Our rating
THE PLANE
Airbus A330-200. Virgin Australia has six in its fleet.
THE ROUTE
Sydney to Perth, return.
THE LOYALTY SCHEME
Virgin Velocity members earn two points for every business class mile.
CLASS
Business class. Seat 5G in a 1-2-1 layout.
DURATION
Five hours, 10 minutes.
FREQUENCY
Tuesday - Friday, four direct flights daily. Saturday - Monday, three flights daily.
THE SEAT
"Suite" 5G is in the middle of the business section and on the right-hand side of the centre two seats. The two pods are separated by a privacy screen
BAGGAGE
Business class allows for a generous two x 32 kilograms of luggage, plus hand baggage. Priority check-in, boarding and baggage pick-up, are also included.
COMFORT
Someone, in some workshop somewhere, spent a lot of time engineering these "suites". And the design comes up trumps. Everything is just within reach; tablet holder, a reading light that hits the perfect angle, the coat hanger set into the pod in front, Mandarina Duck amenity kits on request. Every seat has access to the aisle. Oh, and did I mention the 203cm fully flat bed?
ENTERTAINMENT
I buy a book at the airport for the journey. But after settling in, reading somehow seemed a waste of time. Each "suite" has a 16-inch touch-screen media system (noise cancelling headphones are neatly tucked away in the armrest). The 300 hours plus of movies, television and music are available with the interactive system featuring intuitive functions such as lists of what you have used and a warning when movies selected were longer than the flight. My phone and camera charge via the hidden USB ports. (In the end I get through a decent chunk of Geraldine Brooks' latest while listening to the Hilltop Hoods and Dan Sultan.)
SERVICE
Let's call it individual attention and attention to detail. After introductions, Georgia takes me through the functions of my "suite" playing the role of patient tour guide. It was the little extras that spoke most. The suggestion of olives when the scotch order was placed. The immediate return visit to correct a pinot gris arriving instead of a pinot noir. As we chased the sun, a white table cloth is laid for dinner – and the service matches.
FOOD
The menu, designed by The Luke Mangan (think Mojo in Sydney, Salt Grill & Sky Bar in Singapore and World Wine Bar in Tokyo), is called "the business" and it is. A la carte dining, matching wine list with an Australian bias and a munchies pantry. Dinner is smoked salmon with capers, red duck curry with lychee and a selection of cheeses. But the ultimate nod to the food is that the carrot in the mains still crunched.
THE VERDICT
There are a few simple tests to judge a business class flight. Does the smile on the host or hostess broaden almost imperceptively when you show your boarding pass and go to turn left? Do you feel cramped? Do you sit down and immediately wish the flight was longer? And if the ultimate challenge of business class travel is creating space and comfort – then travelling up front on Virgin's Airbus A330 exceeds that challenge.
Reviewed by David Rood, who travelled as a guest of Virgin Australia.