Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[hummel]

Do you get coat bags / suit covers on a 737? I know that the coat hangers behind row 2 seats is where you hang up the jackets.

I can only speak about the A330, but I on the 4 sectors I have experienced, I got suit bags on 3 of them.

I did when I first tried J a few years ago.

I also remember being told by the FA ( I was in row 3) that she would make an expectation and hang up my coat *just this once* behind row 2 for me.

Note: J was empty

 

[anat0l]

I think they are long gone from every aircraft now.

Damn...and I thought I was going to start a collection, too.

 

[Spacetravel]

I can't seem to find anything about the premium economy on virgin australia (domestic business class seat) to queenstown. Anyone know what the meals are like? How do they compare to domestic business?

 

[Jousams]

salmon with caramelised onion dinner 737 SYD - BNE service.
Was very good and overall service was exceptional.

 

[pythonisman]

I can't seem to find anything about the premium economy on virgin australia (domestic business class seat) to queenstown. Anyone know what the meals are like? How do they compare to domestic business?

I haven't flown the Y+ product myself, but I've sat in the row behind.
Note if it's operated by Virgin Australia NZ it's not a domestic J seat from VA, it's the old 3 economy seats with the middle one blocked + more leg room.
The meal options looked like they were pretty stock standard Y fare (albeit all inclusive from a service perspective).

IME the crew on these flights are usually pretty friendly, certainly toward the premium cabin. (From a few TT legs and one up to the Port Vila)

 

[aamslfc]

I can't seem to find anything about the premium economy on virgin australia (domestic business class seat) to queenstown. Anyone know what the meals are like? How do they compare to domestic business?

Pythonisman nailed it - just a blocked middle seat ala Euro-business, more legroom, and free food/drinks from the Y menu. Friend of mine has done Y+ before, and he said it was nothing special.

You do get Koru lounge access though, so that might balance the otherwise generic in-flight catering. FWIW, I'm doing MEL-AKL this Saturday in Y+ so I'll let you know how it goes

 

[Spacetravel]

Oh cough I booked it. I'm plat anyway so i would get row 3 with almost everything. Baggage boarding + lounge anyway.

Gonna check my fare class and see what my refund options are.

 

[lovestotravel]

I can't seem to find anything about the premium economy on virgin australia (domestic business class seat) to queenstown. Anyone know what the meals are like? How do they compare to domestic business?

It's basically Economy with a spare seat in the middle

Crews may or may not speak clear English

I'd rather fly in NZ in Y than Y+ on VA, well EK in J is a far better option for not much more during a sale

 

[pythonisman]

I haven't flown the Y+ product myself, but I've sat in the row behind.

Actually what am I saying. I did fly CHC-SYD in 1F on the VA NZ bird (was an op-up at the gate). As it was an op-up I'd already eaten in the lounge, so didn't eat on the plane. I also found the leg room in row 1 to be woeful due to the bulkhead, and it's lucky the middle seats are blocked so I could straighten my legs out a bit.
</off topic>

 

[under the radar]

I did when I first tried J a few years ago.

I also remember being told by the FA ( I was in row 3) that she would make an expectation and hang up my coat *just this once* behind row 2 for me.

Note: J was empty

Quite acceptable for the F/A to say that (irrespective of the j/c load)... soooooo many times (and in many other situations), I've heard pax state.... 'but they did it on my last flight', why cant' you do it on this flight?'... Doing 'something extra', often comes back to bite other F/As on other flights in the a**e...and in some cases even come back to bite the original F/A in the a**e, as it gets back to 'management' that they are not following the 'company procedures'...

You may think it's a 'weird' thing to say...but the F/A is just covering their a**e for any repercussions that may occur in future..

It's through the actions of some pax that 'abuse' the 'extras' given...that leads to F/As requiring them to state...'just this once' (or something to that effect).

Just giving you the 'other side of the coin'

 

[Justinf]

No pics but did a Gold requal run Mel-Ool-Mel today in J.
9.10am departure from MEL was a snack service. Toasted pastrami and goulash sandwich, warm bread roll and a yoghurt dessert. To be honest, the sandwich was pretty good. I'm not a huge fan of pastrami, but after I loaded it with pepper, it was OK. very decent.
Return was 12.50pm so a lunch flight. Choice of a salad or a chicken and leek pie with mash and two baby carrots. I chose the later. Pie was soggy and soft. For a business class meal, I would expect more than a soggy pie, which was on the small side. Only saving grace was the incredible service from the delightful Joanne.
Both flights were 6/8 in J.
Out of the two, the snack service was superior. The lunch was disappointing.

 

[serfty]

Did an MR recently ...

MEL-xSYD-OOL & vv.

Breakfast Snack 9am flight - mushroom omlette:


Lunch noon flight. Shredded duck with bean ragu and salsa verde (very nice):



3pm snack - cheese:



5pm snack - Onion tart:

 

[bass_ke]

SYD - MCY @1130

A quiche style device was served, not bad at all!

 

[Jousams]

SYD - MCY @1130

A quiche style device was served, not bad at all!

Had this on a recent SYD-BNE. Was good

 

[anat0l]

SYD/BNE Weekend Evening Refreshment. This was the 1700h service, so just one service before dinner, but a refreshment was expected so that's no biggie.

The mocktail is back, but it appears to be a bit more sour than I remember it. That's fine by me - more character in the drink than if it were just sweet.

The choices were between a warm quesadilla with avocado and tomato salsa (called a "tortilla" - pronounced tore-till-lah - by the CSM), or a cold cuts platter (called a "meat plate" by the CSM). The latter was an antipasto style platter of sliced salami, prosciutto and ham, coupled with a small pickled cucumber and pickled onion.

I decided on the quesadilla. It was - at best - just OK... whilst the ingredients might have been there for a great meal, it was rather lacklustre. The mince was quite thin in the quesadilla; with the sweet corn, the filling kind of reminded me of the mix in a packet samosa, with not much kick. The tortilla ended up a bit rubbery and tough to cut with the cutlery. The salsa was really needed as it was likely something which was saving the dish. I'm sure there have been quesadillas that have been done well before (AA rolls these out like they are going out of fashion), but they aren't exactly the easiest dish to get right up in the air.

The accompaniments were a soft bread roll and sorbet. The bread roll was really dull tasting, chewy and needed to be pulled apart (couldn't be cut). Heating the roll, if it was heated at all, didn't improve its taste or texture. The butter saved the bread, or you used it to mop up stuff. The coconut cream and kaffir lime sorbet was pleasant; you would be quite hard pressed to fault this. It should be important to note it is a sorbet; although it's not as "icy" as a typical fruit sorbet, it doesn't have the creaminess or similar texture of ice cream. So those who complain that it's a poor man's ice cream, well, it isn't ice cream.

Wines on offer included two whites - a Sauv Blanc and a Chardonnay - and one red - a Merlot. I opted for a half-pour of Merlot. One change I have noticed is that VA now offer more than just standard black tea on their services, and I was glad that when I asked for tea, the CSM offered choices of English Breakfast, Earl Grey or Green tea, of which I opted for the green tea, which was naturally the Green and Jasmine Tisane tea from Madame Flavour.

Probably more notable on this flight was the service, which was less than satisfactory. The CSM wasn't rude or the like, but as he executed the refreshment service remarkably slowly, you could see the expression on his face was that he was trying to push through one last service. Luckily there were only six passengers in Business for this flight; if there were two more, he might be struggling to serve everyone before start of descent (let alone on Qantas where the Business cabin has up to twelve passengers). I had my coat in lap when I boarded, but even though it was clearly seen by the crew, no one offered to hang up my coat, although funny enough as the final seat belt sign lighted up for landing, the offer to hang my coat was taken.

All said, I was pretty tired and although I had to note the rather (at best) pedestrian and lacklustre (read: lack of lustre, not sorely unacceptable) service, at the same time I felt for the CSM. Due to the events on the Friday passed, he had been called up from standby and had been working through a day which clearly he had probably budgeted for something else. After the service touched down in BNE, he quickly disappeared up the jetway to make his deadheading flight home to MEL.

Some work days, you deserve a gold star just for surviving the day.

 

[KCMil]

I too recently had some very "average" to "poor" service on board. I am finding that there is a distinct lack of polish to the J product and the crew delivering it.

It is, I accept, difficult to make a reheated pie with a gooey filling look like a culinary delight, but as I have experienced, not impossible. A little care and attention from the CS can make all the difference. But one CS did explain that they have "given up" trying to tell the company what needs to change.

I find the biggest disappointments:

- Take away style food (pies, sausage rolls, hot dogs etc...),
- Inconsistant wine offerings (no menu possible, due to constant changes in what is loaded according to CS advice to me they often get three different wines, one of each),
- Lack of hot towel service prior to commencement of meal service,
- Wild variance in service format from one CS to next (small differences give each CS an ability to inject their style / character, but basics should always be there such as bakery service offered not just dumped on plate and put in front of you want it or not because they can't be bothered to learn how to silver serve),
- Complete absence of champagne or even an australian sparkling,
- Absence of power outlets on most aircraft in J class,
- Hit and miss offering of tablets to use to connect to wifi, (often having to ask for a unit),
And the big one!!!!
- I am sick of hearing their conversations about how awful their job / boss / day is..........

I am sticking with VA for my J class travel needs until the end of the year in the hopes I see improvement, after that, I make a decission as to which way to go.

 

[jazza1971]

Mate of mine had this yesterday J ADL-SYD 0900 dep, a sandwich would have left me under-whelmed!

 

[Bolthead]

Mate of mine had this yesterday J ADL-SYD 0900 dep, a sandwich would have left me under-whelmed!

Despite the fact that it may have been a very nice sandwich I would have sent it back. Sorry but that is not good enough.

 

[carwashhair]

A bread roll to accompany bread? Yep, makes sense!

 

[anat0l]

Mate of mine had this yesterday J ADL-SYD 0900 dep, a sandwich would have left me under-whelmed!

...

Hope it was a really, really good sandwich! (Filling, that is). If the bread was handmade maybe I'll give it another point.

They could have at least toasted it (although that tends to wilt out the fresh ingredients, e.g. lettuce or greens).

I wonder what the other option was (I assume there is always another option, even if it were just cheese).

Is the side dish yoghurt, pot creme dessert or sorbet/ice cream?