Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[1022]

MEL-SYD Friday evening. Departure delayed about 45 minutes. I diligently went to the gate when the app flashed up with “boarding” and joined the other gate lice while pilots were delayed coming from another flight. (Aside, I feel like I see more of this kind of crew-schedule related delay on VA than QF. Purely anecdotal though!).

Meal choices were honey soy chicken or gnocchi with optional chorizo. I went with the gnocchi because I’ve had it before and was decent. The gnocci was over cooked and too soft and a bit soggy, but still tasted good and was well plated in spite of what the CM had to work with.

CM seemed very new - eg reading PAs verbatim. So service was just the basics but fine and with a smile. It’s interesting to observe how all the little things that distinguish really good J service from merely average must evolve over time: eg proactively offering water on the meal tray when pax order an alcoholic drink; or offering tea or coffee when clearing trays; or the sixth sense some seem to have with when to walk through the cabin with wine bottles to offer top ups; or the art of small talk.

 

[twinaisle]

eg proactively offering water on the meal tray when pax order an alcoholic drink; or offering tea or coffee when clearing trays; or the sixth sense some seem to have with when to walk through the cabin with wine bottles to offer top ups; or the art of small talk.

Its RSA to offer water with an alcoholic drink on the tray

Small talk works both ways, we're not going to talk to you besides the bare minimum if you're sitting there with headphones on or/are looking like you want to be left alone. Happens more than often and personally I won't go above and beyond for extra service.

 

[muppet]

Its RSA to offer water with an alcoholic drink on the tray

Small talk works both ways, we're not going to talk to you besides the bare minimum if you're sitting there with headphones on or/are looking like you want to be left alone. Happens more than often and personally I won't go above and beyond for extra service.

Offering tea and coffee or topping up wine is really considered “going above and beyond”?

 

[twinaisle]

Offering tea and coffee or topping up wine is really considered “going above and beyond”?

Probably not going to offer it to you when clearing a tray if your headphones are on as I'll have to repeat myself waiting for you to take it off especially on a SYD-MEL or a short flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We has a super CM the other night. Both wifi and IFE working, so just about everyone with headphones in or on. He took orders before takeoff, then simply mouthed ‘another drink?’ or proactively offered top ups by sowing the bottle. No audible communication required!

Wonderful! Bring. It. On.

 

[AFF Editor]

I've moved the headphone etiquette discussion to a new thread

Plane headphone etiquette: Should you remove headphones whenever you interact with cabin crew?

We has a super CM the other night. Both wifi and IFE working, so just about everyone with headphones in or on. He took orders before takeoff, then simply mouthed ‘another drink?’ or proactively offered top ups by sowing the bottle. No audible communication required! Wonderful! Bring. It. On...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au