hankahanka
Junior Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2014
- Posts
- 14
Hi All,
I took this flight a few months ago, and I wrote my first trip report. I wasn't super happy with the result, so I sat on it. I kick off a euro-trip of a lifetime next week, so I'd really appreciate it if you could fire away with some feedback for the below trip report. Hopefully I can sharpen up a bit and make some worthwhile trip reports on some pretty damn cool aviation geekery. Thanks!
Can't embed any pictures yet...if you're interested, they're here: hankahanka's uploaded images - Imgur
This weekend I was lucky enough to fly on Virgin's new domestic A330-200 business class PER-MEL. The layout is an upgrade from the old A330 business class, to a new 1-2-1 reverse herringbone flat-bed layout. The seat is the same model used by Qatar for their international business class.
I had booked about a week out, and found the business class was practically empty on ExpertFlyer. Using Virgin's cash upgrade bid system, I bid AUD$305 for the upgrade ($5 above the minimum). I was pleased when the bid came through and it had become apparent there had been a last minute equipment swap to the new business layout. I was very excited now! Unfortunately I hadn't packed my camera!
After a quick visit to the modest Perth Virgin lounge, we were called for boarding and promptly boarded through the foremost doors, missing the excitement to turn left into business! Only 8 of the 20 business seats were occupied, and once economy had boarded the crew showed us through the functions of our seat after offering us a glass of Champagne and a Jetstar-grade amenity kit.
The seat was cushy and spacious, and incredibly private. The seat has a suite-like atmosphere where you can't see the surrounding passengers without leaning forward, thanks to the head height shroud. We had seats 1D & 1G which includes a conveniently placed privacy screen. With the screen drawn back you can see your flying partner from almost all seating positions which was lovely. There is decent storage in the seat itself, and has the capability to play media from your phone on the built in screen. The entertainment system is easy to navigate by remote or touch, with a fairly small selection of movies and TV shows compared to some of the big international carriers.
The seat is controlled by a iPhone sized panel by your hip which controls the recline and height of the foot rest, and it can also be set to fully flat with just one button.Once in the fully flat position the bed can be a little bit narrow for a back sleeper, but the foot cubby hole is large enough to accommodate side sleepers. The bed is dressed with a mattress on red-eye flights, but the seat was very plush and comfortable without during my evening flight.
Shortly after boarding we pushed backfor a short wait on the tarmac and a quiet takeoff. Once the seatbeltsign was off, we were offered a pre-dinner drink, a Campari and soda, and delicious marinated olives. We selected our dinner meals, andaccompanying wine from the menu. The Vietnamese Chicken salad wastasty with a zingy dressing. The warm bread roll was served with a deliciously verdant olive oil and dukkah. The short rib was not short rib at all, but more likely skirt or rib cap. It was tender and mostly flavoursome, but short rib it was not. The cheese platter was nice, as was the passion fruit and mascarpone filled meringue desert.
The crew was very friendly and enthusiastic, but you could tell they were quite new, and lacking in confidence and polish. After ordering a Shiraz to go with my meal, I was cautiously informed that it was a full bodied wine. 3 minutes later I was inexplicably presented with a (luckily) truly delicious Pinot Noir. It was a very pleasant surprise, but still a surprise.They were quick and efficient, but didn't seem confident enough to make chit-chat or pass through the cabin to offer refills. I think it may have been a training flight for the fresh faced cabin crew, as the more experienced flight attendant would stow my partner’s bag for take off and landing, and immediately placing it back as soon as was possible. I also saw him oversee the younger staff as they plated up the meals.
Later I ordered one of each of the orange and vanilla chocolates from the menu, and was presented with one chocolate and some type of muesli bar shaped thing. One bite of the chocolate was enough. It was an unholy concoction of raw/organic/handmade/vegan/dairy free/soy free/gluten free/refined sugar free. I'm not joking. From my powers of deduction I conclude it had to be made of sand. I moved on to the muesli bar “thing”which was somehow worse. I think it had a handful of cruelty-free soil mixed in. Like any bright eyed pleb invited up into business class, I’m here to spend my time aboard stuffing my face with tasty business class chocolate, I'm not sure why the chocolate had to be this aberration of taste...isn't one awful snack on the menu enough?
A few episode's of bob's burgers, and several glasses of red from their lovely selection later, and it was unfortunately time to kick me off the plane. The seat was great, the food was good. Virgin is almost done fitting nearly identical seats on their trans-pacific 777 fleet, I would make this my first preference.
I took this flight a few months ago, and I wrote my first trip report. I wasn't super happy with the result, so I sat on it. I kick off a euro-trip of a lifetime next week, so I'd really appreciate it if you could fire away with some feedback for the below trip report. Hopefully I can sharpen up a bit and make some worthwhile trip reports on some pretty damn cool aviation geekery. Thanks!
Can't embed any pictures yet...if you're interested, they're here: hankahanka's uploaded images - Imgur
This weekend I was lucky enough to fly on Virgin's new domestic A330-200 business class PER-MEL. The layout is an upgrade from the old A330 business class, to a new 1-2-1 reverse herringbone flat-bed layout. The seat is the same model used by Qatar for their international business class.
I had booked about a week out, and found the business class was practically empty on ExpertFlyer. Using Virgin's cash upgrade bid system, I bid AUD$305 for the upgrade ($5 above the minimum). I was pleased when the bid came through and it had become apparent there had been a last minute equipment swap to the new business layout. I was very excited now! Unfortunately I hadn't packed my camera!
After a quick visit to the modest Perth Virgin lounge, we were called for boarding and promptly boarded through the foremost doors, missing the excitement to turn left into business! Only 8 of the 20 business seats were occupied, and once economy had boarded the crew showed us through the functions of our seat after offering us a glass of Champagne and a Jetstar-grade amenity kit.
The seat was cushy and spacious, and incredibly private. The seat has a suite-like atmosphere where you can't see the surrounding passengers without leaning forward, thanks to the head height shroud. We had seats 1D & 1G which includes a conveniently placed privacy screen. With the screen drawn back you can see your flying partner from almost all seating positions which was lovely. There is decent storage in the seat itself, and has the capability to play media from your phone on the built in screen. The entertainment system is easy to navigate by remote or touch, with a fairly small selection of movies and TV shows compared to some of the big international carriers.
The seat is controlled by a iPhone sized panel by your hip which controls the recline and height of the foot rest, and it can also be set to fully flat with just one button.Once in the fully flat position the bed can be a little bit narrow for a back sleeper, but the foot cubby hole is large enough to accommodate side sleepers. The bed is dressed with a mattress on red-eye flights, but the seat was very plush and comfortable without during my evening flight.
Shortly after boarding we pushed backfor a short wait on the tarmac and a quiet takeoff. Once the seatbeltsign was off, we were offered a pre-dinner drink, a Campari and soda, and delicious marinated olives. We selected our dinner meals, andaccompanying wine from the menu. The Vietnamese Chicken salad wastasty with a zingy dressing. The warm bread roll was served with a deliciously verdant olive oil and dukkah. The short rib was not short rib at all, but more likely skirt or rib cap. It was tender and mostly flavoursome, but short rib it was not. The cheese platter was nice, as was the passion fruit and mascarpone filled meringue desert.
The crew was very friendly and enthusiastic, but you could tell they were quite new, and lacking in confidence and polish. After ordering a Shiraz to go with my meal, I was cautiously informed that it was a full bodied wine. 3 minutes later I was inexplicably presented with a (luckily) truly delicious Pinot Noir. It was a very pleasant surprise, but still a surprise.They were quick and efficient, but didn't seem confident enough to make chit-chat or pass through the cabin to offer refills. I think it may have been a training flight for the fresh faced cabin crew, as the more experienced flight attendant would stow my partner’s bag for take off and landing, and immediately placing it back as soon as was possible. I also saw him oversee the younger staff as they plated up the meals.
Later I ordered one of each of the orange and vanilla chocolates from the menu, and was presented with one chocolate and some type of muesli bar shaped thing. One bite of the chocolate was enough. It was an unholy concoction of raw/organic/handmade/vegan/dairy free/soy free/gluten free/refined sugar free. I'm not joking. From my powers of deduction I conclude it had to be made of sand. I moved on to the muesli bar “thing”which was somehow worse. I think it had a handful of cruelty-free soil mixed in. Like any bright eyed pleb invited up into business class, I’m here to spend my time aboard stuffing my face with tasty business class chocolate, I'm not sure why the chocolate had to be this aberration of taste...isn't one awful snack on the menu enough?
A few episode's of bob's burgers, and several glasses of red from their lovely selection later, and it was unfortunately time to kick me off the plane. The seat was great, the food was good. Virgin is almost done fitting nearly identical seats on their trans-pacific 777 fleet, I would make this my first preference.
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