Virgin Australia Business Class - Meals, Menus & Service

[serfty]

Green Beacon

Also recently seen in the BNE VA lounge. Not a bad drop.

 

[oirets]

Forgot to take a picture since I was too hungry, but I had “turkey and brie on sourdough” on my morning MEL-SYD hop today. Also came with some biscuits and cheese. Overall, I’m more of an eggs + sausage/bacon breakfast sort of guy, but I was happy with the meal. It didn’t look quite as nice and fancy as the old “designer” plates that they used to serve, but the food was nice and tasty.

As a point of comparison, it’s similar to what I would pay $15-20 for at a cafe along with some juice/coffee. Perfectly serviceable for me. First time flying since early-2020 and so far, I’m happy. Will be flying QF on Saturday so will be a good chance to compare QF and VA offerings.

If VA can continue to offer cheap tickets on the MEL-SYD-BNE corridor, they can possibly turn things around.

Also had a quick gander at the Economy BoB menu. Pretty bland and expensive, IMO. Maybe for a MEL-PER hop, I’d consider some cup noodles, but for a MEL-SYD hop, I’d just get something from the terminal. That being said, I’m not sure I’m all that fussed with the loss of a snack in economy. Virgin’s economy snack always seemed like just a “we’re not an LCC” token to me more than anything. If they can keep up the $79 fares on MEL-SYD, I’m happy with no snack. Their seat is still far better in economy than JQ and EconomyX is always a good option for the taller folk.

 

[Mattg]

I was invited to the media event for the Business Class menu relaunch last night and got to try a few of the new dishes there. The pie was particularly tasty and I think the new menu will go down well when they remember to load the meals!

Here are a few photos from the event.

 

[sudoer]

View attachment 243536

MEL-SYD 6:30pm this evening.

View attachment 243521

Quite a light portion for a dinner service.

If I'd received the mini antipasto side plate and a dessert like you did @Mattg, I would've been far more satisfied.

 

[zig]

If I'd received the mini antipasto side plate and a dessert like you did @Mattg, I would've been far more satisfied.

I thought your tray didn’t look right, but couldn’t place what was missing. It’s too long since I have flown!

 

[QF WP]

@Mattg , you would have caught up with Chris C from BT then

That set my taste buds watering before lunch. Looking forward to the breakfast options on Monday (assuming we don't have COVID problems with the new case)

 

[dk4]

I thought your tray didn’t look right, but couldn’t place what was missing. It’s too long since I have flown!

I think they are facing a tray "real estate" issue. Some times there are two plates, some times three, and on a few occasion there are four. No report, that I have read so far, has thought to ask why? (Previously I had experienced 3 broad meal service types on VA, based on flight length; standard, over 3 hours, and Perth transcon - is that the delineation about when/why you get 2, 3, or 4 plates now?)

If they aren't consistent on the same route, and you get a different amount of plate to tray coverage seemingly at random, customers will get rightly annoyed IMO.

 

[RickyT84]

We were offered a choice of the quinoa salad with halloumi and the Brie and turkey melt on our 10am SYD to MEL flight this morning.



The crew also offered tea coffee or juice to go with the meal.

The salad was fresh but the halloumi had a strange texture and it was tough to cut. The sandwich melt was tasty though although it didn’t look great after being heated in an airplane oven.

Only 4 out of the 8 J pax had food so we were offered a second serve of the sandwich melt. The crew also asked for feedback on the food which I was happy to provide.

 

[cqtiger]

I see they finally have in flight purchases

 

[Mattg]

VA1226 BNE-CBR 26/3
19:50 departure

No catering issues this time and the two meal choices were the lamb pie and quinoa & halloumi salad, both of which I tried yesterday. I went with the lamb pie (as did 5/6 pax in J - in fact, I think the only person who chose the salad did so because she required a gluten free meal) and it was just as nice in the air.

@Mattg , you would have caught up with Chris C from BT then

That set my taste buds watering before lunch. Looking forward to the breakfast options on Monday (assuming we don't have COVID problems with the new case)

Yep, had a good chat with Chris (and David), as well as a few of the folks from Point Hacks, Immanuel from Flight Hacks and the editor of Traveller.com.au, among others.

 

[zig]

Good to see VA supporting the dairy industry.
The salad comes with Halloumi and a side of cheese and crackers
The turkey and brie melt, includes not just brie, but looks like grated cheddar under the turkey, and comes with a side of cheese and crackers.
I like cheese, but couldn't they come up with another side offering for these meals than cheese and crackers? A small tub of hummus or other dip could be another easy option.

 

[SydneySara]

VA1226 BNE-CBR 26/3
19:50 departure

No catering issues this time and the two meal choices were the lamb pie and quinoa & halloumi salad, both of which I tried yesterday. I went with the lamb pie (as did 5/6 pax in J - in fact, I think the only person who chose the salad did so because she required a gluten free meal) and it was just as nice in the air.

View attachment 243565




Yep, had a good chat with Chris (and David), as well as a few of the folks from Point Hacks, Immanuel from Flight Hacks and the editor of Traveller.com.au, among others.

Great review in the newsletter Matt - I had the melt today SYD-LST & it was delicious!

Also loved the pre flight bubbles!

 

[Dr_Goz]

Flew BNE-MEL on Sunday.

For a vegan option, the halloumi was removed from the quinoa salad. Not all bad, and certainly better than anything VGML we have experienced on VA before.

(Excuse the feet on the bulkhead, wife was feeding an infant at the time of photo).

 

[mrmerc500]

Flew BNE-MEL on Sunday.

For a vegan option, the halloumi was removed from the quinoa salad. Not all bad, and certainly better than anything VGML we have experienced on VA before.

(Excuse the feet on the bulkhead, wife was feeding an infant at the time of photo).

View attachment 243686

Thanks for posting, great to see this dish being adjusted as a fellow vegan, hope it had a dressing of some sort otherwise would be quite dry.

If you like a hot dish, there’s always MR Lee’s noodles you could ask from the economy BOB.

 

[SydneySara]

Thanks for posting, great to see this dish being adjusted as a fellow vegan, hope it had a dressing of some sort otherwise would be quite dry.

If you like a hot dish, there’s always MR Lee’s noodles you could ask from the economy BOB.

Of course nobody should have to BOB in J - but I’m coming out swinging in defence of those noodles - they are SO DELICIOUS!

Got hooked on em after discovering them on JQ - they sell them for $5 at Harris Farm. Pricey but worth it as the Prince of noodles.

 

[jakeseven7]

Of course nobody should have to BOB in J - but I’m coming out swinging in defence of those noodles - they are SO DELICIOUS!

Got hooked on em after discovering them on JQ - they sell them for $5 at Harris Farm. Pricey but worth it as the Prince of noodles.

Gross but glad you enjoy them....

Don’t look at the nutritional panel, you’ll never touch them again.

 

[SydneySara]

Gross but glad you enjoy them....

Don’t look at the nutritional panel, you’ll never touch them again.

I’m seeing 200 calories worth of DELICIOUS!

 

[sudoer]

Of course nobody should have to BOB in J

When the crew ran out of catering on my flight, they were offering items from the BOB menu to J pax. They didn't mention anything about payment, so I would assume that if you are unable to eat the catering options due to dietary requirements, there is flexibility to provide BOB menu items free of charge.

 

[BNEFlyer]

When the crew ran out of catering on my flight, they were offering items from the BOB menu to J pax. They didn't mention anything about payment, so I would assume that if you are unable to eat the catering options due to dietary requirements, there is flexibility to provide BOB menu items free of charge.

Like the good old days! There's also pantry items available (like the good old days).

 

[aaronm]

Flew LST-MEL on Monday, no hot option offered but a reasonably tasty pumpkin and prosciutto salad was available. Wouldn’t typically go for a salad but given the short flight length I was happy with this, only downside was a warm beer.