Intro
Virgin Australia has carved out an interesting position in the Australian market by taking a completely different approach to inflight dining than Qantas.
Although their collaboration with Luke Mangan has ended, they continue to strive to deliver high quality meals that reflect modern Australian food culture.
Travelling Soon?
Get instant global connectivity with 15% off all eSIM plans for Inflight Feed readers – activate in minutes with just a QR code scan. Skip the roaming charges and connect to 400+ networks worldwide.
Offer ends June 30th.
Unlike most airlines, Virgin doesn’t provide complimentary meals in economy; instead, it offers a buy-on-board menu with wraps and sandwiches for $12, noodles for $8, and various dietary options, including halal, gluten-free, and vegan choices.
Flying multiple routes in business class provided me with a comprehensive view of how they’re executing their vision across different markets.
The Lounge Melbourne
Virgin’s fare between Melbourne and Sydney was $500 cheaper than Qantas, which immediately set different expectations for the entire experience.
The Melbourne lounge, renovated in 2020, can seat up to 500 people, making it one of Virgin’s largest facilities.
Melbourne to Sydney
This was my first experience with Virgin’s domestic business class product, and it immediately showed more promise than the lounge.
Before takeoff, I was offered juice or water.
Then, about ten minutes after departure, cabin manager Karen presented two meal choices: Turkish Pide or a quesadilla.
The Turkish Pide option intrigued me – it’s an interesting choice for an Australian airline that shows Virgin’s willingness to embrace the country’s multicultural food scene rather than sticking to traditional “Australian” options.
But I went with the quesadilla.
What arrived was disappointingly basic for business class, essentially a grilled tortilla with cheese and chicken, no fresh accompaniments or sides.
The tortilla was crispy enough and adequately filled, but the presentation was quite simple, with nothing to elevate it beyond cafรฉ level food.
For business class dining, it fell short of expectations.
The melted cheese did the trick, and there was enough chicken to make it a filling dish. However, the overall presentation was quite simple.
Karen’s service was brilliant, though, which redeemed the whole experience.
Brisbane to Denpasar
The six hour flight to Bali revealed both Virgin’s strengths and weaknesses in international service.
Ground service included sparkling wine or water from the cabin manager, then about ten minutes after takeoff, I ordered white wine before meal orders were taken.
Here’s where things got interesting, and slightly awkward.
Instead of offering menu choices, I was told I’d be getting chicken.
What made the flight uncomfortable was watching the cabin manager offer gnocchi to passengers sitting across from me while I’d been given no choice.
The preferential treatment was obvious and awkward, with those passengers receiving regular alcohol and snack deliveries throughout the flight.
The options were mustard chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables or gnocchi with a creamy mushroom sauce, but apparently, the choice wasn’t part of the equation for everyone.
The mustard chicken that arrived was decent enough, featuring a mild mustard sauce that added a tangy flavour without being too sharp.
What caught my attention was the zaatar seasoned cream cheese served with bread.
The cream cheese had absorbed those distinctive earthy, tangy flavours that made the bread course much more interesting than typical airline offerings.
It showed Virgin thinking about modern Australian food trends rather than defaulting to generic international options.
The walnut cake dessert was moist and perfectly sweet, with visible walnut pieces that provided a textural contrast. It felt homemade rather than mass-produced, which elevated the entire meal experience.
The meal service lasted approximately 50 minutes, after which no additional services were provided during the remaining five hours.
Conclusion
Virgin Australia is attempting something interesting with their food programme, reflecting modern Australian dining culture while delivering value that undercuts Qantas pricing.
When they succeed, particularly with dishes that showcase contemporary Australian flavours, such as the zaatar cream cheese and Turkish Pide options, they create memorable experiences that feel distinctly Australian.
The challenge is execution consistency.
Excellent individual crew members, such as Karen, and thoughtful menu choices are undermined by institutional lounge food and uneven service standard, the obvious preferential treatment on some flights damages what should be premium experiences, regardless of the food quality.
Virgin’s practice of plating meals in the galley demonstrates attention to detail.
While there are clear areas for improvement in meal variety and service training, they’re building something that reflects how modern Australians eat rather than clinging to outdated airline traditions.
