For the longest time, I had hated Virgin Australia, and it all boiled down to one word: inconsistency.
Seriously, flying with them was like playing airline roulette. Would I get a free cup of water and some in-flight entertainment, or would I be left high and dry? If you were beyond row 24 you had an additional concern and that was whether there would actually be any food left by the time the cart came to you. The amount of times I had THIS conversation...
'Im sorry we are all out of sandwiches and hot meals [on your five hour flight today], can we interest you in a chocolate bar?'
Virgin kept changing its look and feel more times than I can quite frankly remember. First, they were Virgin Blue, the classic buy-on-board budget airline with cheap fares. Then, out of nowhere, they upgraded to swanky seat-back screens and a ton of Foxtel channels. It was like flying in luxury! Except, of course, if you lived in Perth, where those fancy planes were as rare as hen's teeth. There's that inconsistency again!
Then Virgin decided to be a bit of everything—a hybrid airline, if you will. Free water, tea, and coffee for all, and if you flew long enough, you'd even get a meal and some booze. But guess what? The in-flight entertainment was still a roll of the dice. Some planes had screens, some streamed content, and some had nada. Talk about inconsistency, right?
Virgin tried their hand at business class and oh, it was divine! Think amenity kits, gourmet meals, and plush blankets. But alas, it didn't last. People still saw Qantas as the primo choice, even though Virgin's business class was a class apart.
But you know what's been a constant with Virgin? Their awesome staff, a 30 inch seat pitch and the absence of blankets and pillows on domestic flights.
Now, let's talk about the new, post-COVID Virgin Australia. They've gone back to being a real hybrid. Free water, tea and coffee, a menu to buy from, and in-flight entertainment if you've got your own device. Finally, some consistency! Plus, you can choose what you want to pay for—baggage, seat selection, you name it.
They've got a basic business class, all on those trusty 737s. Sure, the legroom's a tad snug in economy, but their route network is tops. And here's the kicker: I hardly hear any complaints about them. No gripes about delays, no fuss about cancellations and always compliments for the staff.
Nowadays, I see Virgin fitting snugly between Jetstar and Qantas—right where it belongs and a very attractive choice for me indeed. I now love Virgin Australia.
Check out my recent flight on Virgin Australia and no, I was NOT a guest of the airline.
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