Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[Elbobbo]

VA332 from BNE to MEL on the 2/3/13, departing midday: served salmon with a potato ans salsa sauce - along with the standard bread roll. A tasty sticky orange cake for dessert. not bad overall.

VA761 from MEL to OOL on the 8/3/2013, departing 20:40. A Prawn polenta for myself, and a portugese chicken for the better half. Not really up to scratch for a business class sitting, particularly for a dinner service. would be acceptable on a trans tasman or trans continent economy service but not a business class setting. that said with the nightmare traffic leading into MEL from the south east suburbs on the first night of a 3 day weekend, it was really just the booze we were most interested in!

 

[muppet]

VA 259 this morning

08:30am MEL - CBR is usually a morning snack flight, this morning a delicious breakfast.

Passion fruit yoghurt. warmed fruit roll. delicious french toast with streaky bacon and spinach. delicious.

 

[KCMil]

VA 259 this morning

08:30am MEL - CBR is usually a morning snack flight, this morning a delicious breakfast.

Passion fruit yoghurt. warmed fruit roll. delicious french toast with streaky bacon and spinach. delicious.

Strangely, this is actually the current Am snack offering! I think it's better than the breakfast. yummo

 

[goingboeing]

CBR-BNE Lunchtime = Beef Short Ribs with Polenta and Salsa Verde or Spinach/Beetroot/Feta salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette both with some sort of Berry (Cherry?) cake.

BNE-CBR Dinner = Salmon and potatoes with salsa as posted above or Eggplant Moussaka both with the LM Chocolate Macadamia.


Both well executed - the CS training that VA have been doing internally is certainly starting to pay off. I think VA could do well to ditch LM though and save some coin, I'm still yet to see anyone care about his branding. Perhaps they could pump this money into getting the special meal selection program from international over to domestic now that Sabre is in - from what I heard, NewSkies couldn't handle this before?

 

[antcap]

I've recent'y complained to Virgin Catering about their refusal to cater any sort of 'Special Meal' in either Business or Economy on Domestic Flights. On a 3 hour flight SYD/CNS last week it was only beef stew or a cold salad in Business class. My complaint was responded with a statement to bring my own food in a sealed container.- On Business Class. (and $200 in a travel bank). I've copied their response to the Airline Complaints Authority and they've agreed it should be taken up with the Human Rights Commission. What they are essentially saying is that they'll cater for business class when it's easy, but anyone else who has a dietary or religious requirement should fly Qantas. We'll see where this goes.

 

[docjames]

I've recent'y complained to Virgin Catering about their refusal to cater any sort of 'Special Meal' in either Business or Economy on Domestic Flights. On a 3 hour flight SYD/CNS last week it was only beef stew or a cold salad in Business class. My complaint was responded with a statement to bring my own food in a sealed container.- On Business Class. (and $200 in a travel bank). I've copied their response to the Airline Complaints Authority and they've agreed it should be taken up with the Human Rights Commission. What they are essentially saying is that they'll cater for business class when it's easy, but anyone else who has a dietary or religious requirement should fly Qantas. We'll see where this goes.

I'm sorry, the human rights commission for failing to provide a special meal in J class? Seriously?


What sort of meal did you require?

 

[EuroKick]

Human Rights Commission? Oh dear lord. It's not as if they were making you starve. You can have anything off the menu if the choices in the Business cabin don't suit.

 

[smit0847]

Human Rights Commission? Oh dear lord. It's not as if they were making you starve. You can have anything off the menu if the choices in the Business cabin don't suit.

If priority boarding wasn't enforced you should complain to the Human Rights Commission about that too.

 

[antcap]

Yes it does seem over the top, however it wasn't my idea to lodge the complaint. It was a suggestion from the Airline Complaints Authority.
In any case, if Virgin wants to be treated like a 'grown up' airline, they need to start acting like one. If Qantas can cater for religious or dietary restrictions, why can't Virgin. If I've paid over $1000 for a business class flight for 5 hours across the country I would expect to be fed by the airline, not bring my own food. The last time I checked, discrimination against someone on religious grounds was against the law.
I don't want this to blow out of proportion. As this was a thread about Business class catering on Virgin, I just thought I'd let people know that they don't cater for vegetarians or gluten intolerence, or any other requirements, as Qantas does.

 

[dandandan]

You say for their refusal, if they didn't have what you needed it couldn't be a refusal so I assume you contacted them beforehand?

If you did contact beforehand and knew they couldn't meet your requirements and Qantas could, why didn't you fly Qantas then?

You have accepted $200 in compensation however you still copied in ACA. You have not explained your post clearly enough but based on what you have posted you will have no case for anything.

Yes it does seem over the top, however it wasn't my idea to lodge the complaint. It was a suggestion from the Airline Complaints Authority.
In any case, if Virgin wants to be treated like a 'grown up' airline, they need to start acting like one. If Qantas can cater for religious or dietary restrictions, why can't Virgin. If I've paid over $1000 for a business class flight for 5 hours across the country I would expect to be fed by the airline, not bring my own food. The last time I checked, discrimination against someone on religious grounds was against the law.
I don't want this to blow out of proportion. As this was a thread about Business class catering on Virgin, I just thought I'd let people know that they don't cater for vegetarians or gluten intolerence, or any other requirements, as Qantas does.

 

[lazybones1987]

I just thought I'd let people know that they don't cater for vegetarians

I disagree with this.

 

[Plutonus]

The last time I checked, discrimination against someone on religious grounds was against the law.

But what you're describing isn't discrimination. If one service provider can't provide what you need, then you go to another. They aren't actively discriminating against you.

Sometimes I feel the D word is thrown around too much.

 

[mannej]

The last time I checked, discrimination against someone on religious grounds was against the law.
I don't want this to blow out of proportion..

By throwing the D word around you are blowing it out of proportion...
The words mountain and molehill come to mind

 

[oz_mark]

As this was a thread about Business class catering on Virgin, I just thought I'd let people know that they don't cater for vegetarians or gluten intolerence, or any other requirements, as Qantas does.

While not special meals as such, my recent Virgin flights have all had Vegetarian options.

 

[brad330]

Monday morning get to airport at 9am original routing CBR-MEL-SYD-CNS CBR-MEL delayed by just under 2hours so Mother and Two Sisters moved to1215pm via BNE and told status credits for original booking will be awarded. Waited In old lounge for 3hours hardly a soul there for the whole time. Heaps of VA managers coming in and out. Boarded new E-Jet for fourth time love the new layout. FA said morning service cart said lunch service which is what should be served as after 12pm. Loaded was 2 ham and cheese croissant 1 salad and 1 onion art. Chose the tart was nice but very oily. Arrived in BNE seems that e jets are now being send to the remotes stands and not using rear stairs. Next flight was salmon or salad has the salad was nice but not very filling. Other 5 pax in cabin including family members had salmon and said it was really nice. Crew on first flight was so down and sloppy she picked up my phone from armrest to see case while I was looking out of window I didn't mind but maybe someone else would service from rear of cabin yet again so my self gets served last so weird as both flights I was only status pax at but I am used to it now so are my sisters.

Regarding cairns catering they now get catered from Cairns with gate gourmet I have noticed so there is no excuse for more substantial meals in J to be served. I was called by catering last week asking what needs doing as I have said how bad it is they seemed surprised no blankets or pillows small meals etc they seemed surprised. Hopefully things change.

Dad and i Reached plat on Friday happiest day (at least I thought)

Happy Flying

Sent From iPhone

rd

 

[JessicaTam]

I've recent'y complained to Virgin Catering about their refusal to cater any sort of 'Special Meal' in either Business or Economy on Domestic Flights. On a 3 hour flight SYD/CNS last week it was only beef stew or a cold salad in Business class. My complaint was responded with a statement to bring my own food in a sealed container.- On Business Class. (and $200 in a travel bank). I've copied their response to the Airline Complaints Authority and they've agreed it should be taken up with the Human Rights Commission. What they are essentially saying is that they'll cater for business class when it's easy, but anyone else who has a dietary or religious requirement should fly Qantas. We'll see where this goes.

While not special meals as such, my recent Virgin flights have all had Vegetarian options.

I have raised this with Virgin as well. Their response was exactly the same as antcap's - bring your own!

It is true they have a vego option, however if you are served later rather than earlier, it is not guaranteed, as they may have served them all.

Pretty poor for a 'full service' airline.

 

[totd]

I have raised this with Virgin as well. Their response was exactly the same as antcap's - bring your own!

It is true they have a vego option, however if you are served later rather than earlier, it is not guaranteed, as they may have served them all.

Pretty poor for a 'full service' airline.

Although I have only made the request once, I had no problems getting my dietary requirements catered to... Just needed to phone it in ahead of the flight. It was, however, int'l long haul, as per VA special meals page http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/special-needs-assistance/special-meals/

It's a bit poor that they refuse to provide service. I'm still going to be asking for it on my next flight, even if TT is "short-haul"... But my hopes now are not high.

FWIW: I'm gluten & dairy... Makes finding food *fun*.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Generally i'm on an A330 ex PER, but even on the 737's, I am usually in 2A, and I get served before 2C, 2D, 2F.

I'll have to check our seat allocations again!

 

[Mak404matt]

I'll have to check our seat allocations again!

I have moved to 4A on the A330, and then it is showing 'check in required' for the 737 I think your party beat me to it

 

[FrankC]

I've recent'y complained to Virgin Catering about their refusal to cater any sort of 'Special Meal' in either Business or Economy on Domestic Flights. On a 3 hour flight SYD/CNS last week it was only beef stew or a cold salad in Business class. My complaint was responded with a statement to bring my own food in a sealed container.- On Business Class. (and $200 in a travel bank). I've copied their response to the Airline Complaints Authority and they've agreed it should be taken up with the Human Rights Commission. What they are essentially saying is that they'll cater for business class when it's easy, but anyone else who has a dietary or religious requirement should fly Qantas. We'll see where this goes.

Is this $200 documented anywhere? Sorry OT, but are they saying that if I bring my own food, I get a $200 discount on J?