll served with a selection of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection (vegetarian, gluten free, healthier choice)
Cereal
Luke Mangan's Swiss-style muesli with Greek yoghurt, served with ginger and lemongrass poached fruit (vegetarian)
Hot Drinks Selection
Coffee - filter, espresso, cappuccino or latte
Tea - Madame Flavour range: special blend black tea, Earl Grey twist, green tea with jasmine and pear, Mint Tisane tea
Hot chocolate
From The Bar
Aperitif
Campari
'The Australian' coughtail by Luke Mangan
A blend of white spirits, cognac and cranberry juice, freshened with ginger and lime syrup
Spirits
Absolut Vodka
Bundaberg UP Rum
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Hennessy VS Cognac
Grant's Family Reserve Scotch
Jim Beam
Liqueurs
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cointreau
Guest Beer
Burragum Billy Organic Lager (4% alc/vol)
Soft Drinks
Still Water
Sparkling Water
Pepsi
Diet Pepsi
Lemonade
Tonic Water
Soda Water
Ginger Ale
Juices
Orange
Apple
Tomato
Wine Selection
Champagne
Lanson Gold Label Brut 1999
Reims, France
White Wine
Patina Wines Riesling 2008
Orange, NSW
Chalkers Crossing Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tumbarumba, NSW
Caledonia Australis Chardonnay 2008
Gippsland, VIC
Arrowfield Show Reserve Chardonnay 2007
Hunter Valley, NSW
Nugan Estate Vision Chardonnay 2007
Riverina, NSW
Red Wine
O'Leary Walker Pinot Noir 2008
Adelaide Hills, SA
Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2007
TAS
Amadio Pinot Noir 2008
Adelaide Hills, SA
Kalleske Clarry's GSM (Grenach/Shiraz/Mourvedre) 2009
Barossa Valley, SA
Step Rd Sangiovese 2006
Langhorne Creek, SA
Zonte's Footstep Shiraz/Voignier 2007
Langhorne Creek, SA
Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Coonawarra, SA
Dessert Wine
Juniper Estate Cane Cut Riesling 2009
Margaret River, WA
Australian Fortified Wine
Morris Wines Classic Tawny
Rutherglen, NE VIC
anat0l
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Posts
- 11,666
Answering your questions in order...
- I went via SYD because it was the easiest way to get A330 service on award flights (most likely not to be subbed out if it came down to it), and also to try SYD T2 Premium Lounge Entry. As it turned out, I also created an indirect flight that I filled with a QF JASA which pushed me over my next loyalty bonus threshhold.
- Yes, it was to try the A330. Might as well try the best product there.
- The limo offer is only valid on cash flights. Awards are not eligible (including points+pay like me). Hope I'm not wrong on that count else I should probably kick myself.
- Not sure about the beer. I wanted to try the guest beer but I didn't want to push myself. If I had thought about trying the beer then I might've got a feel for whether they have other beers on board. But overall I don't know. EDIT: now that I think about it, there must be some other beers on board, otherwise which beers will those sitting in steerage drink?
- One caveat about the wines is that although they do give you the full selection of wines, not every wine in the menu is loaded on every flight. Usually it's 2 or 3 bottles of each red and white, which are naturally supposed to complement whatever selections are on the printed menus at the time.
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From the terms and conditions:
As you can see, it does not exclude reward tickets, but Virgin's interpretation may be that they are excluded. I asked the question on another thread, but no definitive response was received.
However, at least one AFF member (Mogul) confirmed that he did receive the limo for a reward flight.
anat0l
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The problem I had was that when you book a reward the class is "Velocity Business", which is not the same as plain ol' "Business". Also I thought I heard on another thread (possibly one of the first ones where Virgin had just introduced J and were promoting it like crazy) that limos were not applicable for reward flights (to the obvious chagrin of many).
I also take a page of precedent (but perhaps a poor and distant one) from VS. VS offer limo service if you book any Business flight, but not for reward flights.
Still, this doesn't prove much unless the powers to be give us a definitive answer.
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This anat0l content, if it must be known,
Was sent via Aust Freq Fly app, but not from an iPhone.
Another great trip report anat0l!
As i'm about to embark on my first business class trip next week doing the PER - SYD Rtn, very useful to see exactly what to expect.
I also pondered about the limo transfers being i'm also on a points + pay ticket, but when i called the Guest line this afternoon i was put through to the limo service and booked transfers both ways, so touch wood they won't leave me hanging!
As i'm about to embark on my first business class trip next week doing the PER - SYD Rtn, very useful to see exactly what to expect.
I also pondered about the limo transfers being i'm also on a points + pay ticket, but when i called the Guest line this afternoon i was put through to the limo service and booked transfers both ways, so touch wood they won't leave me hanging!
anat0l
Enthusiast
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- Dec 30, 2006
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Seems like the limo service is OK on points+pay then. Damn
I highly doubt they'll leave you hanging. I assume you were given the full briefing about how this service is complimentary. (You wouldn't want the limo to drive you to the airport then be told you've got quite a bill to stump up.)
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This anat0l content, if it must be known,
Was sent via Aust Freq Fly app, but not from an iPhone.
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