Virgin raises stakes with new softer bed

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August 26, 2015

When Virgin Australia rebranded and went upmarket in 2011 there were some passengers who had to be convinced they were on the right plane so dramatic was the makeover.

Now, with the roll out of the airline’s new business suites on domestic Airbus A330s the challenge for cabin crew will be to convince passengers in the front end they are not on a seven-star international flight to London, such is scale of the latest upgrade.

The boast is simple.

‘We have the world’s longest and widest fully lie-flat bed [suite] in domestic business class,” airline’s chief executive John Borghetti told AirlineRatings.com.

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And those suites are configured in a reverse herringbone layout, maximising privacy and enabling direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration. The outer suites are angled towards the window while the middle pair are angled towards one another with a sliding privacy screen. Each suite has a wrap-around shell that adds to the cocoon feeling.

The colour scheme is elegant with charcoal grey and white suites with accents of silver, black and the Virgin purple.

But it’s not just the suites that will woo premium passengers over with every aspect of the experience subject of a thoughtful makeover with a heavy focus on the needs of business travellers.

After all it is called business class!

It must sound ludicrous to economy passengers but one of the challenges of flying in business class is to work while indulging in fine dining. Paying top price for the privilege, companies expect their executives to prepare for meetings or summarize the day’s work while on the flight all while grabbing lunch or dinner.

With the new suites which Mr Borghetti likens more to a “first class experience” that problem is virtually eliminated. The suite has room to multi-task using a tablet and no passenger can recline into your space.

At your fingertips is a mini office and restaurant table. There is a unique tablet holder which will hold an IPad as well as a side console that expands your workspace with high power USB and universal power socket.

For the maximum workspace select either of the two centre seats. However if you, like me, have a large laptop you may need to fold that away when you are dining depending on its size and which suite you are in.

And to get the mood just right there are three types of adjustable lighting; Reading light; soft ambient lamp and brighter overhead light.

When that work is done there is a high definition 40cm touch screen with an enhanced graphical user interface and 400 hours of entertainment – plenty one would think for a typical five-hour transcontinental flight.

There is no change to the economy class cabin which recently had a facelift with full meal and drinks service on transcontinental flights. The combination of the new suites and full meal and drinks service in economy elevates Virgin Australia to world’s best domestic airline service – a title it shares with Qantas.

Virgin will have all its A330s upgraded by late October and the planes are dedicated to the Perth to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane routes weekdays.

And another “business class” problem has also been solved – the softness of the lie flat bed. There is nothing more distressing to a business class flyer than to find, come slumber time, they are lying on a glorified park bench!

Virgin certainly means business with these new beds.

They have a customised triple-layer seat cushion supported by a hammock sub-frame which cocoons you in the upright position and then for sleep there is a memory foam mattress topper and high-grade cotton pillows and doonas to complete the experience.

And it passes the hype test. It is very comfortable, so for business travellers the red eye will be tolerable!

“The launch of the Business Class suites sets a new standard in domestic business class around the world,” says Mr Borghetti. “We believe this new product will ensure that Virgin Australia is the number one choice for premium travellers on the all-important transcontinental routes.”

To go with the physical makeover Virgin has upgraded what was an already an outstanding dining experience with new Luke Mangan-designed menus and premium Australian wines.

“Guests of our new A330 business class will experience an enhanced restaurant-style meal service with new menus designed by myself and my dedicated team,” Luke Mangan told AirlineRatings.com.

“My vision for Virgin Australia’s Business Class cuisine is to design light, fresh, flavoursome dishes that don’t leave our guests with that heavy feeling. We look to provide a series of lighter, seasonal options that include fresh salads, soups and light proteins.”

Mr Mangan explains that we “lose some of our taste sensation in the air, around 30 per cent in fact. So we combat this by using strong, bold flavours as well as incorporating lots of fresh herbs and acidic fruits to our dishes. Herbs like lemongrass for example can provide the zest that’s needed to ensure a flavoursome meal.”

One specific example is Mr Mangan’s Sumac spiced chicken with quinoa, pistachio and coriander tabouleh with tahini dressing which I tried out on my test flight this week.

Mr Mangan promised that “the sumac spice gives a great flavour to the chicken and tastes amazing when on board” – and it was! And to complement the sensational tastes is a great selection of wines and “Ayala champagne is served on arrival to the suites,” says Mr Mangan.”

Again the hype is justified if my flight this week from Melbourne to Perth is any guide.

The entire dining experience was indeed Luke Mangan restaurant quality and delivered with style that would equal any ritzy Melbourne restaurant.
Main course of Tasmanian salmon filet was done to perfection and followed by a selection of cheeses that included my favourite King Island blue brie.

The Nespresso coffee was superb and my request for chocolate was met with a smile and a Kit Kat – what else could you ask for?

My only complaint – my flight was 35 minutes early because of weaker than usual headwinds!

So how does one get to try a slice of luxury without maxing out the credit card? Well much simpler than you think.

Virgin’s UpgradeMe Premium Bid on the website allows passengers to decide how much they are willing to offer for the chance to upgrade. A slider on the website will indicate the minimum and maximum possible bid, depending on the flight, and the likelihood that bid will be accepted.
Another option is to buy an upgrade using FF points.

For a Perth to Melbourne flight you need 30,000 points if you purchased a Saver fare or 9,900 point if you are on a Flex fare.
To buy a business seat outright you need 33,800 + $18.15 in taxes or 36,600 points.

So go buy a slice of luxury – it is certainly worth it!