Daylight across the Pacific – now that is different and a great way to fly with Virgin Australia.
I was able to put to the acid test Virgin Australia’s VA6 from Los Angeles to Brisbane on May 18 and what a delight it was.
Rather than flying at the end of an exhausting day, which is the typical option between the US and Australia VA 6 takes off at 11.15am.
SEE Stunning Northern Lights photo taken by a 747 pilot.
So, you have had a good night’s rest and check in starts at 7.15am and guess what that means – nobody – well virtually nobody in the security lines at Tom Bradley Terminal.
Compare that amazing experience to the 9 pm at night experience which can be a nightmare.
Travelling business class, courtesy of points, I qualified for the Emirates Lounge which in itself is another great experience.
Departure was on time and effortless with the 777-300ER GE engines having us airborne in just 43 seconds.
Soon LA was far behind and the champagne and canapes were delivered.
Some passengers retired to the famous Virgin Australia bar and indeed some stayed there the entire flight, where you can take snacks, dinner and breakfast.
For me, however, there were some emails to attend to and the latest episodes of Grand Tour and Vera to watch.
Lunch was a three-choice starter and I selected the Tiger Prawns.
Main was four choices and I went for the Barramundi, which was perfect, followed by cheese and biscuits and yes then I snuck in some ice cream.
The WiFi again worked well on Virgin with no interruptions so was able to work with ease between window gazing and the incredible Pacific Ocean.
Getting near the equator our flight crew had us weaving amongst some giant thunderstorms which did not trouble us. In fact, the flight was incredibly smooth.
But halfway across most were wanting to catch some sleep so it was time to pull the window shade and retire to the bar, so one could continue to take happy snaps from the small windows in the main doors.
Before I knew it, a brunch was on offer but for me, just a light fruity snack would suffice.
The flight time was just 13 hours and soon the sun was replaced by the lights of Brisbane.
And the great thing about Brisbane as a hub into Australia is the customs clearance always seems to be fast – perhaps just my luck.
Next a seamless transfer to the domestic terminal and onto Perth and bed for a great night’s sleep.
While I was in business class, Virgin Australia has excellent economy options for all budgets. What is more, they are one of the few airlines that have retained a 3-3-3 cross-section in its economy cabin on the 777, then there is Economy X with more legroom or Premium Economy. Quite simply the best choice across the Pacific.
All in all a superb, seamless and smooth experience and highly recommended.
