Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[AIRwin]

I just spent over 30 minutes on the phone to three different people in their call centre before I found somebody who understood what a Coeliac is and finally advised me that they do not cater for gluten free meals in business class.

Website has the following info:
Requests for special meal options are not available on Domestic and International Short Haul flights.
A range of food and beverage options is available for purchase from our on-board menu including vegetarian and gluten-free options. If these are unsuitable, you are welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages on-board.

Special meals

Special meal requests are not available on Domestic and International Short Haul flights. Instead, purchase from our food and beverage menu, including vegetarian and gluten-free options, or bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks.

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[Nigel.S]

Website has the following info:
Requests for special meal options are not available on Domestic and International Short Haul flights.
A range of food and beverage options is available for purchase from our on-board menu including vegetarian and gluten-free options. If these are unsuitable, you are welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages on-board.

Special meals

Special meal requests are not available on Domestic and International Short Haul flights. Instead, purchase from our food and beverage menu, including vegetarian and gluten-free options, or bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks.

www.virginaustralia.com

We don’t fly business class and then get told to buy our own meals. Back to Qantas next time

 

[VPS]

I just spent over 30 minutes on the phone to three different people in their call centre before I found somebody who understood what a Coeliac is and finally advised me that they do not cater for gluten free meals in business class.

My wife says she will never fly Virgin again after this.

Welcome to AFF and I don't think you'll find it different in Qantas - I have a fish allergy and they just say they can't guarantee anything

 

[henrus]

My wife says she will never fly Virgin again after this.

As already mentioned - news flash, Qantas often misses out on confirmed special meals on domestic business class flights.

Sat next to someone two days ago who got upset on a flight from SYD-OOL as they had no gluten free options (despite apperently requesting). Oddly QF does have gluten free bread but the rest of the meal wasn't.

All that being said anyone who's flying domestic business class for a fine dining experience needs a reality check, domestic flights in Australia are just a glorified bus service and business class is just paying for a wider seat/more legroom - the meals/drinks sure whilst a part of it are not the main attraction.

Something else to note in Economy unlike Qantas which sometimes just offers one single snack option, at least with Virgin's buy on board (or Jetstar buy onboard) you can pick from a range of snacks including some which are GF:

https://www.virginaustralia.com/content/dam/vaa/documents/menus/va-onboard-menu-2024.pdf

 

[MooTime]

NAN to MEL 17-08
Tandoori chicken, rice, pasta mix & dessert.
Great tasting dish. Super nice CM. Even gave my wife back in row 4 a Pinot Grigio.

Nice onboard package of usual tid bits.

On new 737-8 Max, beaut brand new tube, EF had it listed as Brand New, May I think.
Few extra storage areas very handy. Wifi worked a treat entire 5+ hours.

 

[henrus]

Tandoori chicken, rice, pasta mix & dessert.

I noticed something similar last year that the meals ex NAN comes with NZ cheese and are different to the rest of the network. I wonder if they're actually made locally or maybe in NZ before being flown frozen to NAN?

 

[MooTime]

I noticed something similar last year that the meals ex NAN comes with NZ cheese and are different to the rest of the network. I wonder if they're actually made locally or maybe in NZ before being flown frozen to NAN?

Yes I did read cheese packet & was diff & from NZ, you are correct.
Was a much softer cheese, little more flavoursome, better.

 

[AIRwin]

Even gave my wife back in row 4 a Pinot Grigio.

You left your wife behind in Economy?!

 

[MooTime]

You left your wife behind in Economy?!

With one of our sons, she wasn't alone!
Older son up front with me.

Booked for next year school hols already and managed 4 J reward seats.
Shocked really.

 

[Silvia]

On VA845 today and chicken was served. The CM advised no vegetarian dishes were loaded and we only had 1 option.

 

[encryptededdy]

Dinner on last night's VA1537 (HBA-SYD)



Food was great, although wish VA did 3 choices instead of just one VG and one non-VG

FA was nice and friendly, although when I declined their offer of alcohol / wine, they followed up with a lot of "are you sure", "it's still sunday" etc. - I'm sure they're just trying to be nice, but it made me feel quite awkward.

Priority boarding in HBA was a mess unfortunately. I joined the boarding queue maybe 1 minute after it started, and it the priority queue had already cleared. The (one) attendant was handling the economy queue, so I stood in the (empty) priority queue and waved at her. She gestured something at me that I didn't quite understand, then the person behind me asked her "is there priority boarding?" to which she gestured at the economy queue again. I took this as an indication to insert myself at the front of the economy queue, but the people in the economy queue were not very happy with that.

All in all an awkward boarding process, when she could've just said to the to the economy queue people "please wait for a moment"/"Just let in the priority queue first" or something, instead of silently gesturing.

 

[simmomelb]

Dinner on last night's VA1537 (HBA-SYD)

View attachment 407137

Food was great, although wish VA did 3 choices instead of just one VG and one non-VG

FA was nice and friendly, although when I declined their offer of alcohol / wine, they followed up with a lot of "are you sure", "it's still sunday" etc. - I'm sure they're just trying to be nice, but it made me feel quite awkward.

Priority boarding in HBA was a mess unfortunately. I joined the boarding queue maybe 1 minute after it started, and it the priority queue had already cleared. The (one) attendant was handling the economy queue, so I stood in the (empty) priority queue and waved at her. She gestured something at me that I didn't quite understand, then the person behind me asked her "is there priority boarding?" to which she gestured at the economy queue again. I took this as an indication to insert myself at the front of the economy queue, but the people in the economy queue were not very happy with that.

All in all an awkward boarding process, when she could've just said to the to the economy queue people "please wait for a moment"/"Just let in the priority queue first" or something, instead of silently gesturing.

You can always walk up to the priority queue/entry if you are late, just need to be assertive and you'll be fine (I don't mean that in a nasty way!), but it's there for you to use (if entitled to it, which you were).
They don't know if you are entitled to priority unless you walk right up to them and show them your boarding pass, many try to jump ahead and aren't eligible.
Yep, I am sure the second offer of drinks was just their way of being generous/nice, they've done that with me many times and I either laugh and say "yeah why not!" or "no thanks but that's very kind of you" easy to work around it (from my experience).
Best wishes for your next boarding, hopefully it's a better experience for you.

 

[encryptededdy]

You can always walk up to the priority queue/entry if you are late, just need to be assertive and you'll be fine (I don't mean that in a nasty way!).

To be clear, I was in the front of the priority queue - it's just nobody was there, and when I got the attention of the person handling the economy queue, she just gestures at the economy queue.

 

[simmomelb]

To be clear, I was in the front of the priority queue - it's just nobody was there, and when I got the attention of the person handling the economy queue, she just gestures at the economy queue.

So you got to show them your boarding pass, if at the front, and then directed you to the regular queue? Just trying to understand how that went so wrong.
If so, that is not good at all - I would put in a complaint.

 

[encryptededdy]

So you got to show her your boarding pass if at the front, and then directed you to the regular queue? Just trying to understand how that went so wrong.
If so, that is not good at all - I would put in a complaint.

The scanners at Hobart are on the sides of the lanes, not between them, so she couldn't see my boarding pass as she was standing on the other side of the economy queue from me.

 

[simmomelb]

The scanners at Hobart are on the sides of the lanes, not between them, so she couldn't see my boarding pass as she was standing on the other side of the economy queue from me.

Ah yes, understand. That is annoying!

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Great tasting dish. Super nice CM. Even gave my wife back in row 4 a Pinot Grigio.

I'm impressed. I'm on nearly 20 sectors in Row 3 as Platinum this year and not once has the magically elusive report of a sneaky wine making its way back to me ever come to fruition -- despite numerous efforts at currying friendly favour from the outset.

To think all I need is a partner abandoning me in steerage and commenting on it to the CSM!

 

[kerfuffle]

FA was nice and friendly, although when I declined their offer of alcohol / wine, they followed up with a lot of "are you sure", "it's still sunday" etc. - I'm sure they're just trying to be nice, but it made me feel quite awkward.

Saying you have to drive works for escaping (as someone who drinks the sparkling wine PDB, but stops when it's meal service ... as I have to drive myself home)

 

[dxwell]

VA978 BNE-SYD
The best service from Pat for me and my workmate in 2D and 2F.
Full cabin, my order taken first (WP).
Pat's service made it feel truly special and worth being in business class. My mate doesn't do business class and he LOVED the experience.
Chicken thing that was super yummy (sorry, the name of it went in one ear and out the other).

 

[fletty]

VA978 BNE-SYD
The best service from Pat for me and my workmate in 2D and 2F.
Full cabin, my order taken first (WP).
Pat's service made it feel truly special and worth being in business class. My mate doesn't do business class and he LOVED the experience.
Chicken thing that was super yummy (sorry, the name of it went in one ear and out the other).
View attachment 408022

I had the same meal on VA978 on Monday - it was just butter chicken. Probably one of the best domestic meals I've had though!