While I had a generally unpleasant though only slightly delayed trip on Virgin Australia up from Sydney to Cairns to spend a few days in Port Douglas, near the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, my return to Sydney before flying to Los Angeles went far more smoothly.
We left the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas around 2 hours 45 minutes before our flight. It was a simple 70 minute drive, the day before the Iron Man competition that would have closed Captain Cook Highway and turned it into a three hour-plus journey.
On the outbound we flew economy. There were no business seats available, and no extra legroom coach either. It was peak season and flights were full, as many flights within Australia have been since travel re-commenced.
For this flight we’d be in Virgin Australia business, which was about $100 more than economy for the three hour flight. As a result we skipped the long economy check-in queue and were helped quickly in the premium line.
We were behind only one other person, helped straight away, and check-in with our luggage (my wife, daughter and I were traveling for three weeks) was done swiftly. Then we were on our way through Australian domestic security which is a breeze.
We were airside with about 40 minutes to go before boarding (the flight boards just 25 minutes prior to departure) and there’s no longer a lounge to use. I’ve flown Virgin Australia out of Cairns before but back then they had a lounge. Virgin gave up their largest domestic lounge space during the pandemic to reduce costs.
So we picked up some coffees and a snack for my daughter, and sat in the small food court area until it was time to board. Boarding was called on time, and we made our way just around the corner to gate 21 and onto the aircraft. They board (and deplane) quickly using both the front and rear of the aircraft.
This time we’d be sitting up front instead of making our way to the back. Virgin Australia’s 737s are configured with two rows of fairly standard domestic first class-style seats.
No predeparture beverages were offered, but there wasn’t much time on the plane prior to pushback. We were in the air without a delay, as you’d expect from Cairns, and it wasn’t long before the flight attendant serving business class offered drinks and a packaged nut and chick pea strip snack.
Lunch was then served, and I opted for the chicken parmesan which was surprisingly good? An appetizer of packaged cheese and crackers was a bit sad, and the dessert I took a bite of and decided the juice there wasn’t worth the squeeze. But the entree along with sides were quite tasty.
Since Virgin Australia doesn’t offer inflight wifi, the rest of the time was spent watching shows I’d downloaded in advance to my laptop. I can deal with lack of wifi in Australia far more than the states – because I’m usually flying outside of business hours on the U.S. East Coast. I’d like to be more productive, but I’m not falling behind.
Landing was on time in Sydney. Checked bags started coming out within a couple of minutes of arriving at baggage claim. And all in all this was an uneventful flight, more enjoyable than the last one even factoring that it was in business rather than economy. It wasn’t anything special, but the extra space was appreciated for the 2 hour 55 minute journey.
@ Gary Leff
It’s a relief that you enjoyed your trip back to SYD more than your sector up to CNS.
For information of readers – pricing of QF domestic business class (which still has a lounge in CNS and arguable the better overall product) can be 50-100% higher that the VA price level, although QF can rotate internationally configured A330 with business class lie-flat onto the route (as per the next couple of months) offering a nice sweet spot for those willing to part with 22,000 Avios one-way biz (or 11,000 with cash copayment).
Factually (see VA website) – VA does have in-flight WiFi, which is free to business class passengers when available, but it is not guaranteed to be on every fight.
FWIW I’d rather eat the VA chook (OZ for chicken) than the soggy disaster of the QF “Rubens sandwich”.
Oh yeah – I think in OZ we’d generally eat the cheese and biscuits after the main (“entree”) than have a “soy chicken” moment as treat it as an appetizer….;)
Qantas still does inner australia flights better for food imo
And some of their newer hard product seats almost international standard
Borderline impressive just depends on the aircraft
Sounds like the flight was still nice
So it’s feels not bad and you can make another booking with them.
Very unusual not to get a pre departure beverage on Virgin Australia. And Qantas used to have better food, but not any longer – pretty much everything at Qantas has been downgraded to LCC standards (or worse if you’re trying to get your money back for any reason).
I wish that you had written a more in-depth review. I really got no impression either way. It seems that it is a toss up between Qantas and Virgin Australia. Isn’t VA supposed to be lower cost than the big Q? Thanks,
@Cr – on a route like this it IS a toss up, though Qantas has a lounge in Cairns and Virgin Australia no longer does. If there’s a Qantas widebody that is better but for narrowbody to narrowbody it really is pretty similar.
@ Cr
“I wish that you had written a more in-depth review. I really got no impression either way.”
Gary doesn’t know from personal experience the relative strengths and weaknesses of VA versus QF (why would he as a US-based blogger?). The article isn’t even factually correct wrt WiFi (one of the reasons his earlier article trashing VA was misdirected).
VA is generally lower cost than QF. In business class by 25-50%. Why pay AUD1000 to fly the 3 hours from CNS-SYD when you can pay AUD500 for a broadly similar product?
There are some reasons to favour QF – they can schedule an international A330 on the domestic route reviewed – VA cannot compete with quality of such product with the 737s, except on price. If you are into the OneWorld alliance, then QF is the obvious first choice if you are not price sensitive. The same applies to transcons to / from PER (QF schedules some A330s, VA just 737s).
If your are traveling out of CNS, there is no domestic VA lounge (as the article rightly says), but there is one for QF.
There are some reasons to favour VA – it is much easier to accrue Gold or Platinum in VA than QF due to lower bar and family pooling although status only lasts for one year. If you are into partner programs (UA, HA, SQ, etc) then go VA.
If you are into Avios then pick either – you can earn QR Avios from both!
VA has kerbside priority entry direct to dedicated security and straight into the lounge bypassing the terminal check in area experience in a couple of locations (e.g. BNE., SYD) – QF does not.
QF has business class lounges as well as Qantas Clubs in some locations, VA has one style of lounge (if at all). QF biz lounges can have better food offerings.
Food is a matter of preference – some like the more down to earth and hearty VA menus and others the more restaurant affectations of QF (which can misfire or be delicious).
Traditionally you might find better quality wines in QF lounges and in flight, but having come across AUD5 bottles of wine in the QF CNS lounge and AUD20 wines in the QF first lounge in LAX in recent weeks, I’m not sure that’d sway my decision. Cost cutting is most evident.
QF service on a good day is excellent, but on a bad day, well, bad – it is not unusual for QF cabin crew in biz to give up halfway through the flight and have a private party in the galley apparently oblivious to the concept of doing their job. Other times, the QF crew are exemplary. It’s just not consistent.
By contrast I’ve never come across a disinterested crew member in VA biz. My most recent VA flights, the CSM was just brilliant at her job. I told her that if I was CEO, I would promote her instantly to head of crew training.
Arguably, consistently happy and engaged cabin crew can turn a mundane flight into a highly enjoyable experience. regardless of other aspects of the product.
@platy – Virgin Australia has plans for more wifi, wake me when it’s broadly available.
I’ve done several dozen Australian domestic flights, though not hundreds.
Your answer doesn’t go beyond what I’ve written for anything that’s actually been asked.
Gary, we spend a full two months every year in Port Douglas (from California). Did you try the BBQ place ( Smokey Pint)?
@ Gary Leff
“Virgin Australia has plans for more wifi, wake me when it’s broadly available”
So which “Gary Leff version” of VA’s WiFi is the correct one?
1. The SYD-CNS review – expecting WiFi, didn’t get it, spat the dummy
2. The CNS-SYD review – apparently, VA doesn’t have WiFi after all
3. Comment to CNS-SYD review – apparently VA does have WiFi, but not broadly available
Yes, wake up, mate…..;)
“Your answer doesn’t go beyond what I’ve written for anything that’s actually been asked”
So there’s no point in wasting my time trying to help your readers, then?
@platy – false, was never expecting wifi
@ Gary Leff
What’s false?! Your positions are publicly published on your own website and are hilariously contradictory. In their factual misrepresentation. Stay asleep dude because you have NFI.
@Platy – and you seem to read stuff into them things that aren’t there, not the first time..
@ Gary
Your statements are unambiguous and factually in error – take responsibility or don’t – your website thereby your choice. – certainly nobody to take seriously any more when you have 3 versions of the same stuff in obvious contradiction. Thanks for the laughs buddy. Don’t give up the day job.
@Platy – you claimed I was disappointed not to get one of Virgin’s planes with wifi on my first flight, that’s false. I’ve covered their new product where they will finally install the service on a majority of their fleet. They do not reliably offer the service today.
@Gary
Go ahead and rewrite the narrative of your misdirected SYD CNS content.describing your arrogant melt down.
Also feel free to misrepresent the VA refit announcement, which did not state majority of the fleet but majority of the remaining fleet.
You have yet even to bother to clarify which of your 3 positions you deem correct on VA WiFi..
You have provided no added substance at your readers request.
Oddly you deflect your errors onto claiming I’ve misread your content rather than offer any factually evidenced further info.
You belittle my attempt to add info on the VA and QF comparison.
It’s lazy and inaccurate stuff and sadly defensive when you’re called out.
Enough is enough.
Clearly you don’t know what you are talking about. Too lazy to get your facts right.
@Platy – there was no ‘meltdown’ I was simply critical of Virgin Australia’s operation from start to finish on that one flight, from long check-in queues to IT systems not functioning properly, poor customer handling and no announcement of delays, capped off by inop IFE. The return flight was smooth and uneventful.
@ Gary Leff
Your statement in web article above is not factually correct:
“Virgin Australia doesn’t offer inflight wifi”
Correction. It does. But not on all flights. You can read reviews of such on Australian based trailer blogs (e.g. Executive Traveller).
You can duck and weave as much as you like (just as you REFUSED to accept you were wrong about your United status match benefits in the previous VA article), but you are presenting factually incorrect content.
Remarkably you have no willingness to amend your position.
Your website – your choice.
Why do you have a problem getting your facts right (or even correcting your errors)?!
The pattern continues on the recently posted Hilton article. Another claim easily shattered by evidence.
Mate, seriously, don’t give up the day job.
@platy – the statement was *imprecise*.
Virgin Australia had wifi *installed* on a majority of planes. This was turned off during the pandemic. And only started to be turned back on. Virgin Australia has plans to offer wifi on the bulk but not all of its planes. But it is not something you can count on having when flying Virgin Australia today.
I have explained this over and over but you ignore.