Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[Eggsbenedict]

Started with olives and nuts post take off. Samon as the entree with Beef rib as the main. Just did an East to West return on the A330, service and food was just fantastic. This is a pretty special domestic product.

 

[JessicaTam]

another comparison from mid 2014. both meals were beef cheeks. clear winner in my opinion

QF
View attachment 41823
DJ
View attachment 41824

I'll say. You got wine with the VA meal.

 

[QF WP]

Yes, but there was a G&T on the QF tray - obviously the pre-dinner drink so they probably weren't going to serve a red at that stage

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Yes, but there was a G&T on the QF tray - obviously the pre-dinner drink so they probably weren't going to serve a red at that stage

Have never asked the FA, but does VA have spirits onboard? I certainly long for a G&T in the lounge.

 

[kevrosmith]

Have never asked the FA, but does VA have spirits onboard? I certainly long for a G&T in the lounge.

Yes

10 characters

 

[kevrosmith]

Meals within the last month. All flights SYD-CNS.

06-Feb Chicken Green Curry



13-Feb
Fish - don't know if the skin was meant to be crispy but it wasn't very pleasant.



I was still a bit peckish, so tried the Chicken Salad option too.



Followed by ice cream for dessert (don't usually get offered this on this sector).

 

[QF WP]

That salmon skin should have been crispy - I know of few who like it otherwise. Love the look of the other dishes. My wife would crawl over broken glass for that dessert...

 

[kevrosmith]

26-Feb
Spicy Meatballs with potato. Quite favoursome.



06-Mar
I've started to ask for a pre-dinner snack from the pantry menu... Either the olives or cheese & crackers (from the cart) along with a pre-dinner drink. It's not the usual service on this sector, but the CSM is always happy to oblige.




The meatballs again. There were warm but not quite hot enough. (I never know if I should ask them to zap them a bit more in the oven once it's plated up, or just cross my fingers hoping I don't get sick!)



Noticed they had a leafy salad with dressing this time (the dressing was delicious) but noted the lack of cheese and crackers.

 

[Grimace1]

<Pics>

Hopefully they have the Green Curry and the Chicken Salad next week on the same SYD>CNS / CNS> SYD

 

[kevrosmith]

I really hope that QF are watching this thread because VA are really giving them a run for their money on Business Class meals (on non-trans con routes at least - I can't comment on that as I haven't flown to PER for quite some time.)

This was dinner SYD-CNS last Friday.

Pork Fillet with potato mash, onions, apple and gravy, accompanied by pork crackling. While the pork was a little dry, this was a delicious meal and I could hardly believe it was on a domestic flight. The crackling had a crunch that Pete and Manu would approve, and it was full of flavour and a generous size meal.



Second week that they've reverted to a leaf salad with Merlot dressing, rather than a cheese plate. Not sure if the cheese plate is available separately as part of the Pantry menu or not.

 

[Eggsbenedict]

I really hope that QF are watching this thread because VA are really giving them a run for their money on Business Class meals (on non-trans con routes at least - I can't comment on that as I haven't flown to PER for quite some time.)

This was dinner SYD-CNS last Friday.

Pork Fillet with potato mash, onions, apple and gravy, accompanied by pork crackling. While the pork was a little dry, this was a delicious meal and I could hardly believe it was on a domestic flight. The crackling had a crunch that Pete and Manu would approve, and it was full of flavour and a generous size meal.

View attachment 43732

Second week that they've reverted to a leaf salad with Merlot dressing, rather than a cheese plate. Not sure if the cheese plate is available separately as part of the Pantry menu or not.

That looks amazing!

 

[Grimace1]

I'm currently on VA697 awaiting departure, but there appears to be two new dining options on the A330 services...

There is now express dining and the original A LA carte dining that has always been on board.

Express dining :"if you would like to settle in and enjoy your excellent in flight entertainment or catchup on some sleep, you're sure to find something quick and light in our express dining menu. "

I'll upload some pictures of the menu tomorrow night when I'm back home (my phone is being stubborn!)

 

[marki]

Yea I saw it too!!
I must say I was slightly impressed.
They do seem to have a better product don't they.

 

[smit0847]

Meals within the last month. All flights SYD-CNS.

06-Feb Chicken Green Curry

View attachment 43253

13-Feb
Fish - don't know if the skin was meant to be crispy but it wasn't very pleasant.

View attachment 43254

I was still a bit peckish, so tried the Chicken Salad option too.

View attachment 43255

Followed by ice cream for dessert (don't usually get offered this on this sector).

View attachment 43256

I'm doing MEL-CNS-MEL in J in a few weeks. It's one of VA's longest 737 dom routes (I think it blocks 3:25 each way) - I assume its just a one-tray affair still like SYD-CNS? Would you recommend asking about this pantry items thing? I may get a little peckish if the meal is served shortly after take off.

 

[bullerdude]

As its over 3 hrs you should get the full service plus the Pantry.

On flights over 3 hours, guests can indulge in a full, three-course dining experience for lunch and dinner

 

[smit0847]

As its over 3 hrs you should get the full service plus the Pantry.

Ohhhh that sounds good!! Does that mean 3 separate courses though? Or 3 courses on the one tray together?

 

[kevrosmith]

Ohhhh that sounds good!! Does that mean 3 separate courses though? Or 3 courses on the one tray together?

I would be surprised if you got three separate courses. Flight time is usually under 3 hours (https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VOZ1291), and I'd expect you'd just get the same meal service as SYD-CNS.

The Pantry is not always offered pro-actively by the CSM, but as soon as I mention it, they get it out very quickly (and then also offer it to other pax). There's an "extra items" section of the Pantry for longer flights, and these are not available on the SYD-CNS sector, and I'd expect the same on MEL-CNS.

I often just ask for some kit-kats from the Y Cart as I'm not a huge fan of most of the items on the Pantry (tried most of them). Even when I order the kit-kat, the way the CSM presents it varies widely: sometimes it's unwrapped on a plate, sometimes they've actually broken the individual biscuits apart, sometimes it's still wrapped but on the plate, and sometimes they just hand me the packet as they walk back past from Economy.

While I think of it... does anyone find the plastic tray sometimes has a bubble in it, and if you push too hard to cut the meat, it has the potential to upset everything on the tray, a bit like the Pop-O-Matic bubble on the game Trouble (Trouble (board game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). They really need to do something better than that: seems the tray is getting a bit warped going through the dish-washer too much.

 

[smit0847]

I would be surprised if you got three separate courses. Flight time is usually under 3 hours (https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VOZ1291), and I'd expect you'd just get the same meal service as SYD-CNS.

The Pantry is not always offered pro-actively by the CSM, but as soon as I mention it, they get it out very quickly (and then also offer it to other pax). There's an "extra items" section of the Pantry for longer flights, and these are not available on the SYD-CNS sector, and I'd expect the same on MEL-CNS.

I often just ask for some kit-kats from the Y Cart as I'm not a huge fan of most of the items on the Pantry (tried most of them). Even when I order the kit-kat, they way the CSM presents it varies widely: sometimes it's unwrapped on a plate, sometimes they've actually broken the individual biscuits apart, sometimes it's still wrapped but on the plate, and sometimes they just hand me the packet as they walk back past from Economy.

While I think of it... does anyone find the plastic tray sometimes has a bubble in it, and if you push too hard to cut the meat, it has the potential to upset everything on the tray, a bit like the Pop-O-Matic bubble on the game Trouble (Trouble (board game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). They really need to do something better than that: seems the tray is getting a bit warped going through the dish-washer too much.

But the block time is over 3 hours. Isn't that what they mean when they say 'flights over 3 hours'? No one knows what the actual flight time of a flight is!
Are there any non PER dom flights over 3 hours flight time then? Is MEL-DRW?

 

[dk4]

Ohhhh that sounds good!! Does that mean 3 separate courses though? Or 3 courses on the one tray together?

On longer B737 flights - the tray use to come out with the entree on it (IME soup), which was then removed once finished and replaced with the main course plate. Other than that, it's standard VA B737 J tray service.

However, I think that the pantry has fresh product in it for longer flights, e.g. fruit or sandwiches or something. They use to do an ice-cream before arrival (on afternoon/evening flights - when the CS remembered or it hadn't melted) but that may have gone the way of the dodo with the introduction of the pantry for pre-arrival snacks?

 

[kevrosmith]

But the block time is over 3 hours. Isn't that what they mean when they say 'flights over 3 hours'? No one knows what the actual flight time of a flight is!
Are there any non PER dom flights over 3 hours flight time then? Is MEL-DRW?

Well SYD-CNS is scheduled as 3:05 (VA1429 18:40-20:45) and I've only ever received the single tray meal service (maybe once or twice with ice cream offered afterwards as well). I've never received a separate entree, either separately before the main, or on the tray with the main. Flight time is typically between 2:30 and 2:55.