Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[under the radar]

Also, only 330 J has an alcoholic choice for pre take-off drinks.[/QUOTE] it is weird that different aircraft types flying the same routes (egSYD/PER or MEL/PER) on virgin can dictate what drinks are served pre take off!!! at most the 737 would require only 2 bottles of bubbles for use pre takeoff (8pax max)...it wouldnt be a storage issue!! ... but i'm sure there is an explanation....somewhere!!:?:

 

[Justinf]

The actual flight time shouldn't matter though if it's a pre-departure drink. Maybe it takes longer to load the bigger A330? But if a nonalcoholic drink is offered preflight on, say a 738, then there is no reason why an alcoholic drink can't be offered? Maybe it takes people longer to down booze than, say a water or a mineral water? It has intrigued me for ages.
I once flew on Virgin America in F and was offered a beer perdeparture for a LAX-SEA flight and had to finish it quickly or hand it over half full to the FA (of course I scolled it). On the return leg, I was able to nurse my Miller Lite (yuck!) through take off!

 

[serfty]

Yeah - I misread the statement - I was indeed referring to post departure pre-meal drinks.

 

[brad330]

Catering wise, somewhat as being over 3 hours they are always meal services.

Question is, are pre-meal drink orders taken on 3+ hours 737 flights?

Always mock tail on ground, drink order as soon as crew released served with warm nuts lunch order taken served from trolley 60-90 mins into flight. Ice cream 30 prior to landing.

 

[jazza1971]

Question is, are pre-meal drink orders taken on 3+ hours 737 flights?

When I flew SYD-DRW they did. I had a mocktail with voddy, and then a JB with my meal...

Also although not offered, I thought I read a post a while back on the board where a J Pax was offered water or juice and they said no thanks I'll have a white and that is what they were served...maybe we just need to ask?

 

[KCMil]

On 737 services if you ask for an alcoholic drink, such as wine or beer then assuming there is time it will be served. Consider though that 737 boards approx 20 min prior pushback, A330 boards 45 min prior pushback. If a 737 is boarding front only then is it practical for the CS to get the drink to you? On A330 there are two aisles and more time to offer you the drink! I guess the result is ask and you may receive, e.g. the mocktail, ask for a shot of vodka, and you may receive.

 

[Justinf]

On 737 services if you ask for an alcoholic drink, such as wine or beer then assuming there is time it will be served. Consider though that 737 boards approx 20 min prior pushback, A330 boards 45 min prior pushback. If a 737 is boarding front only then is it practical for the CS to get the drink to you? On A330 there are two aisles and more time to offer you the drink! I guess the result is ask and you may receive, e.g. the mocktail, ask for a shot of vodka, and you may receive.

This is fair enough.
For the 738, if you ask for, say a bourbon and coke, it has to be mixed, poured, iced and served and may not be practical with the short boarding time it takes to load up the aircraft, particularly when you may not be one of the first to board. Wheras water or juice or the preprepared mocktail can simply be poured and offered.

 

[Jousams]

On 737 services if you ask for an alcoholic drink, such as wine or beer then assuming there is time it will be served. Consider though that 737 boards approx 20 min prior pushback, A330 boards 45 min prior pushback. If a 737 is boarding front only then is it practical for the CS to get the drink to you? On A330 there are two aisles and more time to offer you the drink! I guess the result is ask and you may receive, e.g. the mocktail, ask for a shot of vodka, and you may receive.

I've been on 737 flights were people have asked for wine and received before takeoff.
Personally id like to see some mixed nuts aswell.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[Plutonus]

Very DYKWIA moment this morning walking past the masses in the line at OOL. Shall report back on the snack offered during this flight.

 

[Moopere]

...maybe we just need to ask?

You know, I really think this is the key. Good service, on board, in hotels, at restaurants, provides a good solid basis that you can count on, but its not reasonable in my opinion to expect the people looking after you to read you mind. Whats good for me will annoy you .. for example, so, consistent high standard basic service, thats great, then people just need to interact a little bit. Almost invariably, in decent places, service folks want to provide you a good experience, but we've got to talk to them.

Sometimes, in high traffic businesses (like airlines) things can get a bit scripted, but if you break the ice with whomever is looking after you, and provide a bit of humanity, it makes everyone, including the service folk, a lot happier I think.

 

[snoophound]

I have to say a bit dissapointed ,with Virgin food
The inflight general menu hasnt changed for ages
This Mangan BS doesnt seem to affect food quality
After three our four businessclass flights in last mth I wouldnt recommend the food
Cottage pie,A soggy bacon and egg pie (why would you microwave a pastry).The breakfasts are too try hard with borlotti beans and frittata which is average and why oh why serve a croissant the pastry flakes go everywhere and the fruit is always unripe.
Finally the coffee is undrinkable ,weak and insipid at least buy some quality coffee.
Needs work

 

[KCMil]

The aircraft don't have microwaves, only ovens.

 

[pat25d]

And the general menu did change last month.

 

[Bolthead]

Baked Ricotta tonight ADL/SYD in J ..... it was great and the coffee was good as well. Service was great but you would expect that with only 3 in J and one of the PAX didn't order food.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Same thing with me, I flew OOL-SYD on Saturday morning and the looks from people in the main line as I swanned into the Priority line and the lovely ground agent stopped general boarding were priceless. The snack was nice but I did have to ask for something else as I was still peckish, but thankfully the vodka was flowing!

 

[Moopere]

Same thing with me, I flew OOL-SYD on Saturday morning and the looks from people in the main line as I swanned into the Priority line and the lovely ground agent stopped general boarding were priceless.

Aside from the lovely DYKWIA smugness of it all - Its smart marketing and execution in my view. Make the product 'aspirational'. It plants a seed.

This will be part of the 'halo' effect that JB was talking about months ago in his interview with the ABC. It casts a halo over the entire product line, and makes people actually _want_ to gain VFF points and use the services offered at different price points.

 

[KCMil]

So has anyone had the "NEW" AM or PM snack service yet? Started today apparently but I'm not on a flight until Monday?

 

[docjames]

738 mel-bne lunchtime flight.
Great meal of Thai green curry with dessert of cheesecake slice. Bread roll. Note to virgin the tray needs "dressing up" to look a little more upmarket. A small salad bowl would go a long way towards that. Standard juice/water pre-takeoff. Repeated in flight drinks offers. Crew were fantastic. Very helpful with minidoc - could not have done better overall. Checkin easy and lounge good, priority boarding fantastic, overall very happy. Luggage at bne a mess - on board told carousel 3. Ground screens said 2. Priority bags came out on 2. Then a pause. Then overhead announcement luggage coming on carousel 1. Unfortunately 1 bag missed the priority sticker but came out in first batch anyway (fortunately!). Still, I've had near 100% poor luggage experiences in bne with qf so who knows, maybe it's just a brisbane thing.

Will get the "snack" menu on the way home so if no-one posts by then ill come back with an update. Will try and take a picture (no promises as ill be juggling minidoc).

 

[Noob]

738 mel-bne lunchtime flight.
Great meal of Thai green curry with dessert of cheesecake slice. Bread roll. Note to virgin the tray needs "dressing up" to look a little more upmarket. A small salad bowl would go a long way towards that. Standard juice/water pre-takeoff. Repeated in flight drinks offers. Crew were fantastic. Very helpful with minidoc - could not have done better overall. Checkin easy and lounge good, priority boarding fantastic, overall very happy. Luggage at bne a mess - on board told carousel 3. Ground screens said 2. Priority bags came out on 2. Then a pause. Then overhead announcement luggage coming on carousel 1. Unfortunately 1 bag missed the priority sticker but came out in first batch anyway (fortunately!). Still, I've had near 100% poor luggage experiences in bne with qf so who knows, maybe it's just a brisbane thing.

Will get the "snack" menu on the way home so if no-one posts by then ill come back with an update. Will try and take a picture (no promises as ill be juggling minidoc).

Last time on a 737 I received a little salad bowl next to my main, is this only on night flights?

 

[bullerdude]

Last time on a 737 I received a little salad bowl next to my main, is this only on night flights?

Yes, I believe currently the Salad only comes with Dinner instead of the bigger desert that comes with lunch and afternoon flights.