Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[twinaisle]

Dislike

That's apparently what the people wanted

 

[ozstamps]

Isn’t it convenient that focus groups always ask for fewer and cheaper offerings.

I am surprised 'they' did not request zero real food and booze, but 'demanded' just a 30c bowl of instant noodles with hot water added, and a plastic spoon.

Talk about the race to the bottom. Air Asia here we come.

This is the year for Virgin to ADD features, not remove them. Qantas has been on the back foot all year, and Velocity massively messing with the flyer program has left a lot of p!ssed off once loyal regulars already this month.

Dumbly removing the business class white 'rope' access dividers is making Business a greatly diminished experience as it is, without shaving back the already rather basic food offerings.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I guess but it seems like a lot of CSMs offer top up of drinks.

Well, the better ones do....

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Nothing on a short sector

Medium/long/transcon/ish sides remain the same.

Yesterday morning on my BNE-SYD we had a Byron Bay cookie pair supplied on the side with breakfast...forgetful me didn't snaffle them and they went back to the galley unopened
Breakfast options were either Bacon, scrambled eggs, beans and rosti (which was delicious even if the eggs were a touch over) or a vegetarian frittata. Service was very good throughout and the magnetic rope kept the Y pax on their side

 

[Mr H]

Yesterday morning on my BNE-SYD we had a Byron Bay cookie pair supplied on the side with breakfast...forgetful me didn't snaffle them and they went back to the galley unopened
Breakfast options were either Bacon, scrambled eggs, beans and rosti (which was delicious even if the eggs were a touch over) or a vegetarian frittata. Service was very good throughout and the magnetic rope kept the Y pax on their side

I do not like eggs so the biscuit would have been the only thing I ate. This is why I try to avoid breakfast flights - which seem to stretch up almost until midday on some airlines - or make my own provision in the airport.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

I do not like eggs so the biscuit would have been the only thing I ate. This is why I try to avoid breakfast flights - which seem to stretch up almost until midday on some airlines - or make my own provision in the airport.

Admittedly I'm not a fan of eggs either, however with a pinch of salt these were okay. Also noting that the bacon, beans and rosti were all (relatively) separate to the eggs on the plate too
I'm surprised with the current cost of eggs that alternative breakfast options aren't more prevalent at the moment.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm surprised with the current cost of eggs that alternative breakfast options aren't more prevalent at the moment.

Pumpkin fritters.

 

[twinaisle]

Yesterday morning on my BNE-SYD we had a Byron Bay cookie pair supplied on the side with breakfast...forgetful me didn't snaffle them and they went back to the galley unopened
Breakfast options were either Bacon, scrambled eggs, beans and rosti (which was delicious even if the eggs were a touch over) or a vegetarian frittata. Service was very good throughout and the magnetic rope kept the Y pax on their side

Some cm's are placing them on the tray which they're not supposed to.

 

[Mattg]

Some cm's are placing them on the tray which they're not supposed to.

I assume those cookies are part of the pantry/snack menu (is it still called pantry?) available on request?

Are you able to share what snacks are currently available in J?

 

[twinaisle]

I assume those cookies are part of the pantry/snack menu (is it still called pantry?) available on request?

Are you able to share what snacks are currently available in J?

They are from the pantry and they're about to be changed to different varieties.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Mel-syd tonight was creamy mushroom pasta with optional chicken or lemon pork with rice and veg. Cheese and crackers on the side and cabin manager offered everyone a small dairy milk as no desserts on the short flights.
Both options looked pretty good when served.
CSM was great and enthusiastic about the new menu. Food was pretty good - as usual in my experience with VA.

 

[Luke B]

VA321 MEL-BNE today, decent meal.

 

[ozstamps]

WHY Virgin for YEARS has exclusively offered NEW ZEALAND made cheese as shown above when Australia has a struggling cheese making industry, always annoys me.

Virgin must buy 100,000s of Mainland cheese packages a year, and 100,000s of bottles of New Zealand Wine that I've been served on board, and in Lounges.

BOTH can I am sure be sourced locally for the same cost.

They'd be VERY wise to have a mission statement --

'Virgin Australia is proud to offer ONLY Australia made wine, beers and cheese and meals and snacks, to support the AUSTRALIAN Economy.'

Would cost them no more, possibly even less, and would be a strong marketing positive, and Corporate policy. Planes they cannot avoid importing but wine and cheese they CAN.

 

[Mattg]

WHY Virgin for YEARS has exclusively offered NEW ZEALAND made cheese as shown above when Australia has a struggling cheese making industry, always annoys me.

With respect, based on your posting history on this forum, a lot of things seem to annoy you.

At the end of the day, Virgin’s main mission is to run a safe airline operation that makes a profit. I don’t think the place where the cheese provided by Gate Gourmet is manufactured is too high of a consideration.

 

[WilsonM]

BOTH can I am sure be sourced locally for the same cost.

I'd be pretty sure the entire reason they have NZ wine and cheese is because they aren't sourced for the same cost as AU wine and cheese. Or they have long-term contracts etc that cost money to break. Or, they just don't care

 

[madrooster]

WHY Virgin for YEARS has exclusively offered NEW ZEALAND made cheese as shown above when Australia has a struggling cheese making industry, always annoys me.Would cost them no more, possibly even less, and would be a strong marketing positive, and Corporate policy. Planes they cannot avoid importing but wine and cheese they CAN.

QF also offers the same Mainland cheese and crackers in Y...

 

[ozstamps]

And many things about Virgin annoy you and others, as all can see. That is life. No airline is perfect. Some things are simple to fix.

I repeat -


They'd be VERY wise to have a mission statement --

'Virgin Australia is proud to offer ONLY Australia made wine, beers and cheese and meals and snacks, to support the AUSTRALIAN Economy.'


Such an obvious way to support the economy at no extra cost clearly does not bother you sadly, but it does resonate with many.

You may have even heard of the 'BUY AUSTRALIA' Campaign. Lots of savvy Companies have.

If this differentiates Virgin from Qantas in a positive way - better still for Virgin.

 

[twinaisle]

With respect, based on your posting history on this forum, a lot of things seem to annoy you.

At the end of the day, Virgin’s main mission is to run a safe airline operation that makes a profit. I don’t think the place where the cheese provided by Gate Gourmet is manufactured is too high of a consideration.

But they keep flying VA when many things annoy them is interesting too.

 

[ozstamps]

I'd be pretty sure the entire reason they have NZ wine and cheese is because they aren't sourced for the same cost as AU wine and cheese. Or they have long-term contracts etc that cost money to break. Or, they just don't care

The latter part clearly is the case. 'They just don't care'. Virgin are owned by Americans and run by Jayney an American and we know profit is all they are interested in, but oddly here they could score patriotic support, AND save money if some minion looked into this area.

Virgin run a huge national WINE BUYING CLUB. They have great influence in that area, and vast buying power.

Are you seriously suggesting Virgin cannot source decent red and white AUSTRALIAN made wine for less than New Zealand ones they now buy?


As to availability and cost of 97% AUSTRALIAN made cheese and crackers versus the years long offering of *ZERO* Australia content Cheese and Crackers being either impossible to source and/or is much more expensive, you are wrong.

I just went next door to Woolworths and bought retail a 50 gram pack of theirs and the Mainland one Virgin uses – which retail cost near DOUBLE the 97% Australian made one, so do not for one second imagine the AUSTRALIAN one is not made here, in a small 50g snack pack, or is more expensive.

You are clearly correct – Virgin just do not care.

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/224795

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/453300

 

[twinaisle]

Could you imagine the uproar if people saw Coles/Woolies brand of cheese onboard. )

Fun fact - the wines severed onboard in J are owned by Bain