Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[stm1sydney]

Yesterday SYD-BNE, 6:30am flight, a lovely hot breakfast: bowl of pork mince, roasted capsicum and egg plant, and fetta, with a bread roll. Excellent service from our CS Chris.

Late out of SYD due to 'technical issue" and then we had a go round in BNE for a further delay because a plane on the runway was a bit slow taking off. It was a nice scenic tour of Brisbane though!

 

[clipped_wings]

Why doesn't the VA website offer a more comprehensive sample menu for long haul SYD-LAX Business Class anymore? Even the Premium link opens a multi-page PDF with a full wine list and inflight dining options.

 

[Shumway]

Hi all, long time lurker. Recent flight MEL-BNE return.
Flight up to Brisbane was breakfast. Great zucchini fritter with eggs, bacon and some cheese (I think halloumi), with granola and a warm roll. Cabin manager was Joel, and he was great, really attentive coming through frequently to check on people including 2 children that he treated just as well.

Flight back was lunch. Missed my first flight because my suitcase broke, but was moved with no issue or fuss onto the next flight. Lunch was a chicken and feta salad, really really good, I'm usually iffy with chicken because it's so often dry, but not in this case. Dessert was a strawberry mousse. I forgot the cabin managers name but was equally as good, topping my wine right up to descent. Overall two great flights. And like someone else mentioned PB was enforced. The morning out of Tullamarine was a zoo because around 90 flights had been cancelled that day (including my mates 9:15am flight because of wind so lots of people eager to get onboard but were turned back when they tried to use the priority queue. Same deal in Brisbane. I don't often get to fly and Virgin does a great job and just makes for such a relaxing couple of hours.

 

[jase05]

Saturday dinner MEL-ADL
Flight initially delayed by 20 minutes and then got the call from the lounge that boarding would start on time. PDB offered immediately and meal order taken but we were held up at the gate for 15 minutes so enough time for a top up of bubbly. Meal options were the BBQ Pork with Noodles, Bok Chou, shiitake mushrooms and ginger or the Beetroot salad with optional Chicken. Mrs Jase chose the Beetroot salad and enjoyed it aswell as finding it quite filling.
I had the BBQ Pork dish which was lovely and had a very authentic taste. Enough ginger and spices to pack a punch.
Dinner came with a warm roll and the usual cheese, quince paste and crackers accompanied with a nice Orange and Chocolate Grenache cake. A couple of glasses of Pinot Gris to wash it down and just like that the flight was over. Once again brilliant service and food for such a short flight. 6 passengers in J and service very attentive.

 

[ElegantCow]

Used my complimentary upgrade from a Flexi Fare to Business. There were only 5 people in the 'The Business' cabin of the A332 for the 8.45 pm departure out of MEL bound for PER.

I was offered a pre-takeoff drink and chose the sparkling wine (no photo sorry!)

The service started soon after takeoff, I chose a Gin&Tonic with some olives


A menu was also given out along with the drinks


For starters, I chose the soup


Next up were the BBQ pork noodles

Followed by a cheese platter and another G&T

Finally finished off with a nice cup of tea


Complete menus

 

[cqtiger]

Sunday after the grand final Mel to bne 3pm flight gourmet sausage rolls.

 

[clipped_wings]

I am yet to be offered one of those delicious looking sausage rolls! I heard they exist on board long haul in the Pantry, so will eagerly seek it out next January.

 

[danielt25]

Noticed on VA791 BNE/CNS 7/10 the CSM pushing around a drinks cart in J (and serving pre meal drinks from it) prior to the meal being served (the reverse of QF). Meal orders were also taken at the time

Anyone else noticed that on a 737 service? Or is that an individual CSM thing?

 

[kermatu]

Noticed on VA791 BNE/CNS 7/10 the CSM pushing around a drinks cart in J (and serving pre meal drinks from it) prior to the meal being served (the reverse of QF). Meal orders were also taken at the time

Anyone else noticed that on a 737 service? Or is that an individual CSM thing?

Not on my last half-dozen or so flights. Will advise if I see it though.

Was it quicker? I've normally had meal order taken before pushback.

 

[toowongman]

Noticed on VA791 BNE/CNS 7/10 the CSM pushing around a drinks cart in J (and serving pre meal drinks from it) prior to the meal being served (the reverse of QF). Meal orders were also taken at the time

Wow. I've had that once on BNE-MEL in late 2012. They wheeled out for drinks, then they wheeled out the dinner cart and went through a silver-service type of meal assembly and distribution.

 

[kermatu]

Impressive three options on a CBR-MEL 10:15 flight on the weekend. Ham and cheese quiche, smoked salmon, or eggplant/mushroom/kale dish with optional pork sausage.

I went the salmon. Very tasty albeit a bit small.


Service also impressive. Everything done for 7 pax well on time with opportunity for coffees and teas. Did feel a bit like we flew slowly though and landed bang on our slot.

 

[kermatu]

Food and wine menu for MEL to PER on the weekend.





The Tassie Riesling was nice.

 

[kermatu]

Outstanding service from Kelly the FA on my side of the bus. Friendly, efficient and tireless in looking after a pretty full cabin for about 90% of the flight. CSM Bec and rest of crew good too.

PDBs and the pantry alive and well.



Salmon starter. Amazing.



Had assumed it would be as small a dish as the one on the earlier flight (posted just upthread) so asked if a bit of soup could be provided too if available. Cup given without fuss. Was very tasty. Only problem is it was barely warm.

Salmon main as well. Was a tough choice but ultimately a good one. Nice dish.


Cheese to finish.



Great food and service. Excellent flight.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Pasta with mushroom and pork on a 6.15pm flight from Hobart to Melbourne. I left the vegan rocky road cake, but ate the cheese. The serving of pasta was huge and I could only eat a fraction of it before I was full. It was tasty, but it didn’t need the pork. I intended to only have a single gin and tonic, but the airline hostess said “another g&t?” with such enthusiasm that I said yes. I transferred to a SQ flight afterwards and it made for an interesting comparison service-wise. The SQ staff work like a well-oiled machine, but the VA crew are much more conversational and personal.

 

[jakeseven7]

View attachment 192736
Pasta with mushroom and pork on a 6.15pm flight from Hobart to Melbourne. I left the vegan rocky road cake, but ate the cheese. The serving of pasta was huge and I could only eat a fraction of it before I was full. It was tasty, but it didn’t need the pork. I intended to only have a single gin and tonic, but the airline hostess said “another g&t?” with such enthusiasm that I said yes. I transferred to a SQ flight afterwards and it made for an interesting comparison service-wise. The SQ staff work like a well-oiled machine, but the VA crew are much more conversational and personal.

Lucky you didn't have to pay for the extra tonic from the Y cabin cart

 

[BNEFlyer]

Lucky you didn't have to pay for the extra tonic from the Y cabin cart

Why would they have?

 

[westsurf]

Why would they have?

Have you not seen the thread on "paying for a diet coke" as there wasn't enough in J class trolley?

 

[jase05]

Have you not seen the thread on "paying for a diet coke" as there wasn't enough in J class trolley?

VA admitted that it was a staff error on that occasion. I would hope the staff now know better

 

[westsurf]

VA admitted that it was a staff error on that occasion. I would hope the staff now know better

I hadn't seen that - could you cite a reference?

 

[BNEFlyer]

Have you not seen the thread on "paying for a diet coke" as there wasn't enough in J class trolley?

Yes, and as mentioned already it was a misunderstanding. And it's only the Ink Gin that's not complimentary now, the regular Gordon's (I think that's what they have) is still included.