Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[MEL_Traveller]

It looks more ‘mediterranean’ with the stuffed semi-dried tomato than ‘middle eastern’!

 

[Sprucegoose]

VA874 SYD-MEL 6pm - another flight with green chicken curry or truffle mac and cheese.

View attachment 311193

Those clever people at Bain are disguising these meals with a culinary herb - Basil!!

I was on VA337 this afternoon from MEL-BNE and took the Mac N Cheese.

Maybe they can string this out for another six months?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Also collected all 4 cheese and cracker packs to be used for snacks at home

I always do this as a survival tactic; I think Bear Grylls also does this (I'm sure).

I have been off the beaten track, middle of bugger all, with no (edible) food, the caterers have been kidnapped, and the chef shot - haha, hunt around luggage for all this bowerbird-style acquired food. Saved me on several occasions.


So not just me who does this, haha - certainly not.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

HBA-MEL J lunch. Choice of two salads. This one I think called ‘Middle Eastern salad’ which was odd, considering the ham draped over the top. With a glass of Pino Grigio. It was pretty nice for a light, summer’s day lunch.
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How easy would it be to package the ham separately to make it most likely a flexible vegetarian option?

 

[Sprucegoose]

How essy would it be to package the ham separately to make it most likely a flexible vegetarian option?

Good thinking, Intern. Can you report to Bain in the morning?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Flew Virgin today from OOL to ADL in paid J and was surprised by the service since I flew them late last year. Virgin lounge was basic in terms of buffet but what they did have in the buffet was quality food instead of the food scraps that Qantas leaves behind for members and those travelling in J:


Onboard service was similarly brilliant. Was offered a pre-departure beverage of either water or Australian champagne (I took the champagne):

In terms of meal options there was this chicken rice dish (which I had that was pretty good) and some vegetarian salad option:

One service addition that wasn't present the last time I flew Virgin was snack basket service (common on Air Canada J) where they came by with a small basket and you could pick whatever treats you wanted - I think you can guess what I got:


On arrival I visited the Virgin lounge since I knew it would be a couple of minutes before my luggage would arrive on the conveyor and picked up a to go latte:


In terms of service overall, I think there are several areas where Virgin truly shines. Certainly the onboard catering is leagues ahead of QF domestic. I think the food options they provide lounge visitors is a cut above too. That being said, where I think Virgin could improve was the inclusion of free wifi internet as QF provides along with better priority services like security, particularly in major hubs like SYD.

 

[AIRwin]

That being said, where I think Virgin could improve was the inclusion of free wifi internet

Not yet on the aircraft operating your flight but it does have split scimitar winglets...

 

[Bundy Bear]

The thai chicken curry on MEL-SYD was good, especially being a 3:30pm flight,




especially after have the Mexican beans and nachos in the lounge before the flight


.

 

[jase05]

That being said, where I think Virgin could improve was the inclusion of free wifi internet as QF provides

It’s coming for J pax and Plats but the remainder will have to pay.
I wouldn’t really call it “free” on QF either

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It’s coming for J pax and Plats but the remainder will have to pay.

Indeed, and it seems that they'll also be offering it on international flights to such far flung destinations as New Zealand and Bali! That being said, the biggest let down in flying Qantas was the complete lack of onboard wifi for international flights. At first I thought my SYD > CHC on a 737 not having wifi was a fluke, but speaking with colleagues who have flown QF further afield it isn't available anywhere internationally (not even if you want to pay out of pocket). Meanwhile having flown United and Air Canada long haul to SYD, there was wifi the whole way for like $35 CAD for 24 hour pass, which if you are flying to/from the East coast of North America represents excellent value!

I wouldn’t really call it “free” on QF either

If you are travelling OPM it's free! If you are travelling on a JetStar classic award that ended up getting rebooked to QF thanks to a schedule change, it's free. If you're a cheap skate and keep booking $99 red e-deals across the east coast, it's free!

 

[twinaisle]

HBA-MEL J lunch. Choice of two salads. This one I think called ‘Middle Eastern salad’ which was odd, considering the ham draped over the top. With a glass of Pino Grigio. It was pretty nice for a light, summer’s day lunch.
View attachment 311513

e middl

HBA-MEL J lunch. Choice of two salads. This one I think called ‘Middle Eastern salad’ which was odd, considering the ham draped over the top. With a glass of Pino Grigio. It was pretty nice for a light, summer’s day lunch.
View attachment 311513

That's the prosciutto pearl almond cous cous salad.

The middle eastern salad with hummus is absolutely delicious!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

HBA-MEL J lunch. Choice of two salads. This one I think called ‘Middle Eastern salad’ which was odd, considering the ham draped over the top. With a glass of Pino Grigio. It was pretty nice for a light, summer’s day lunch.
View attachment 311513

Aside from the cheese and crackers, that whole lot looks haram!

 

[RooFlyer]

That's the prosciutto pearl almond cous cous salad.

The middle eastern salad with hummus is absolutely delicious!

That’s it - thanks. . Albeit ham.

 

[Sprucegoose]

That's the prosciutto pearl almond cous cous salad.

Proscuitto? VA and I must shop at different Delis

 

[twinaisle]

Proscuitto? VA and I must shop at different Delis

Yeah it is. It's been cut up for ease to eat! I would assume the deli that gate gourmet shop at is way different than the Italian deli that I get my prosciutto from

 

[Harrison_133]

VA94 DPSMEL Red Eye

Some more new menu options to share. Choices of a spaghetti with basil pesto and grilled vegetables, or a grilled chicken breast in a capsicum sauce with salted vegetables.

Chicken dish is pictured, quite satisfying. Accompanied by the obligatory cheese and crackers. The banana cake for dessert was the star of the meal IMO. Drinks were regularly topped up, and the snack tray offered half way through.

And for those playing along at home, I was served first in 2A (I’m WP). Service pattern then went 2C > 1D/F > 1A/C > 2D/F.

 

[jase05]

That looks like a pretty good meal IMO

 

[dairyfloss]

VA94 DPSMEL Red Eye

Some more new menu options to share. Choices of a spaghetti with basil pesto and grilled vegetables, or a grilled chicken breast in a capsicum sauce with salted vegetables.

Chicken dish is pictured, quite satisfying. Accompanied by the obligatory cheese and crackers. The banana cake for dessert was the star of the meal IMO. Drinks were regularly topped up, and the snack tray offered half way through.

And for those playing along at home, I was served first in 2A (I’m WP). Service pattern then went 2C > 1D/F > 1A/C > 2D/F.

Cheese and crackers have had an upgrade, too? Perhaps just didn't bring them in for the return leg, so locally stocked.

 

[Harrison_133]

Cheese and crackers have had an upgrade, too? Perhaps just didn't bring them in for the return leg, so locally stocked.

Yeah they were a bit different, quite nice too. Not sure what sort though. And yes I would assume locally catered as the salt and pepper packets had Indonesian writing on them.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

Yeah they were a bit different, quite nice too. Not sure what sort though. And yes I would assume locally catered as the salt and pepper packets had Indonesian writing on them.

Given the length of flight I assume the upgraded cheese plate was a substitute to the antipasto plate also offered on longer flights.