Virgin Australia (VA) has introduced new onboard menus on all flights Australia-wide today with the aim of giving its customers more choice and better value.
As part of the rebooted Virgin Australia 2.0, the new inflight menus include a fresh and delicious new Business Class offering which the airline says is “focused on quality and simplicity” and a new buy onboard menu of popular snacks and drinks for guests flying up the back.
So what’s on these new menus? Let’s dive in.
Business Class menu
The new Business Class menu launch heralds a new era of flying for the relaunched Virgin Australia, with simple, modern, fresh and contemporary dishes, made using locally sourced Australian produce, now being served at 38,000ft.
Dishes include a range of hot meals, healthy salads and Australian classics, served on tableware, including classy crockery, glassware and cutlery, providing a quality in-flight experience and further reducing single-use packaging as part of the airline’s continued commitment to sustainability.
Promising high quality and simplicity, the new menu will rotate on a bi-monthly basis and comes with all-inclusive premium Australian wine and beer, plus soft beverages and spirits.
The airline says the new Business class experience has also triggered a training refresh for the airline’s cabin crew, with new hospitality standards that focus on customer engagement allowing more time in the cabin with guests.
Economy buy onboard menu
Following significant time spent with consumers and Virgin Australia team members, the airline says they have found that travellers would prefer to choose their own food and beverage in a buy onboard model on domestic flights, instead of receiving a predetermined snack.
As such, the airline says the new Economy buy onboard menu is designed to give travellers greater value, taking the previously included snack out of the ticket price, to provide great value fares every day.
Initially, the menu will feature the most popular snack and beverage items, including cheese and crackers and Australian wine, before a greater range of menu items are introduced later in the year when travel demand is expected to resume to near pre-COVID levels.
As part of the Economy experience, Virgin Australia will continue to serve complimentary tea, coffee and water on every flight.
There’s also bargain airfares to stay
Following a reduction in the price of Business Class fares of up to 20 per cent last November in comparison with pre-COVID-19 prices, Virgin Australia also announced today that the airline will undertake a further review of its Business and Economy Class fare brands.
VA says the new fares will deliver better value for travellers, provide more flexibility and choice when compared with pre-COVID-19 prices. The significant win for consumers will make a seat in Business Class more accessible than ever before.
Speaking about the launch of the new food offerings, Virgin Australia Group CEO and Managing Director Jayne Hrdlicka said that many months had been spent developing the new onboard experience following extensive customer research.
“We’re continuing to write a new chapter at Virgin Australia and we’re incredibly focused on creating great experiences for our guests. Today we’ve delivered an exceptional Business Class product and more choice and value for Economy guests that we know they’re going to love,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
“Our new Business Class menu and service design is high quality, relaxed, uncomplicated and exactly what our guests and team members have told us they want. I’m really proud of what we’ve delivered.
Jayne Hrdlicka, Virgin Australia Group CEO and Managing Director
“The launch of our new Business Class food experience and a commitment to reduce airfares even further by the middle of this year, is a really great example of just how irresistible it is to fly with Virgin Australia.
Meanwhile, Virgin Australia General Manager Product and Customer, Sarah Adam said the new Business Class menu had been designed with altitude in mind.
“It’s well known that when you’re high above the clouds you lose some sense of taste and smell so this was a really important factor in designing the new menu so our food not only looks great but tastes great in the air,” said Ms Adam.
Today’s announcement follows the reopening of all seven Virgin Australia domestic Lounges, including a new-look Lounge of the future in Adelaide, a flexible booking policy until 31 January 2022, a five-year sponsorship renewal with the AFL, the inaugural Virgin Australia Pride Flight, the airline’s first-ever onboard wedding, and the Federal Government’s Aviation Support Package, which includes half-price fares.