Road Warrior Tested: Virgin Australia Business Class
By: Darren Booth
The selection of spirits, liqueurs, beer, wine and champagne were impressive, and barista-style coffee was even available. Overall, I couldn't believe this was a domestic flight as the meal quality and service was on par with the best international first-class service I've experienced.
Entertainment: This aircraft featured a huge catalog of on-demand entertainment akin to what you'd find on international flights. The Red entertainment system contained dozens of movies and television programs, as well as more than 300 music albums and a variety of games. You can even chat with other passengers via text messages to any seat on the airplane on the system.
Noise canceling headsets are provided to each business class passenger. In-seat power (110V-enabled) and a USB port for connecting Apple iPods and other capable devices are also available at each seat.
Service: It's so refreshing flying international carriers, as I've found their flight attendants are trained to provide exceptional service. And the crew serving me on Virgin Australia were among the best I've experienced in my more than one million miles of airline travel.
From cabin supervisor Adam making a personal visit to my seat before departure wishing me a pleasant journey, to flight attendant Anneleise who provided professional, yet authentically friendly service, my experience with the crew lived up to my exceedingly high expectations.
And here's something rather unique. When my coat was returned to me after landing, it was delivered in a complimentary hanging garment bag with the Virgin Australia logo. As I'm an airline enthusiast to begin with, I was more than happy to take it along with me.
Summary: Flying Virgin Australia's business class across the country was a delight and ranks among my top flight experiences. Nothing could have been improved, in my opinion, and I look forward to trying out their international service someday. For more information on Virgin Australia's business class, click here.
This was a sponsored trip courtesy of Virgin Australia.
