Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[serfty]

There seems to be no pattern as to how the orders are taken? Sometimes they start at 1A, other times in the second row either side. This only matters, of course, when a delicious sounding option occasionally runs out.

The only time this happened to me was when there was a member of the Club in 2F. (I discreetly asked the FA.)

 

[kermatu]

I am low VA status but courtesy of SQ bookings have snared row 1 on all my recent flights - seem to have my order taken after one or two pax behind me -- assumed they were Club members, but good to know.

 

[nathrek]

Quite annoyed with "dinner" last night. Syd - Mel 10pm flight. Realise it's late but I'd been working all day and specifically upgraded to business so I could get some real food on the flight home as I was rushing to airport from work and didn't have time to go to the lounge. Option was crackers and white bean dip or a jaffle / toasted sandwich. Went the jaffle which was a lamb ragu middle eastern flavoured thing which was nice but it was only a single item. Not at all filling. Side salad was good and a bit of bread roll and chocolate was tasty but I could have eaten something a bit more substantial that didn't look like it was from a school canteen.

I was in 1C and they got our orders before pulling away from the gate so it was served as soon as they were able to.

 

[Pleb Status]

Quite annoyed with "dinner" last night. Syd - Mel 10pm flight. Realise it's late but I'd been working all day and specifically upgraded to business so I could get some real food on the flight home as I was rushing to airport from work and didn't have time to go to the lounge. Option was crackers and white bean dip or a jaffle / toasted sandwich. Went the jaffle which was a lamb ragu middle eastern flavoured thing which was nice but it was only a single item. Not at all filling. Side salad was good and a bit of bread roll and chocolate was tasty but I could have eaten something a bit more substantial that didn't look like it was from a school canteen.

I was in 1C and they got our orders before pulling away from the gate so it was served as soon as they were able to.

You were lucky to get what you received. Many airlines (including the 'opposition') may provide far less at that time.

In any case, a very short domestic 22:00 departure flight would not be a 'dinner' flight on almost every airline in the world...

 

[theoracle30]

Quite annoyed with "dinner" last night. Syd - Mel 10pm flight.

Current meal timings for short domestic flights indicate dinner is served on 5:30pm to 7:29pm scheduled departures - anything after is supper.

 

[dk4]

You were lucky to get what you received. Many airlines (including the 'opposition') may provide far less at that time.

IME Qantas serves an all-day snack service on shorter P.M. flights (excluding a small dinner time window). There are 3 choices, usually; soup, salad and cheese-based-snack. On a late flight the cheese-based-snack is normally cheese & crackers, during the day it might be a toasted sandwich. QF do not serve a side salad with these meals, although the salad option itself is normally quite substantial IME.

Of course if the OP was still hungry after eating the J meal/snack on VA, there are many other things available for them to eat on Virgin; besides the pantry snacks, they could have asked for a sandwich or wrap off the economy BOB menu - for free!

One should simply let the CS know they are still hungry and see what might be offered. IMO this is yet another area where VA service really shines, as the CSM on QF is only able to offer still-hungry J customers a small packet of pretzel-nuts.

 

[kermatu]

IME Qantas serves an all-day snack service on shorter P.M. flights (excluding a small dinner time window). There are 3 choices, usually; soup, salad and cheese-based-snack. On a late flight the cheese-based-snack is normally cheese & crackers, during the day it might be a toasted sandwich. QF do not serve a side salad with these meals, although the salad option itself is normally quite substantial IME.

Of course if the OP was still hungry after eating the J meal/snack on VA, there are many other things available for them to eat on Virgin; besides the pantry snacks, they could have asked for a sandwich or wrap off the economy BOB menu - for free!

One should simply let the CS know they are still hungry and see what might be offered. IMO this is yet another area where VA service really shines, as the CSM on QF is only able to offer still-hungry J customers a small packet of pretzel-nuts.

I have no experience of VA on the route, but QF's offerings on the MEL-CBR flights in J, even bang on lunch (1pm) or dinner time (7pm) are utterly woeful. A few salad offcuts. Tasteless and barely three or four mouthfuls.

 

[nathrek]

You were lucky to get what you received. Many airlines (including the 'opposition') may provide far less at that time.

In any case, a very short domestic 22:00 departure flight would not be a 'dinner' flight on almost every airline in the world...

Fair enough. What I did get was tasty though, should have just asked for a 2nd serve!

 

[toowongman]

Fair enough. What I did get was tasty though, should have just asked for a 2nd serve!

VA are very good if you ask for more food. They often have extra snacks loaded in J ("The Pantry") or you can ask for stuff from the Y cart. We had in the past - chips, fresh olives, tiny sandwiches, tons of cough from Y neatly plated up. There's no need to go hungry in VA J.

 

[Mattg]

VA91 AKL-RAR
4.30pm departure

There were two dinner choices: beef with roast vegetables and beans; or an eggplant baba ganoush salad with or without chicken.

I (and everyone else in J) had the beef which was tasty and tender.

 

[texanaust]

10:20am departure, VA 1089 Lst-Syd. This is supposed to be a bacon and egg empanada. It was actually some sort of Mexican filling with beans. The other option was chicken sandwiches, but I believe that was an incorrect description too. The flight attendant apologized for forgetting her reading glasses. Tasty nonetheless and my wine was refilled far too many times for the 1hr 20min flight.

 

[jasecao]

30.06 Mel to HKG
2 hours after take off
Sichuan Chicken Noodle soup

Beef Short Ribs


2 hours from landing
Prawn Toast with chipotle sauce corn

 

[kermatu]

Prawn Toast with chipotle sauce corn

Interesting combo! Was it good? (Sounds nice to me).

 

[jasecao]

The prawn toast was nice, the combo with the corn was mind blowing it was average, overall solid.

 

[Pleb Status]

VA470 BNE-PER 24JUN18 332 J Transcon

Another very good effort overall. However, if I was to be picky (and I will be), this is the third transcon J flight in a row I have received the exact same menu. VA have been pretty good in the past on rotating J menus on a very frequent basis so I will not call it a trend just yet.

VA still have a long way to go however to beat my record on 'the opposition' of seven flights in a row with an almost inedible J menu...

 

[PDog]

VA470 BNE-PER 24JUN18 332 J Transcon

Another very good effort overall. However, if I was to be picky (and I will be), this is the third transcon J flight in a row I have received the exact same menu. VA have been pretty good in the past on rotating J menus on a very frequent basis so I will not call it a trend just yet.

VA still have a long way to go however to beat my record on 'the opposition' of seven flights in a row with an almost inedible J menu...

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Looks delish, but you ordered the opposite to what I would have chosen!

Out of interest, how far apart were the three flights? All in June?
I had a repeat menu once when flights were in the same week- they should have an east & a west menu.

 

[Pleb Status]

Looks delish, but you ordered the opposite to what I would have chosen!

Out of interest, how far apart were the three flights? All in June?
I had a repeat menu once when flights were in the same week- they should have an east & a west menu.

You mean like the following...

Virgin Australia Business Class Catering - Service, Meal times, Menus

On trips one and two I picked the same starter and main and decided to go the opposite on trip three (and after I saw the lamb on trip two).

Flights were late April, late May and late June and were all on good old VA470...

 

[PDog]

You mean like the following...

Virgin Australia Business Class Catering - Service, Meal times, Menus

On trips one and two I picked the same starter and main and decided to go the opposite on trip three (and after I saw the lamb on trip two).

Flights were late April, late May and late June and were all on good old VA470...

Exactly! Well done!! (Actually, I prob would have been tempted by the cheese)

 

[Milboo]

VA1436 DRW-PER, 14:40 departure

Pork ragu with mushrooms and potato gnocchi
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Had this on a BNE - SYD flight today. Was tasty enough but found the pork pieces (although tender) to be chunks vs a ragu.

Served with a cheddar wedge, quince paste and crackers, and the mini cake.

 

[mlob]

Thinking of opting to bid for business on an upcoming flight my family of 4 are taking. We leave 3pm Brisbane and get into Queenstown 8.30pm local time . Its a 3 and half hour flight. Based on flight times would that flight only receive a snack? Id be keener it meant we all got dinner.