Compared: Qantas vs Virgin Australia Boeing 737 business class

I just the Serendipity Ice Cream back on the VA flights in Business and a more tailored experience for frequent flyers

Having flown both recently on short legs, I find the Qantas hard product and soft products to be a better offering overall.

From my experience I prefer Qantas, the crew in Virgin seemed a little immature on the 3 times I've flown with them. Qantas' timing also works better for me. They regularly have later departures from Brisbane to Sydney and have a night flight (QF846) during peak times which I much prefer when travelling to Darwin.

I have never flown Virgin, so I can't comment on their business class.

I have just completed an Ad-Melb, Melb-Can and Can-Ad in business. The staff as usual were good, the drinks good and the food inedible. On the Ad-Mel I resorted to pretzels and beer, Melb-Can was a pumpkin and seed something, so I ended up with a ham sandwich from economy. The Can-Ad served a lasagne which turned out to be nothing like the real McCoy, no meat and tomato paste, tasteless dry and totally unappertising. Two mouthfulls finish.

Last year, 3 weeks after the Qantas Business lounge opened in MEL, I flew to BNE in Business Class for the first time in nearly 4 years. Lounge decor appealed to me more so than Virgin (Virgin lounges are "too white and bright" for my own tastes in decor), but staff attitude disappointed, my consciously polite inquiries (2 each way) were clearly an inconvenience to the conversations (social, not work-related) going on between staff members. I waited a moment or two, listening, before politely interrupting. Reminded me of the in-store experience at DJ's (until recent times). In contrast, Virgin Lounge staff have consistently been attentive and polite.

Being 6'2", I didn't detect a difference in comfort level between Q and V business seats. On domestic flights, I prefer to watch in-flight entertainment (or saved Netflix shows) on my own tablet rather than a cabin screen (international business the exception).

Virgin cabin staff are less formal than Qantas, but this seems to be a 'legacy'/influence of Virgin Atlantic. Notwithstanding the very obvious younger age of Virgin cabin crew (compared to Qantas), I've never encountered 'immature' service, its always been professionally courteous AND PROMPT. Again, I've never found myself waiting while Virgin cabin crew finish their conversations amongst each other over staff politics, etc. TO WHICH, my absence of Qantas since 2015 arose due to dreadfully poor cabin service (MEL-CNS-MEL). Sorry folks, but given the higher cost of Q business seats (compared to Virgin on those sectors), I expect more than 2 air-born drinks (each way) on a sector of that length (promises of a 3rd drink never delivered). By contrast, Virgin crew can detect a 'thirsty flyer' and 're-fuel' the glass at regular intervals.

In summary, for me (and other will have different experiences/preferences):

1) Q Business lounge decor is superior, but staff service a distant 2nd to V;

2) Lounge Food & Beverages (F&B) is good in both (food is certainly better than, say, Delta lounges in the USA);

3) no difference between V and Q business seats (but flyers taller than 6'2" may disagree); and

4) In-flight cabin service and F&B served has been noticeably better in V than Q.

I'm a Virgin Velocity Platinum FF, and I must admit Virgin just does not cut the mustard. The lounges are overcrowded to the point of sheer bedlam at times. The food is very ordinary in the lounges, and never changes. And forget using a lounge if you are on a partner airline to Virgin and travelling abroad, even if you are Platinum. Unless you have status with the partner airline, or unless you are travelling in BC on the partner airline, you will get no lounge access anywhere in the world outside of Australia. I frequently get turned away - even from lounges like The House in Melbourne. I then have to kick up a fuss, write to the Virgin CEO etc. I get replies to say how sorry they are yada yada, but the situation never improves. In fact, as a Platinum Virgin member, if I fly internationally on a partner airline (which is almost always when flying abroad, as Virgin has very few international routes), there aren't even Virgin lounges at international departures IN AUSTRALIA!!! And as stated, last trip abroad in January to China on a Virgin partner (Hainan) departing Melbourne, and the "Virgin Lounge" which is actually owned by 'The House' flatly refused to admit me. So I had to spend $90 on access to another lounge, then go through several weeks of writing letters to Virgin and to No 1 Lounges in the UK to be reimbursed. At the very least Virgin should get another lounge partner in Syd and Melbourne if they can't control their relationship with The House (which is a pretty ordinary and badly run lounge anyway).

All in all, if you are a frequent overseas business traveller, Virgin Australia will not give you what you need, will not honour their promises - even to their most lucrative passengers, and will prove completely inadequate and unreliable.

My suggestion: Qantas if you must, Singapore if you can. My experience on Qantas in Premium Economy from Syd to Johannesburg recently was surprisingly good. The aircraft are prehistoric (ancient 747s), the hard product is quite worn and shabby, but boy the cabin crew were fantastic. Absolutely charming, friendly, helpful and delightful from start to finish, and same on the way back. That said, Business and Premium Economy on Virgin to LA was equally outstanding. The hard product is newer and better than that of Qantas (on their 747s at any rate), and the Virgin crew were some of the most charming, helpful, friendly and delightful aircrew I have yet experienced. But..... there's still the issue of smashing out last minute work in a quiet environment without having to pack up every time you walk away from your computer (ie the need for a lounge).

And as for Singapore.... Well, perfection is spelled "SIA". They're just perfect in every way!

Qantas business lounges are more refined, however bar opens an hour later than virgin lounges - not ideal if it's one of those days for a holiday.

Qantas pre take off drink for domestic has degraded to a bottle of water unless low pay in j and they pour it into a glass. Virgin generally offers sparkling pre take off.

Particularly important n the days of coronavirus, Virgin restricts access to business class toilet only to a max of 8 j passengers rather than the hoarded of economy passengers traipsing through the cabin on Qantas that can cause delays.

Seat width is inconsequential unless obese. Prefer the wider console.

Virgin on board food undoubtably better but little variety in menu. Sometimes it seems like only one or two meal options served across the domestic network for long periods.

Virgin staff also seem warmer / genuine.

I cannot comment on VA's 737 Business product as have never flown it. But I did fly them in Business for the first time recently from SYD to PER on the A330, a route i've done on QF more times than I can count.

When I arrived at the Virgin terminal at SYD I was thinking to myself i'd made a big mistake switching from QF. The lounge was nowhere near the standard of QF's. It was packed, it felt sterile and cheap. The whole terminal felt very chaotic versus the calm-ness of the QF terminal.

Onboard however things were totally turned on their head. It was a total WIN for Virgin. I'd rate the QF and VA Business Class seats equally. Although quite different in design they are both fully flat and all aisle access which is all I really care about.

The service was DEFINITELY more personalised on Virgin. Pre departure drinks included sparkling wine which QF doesn't offer. There were no trolleys in the aisles for the service which QF does and gives an assembly line like feel to it. At Virgin each crew member individually laid up each table by hand and delivered food and drink separately.

And I felt there was a better variety of food - and Virgin actually lists a cheese plate as a dessert not a 'main' plate like at Qantas on the transcons which always annoys me.

It's hard to base a comparison on one flight as i've had so many on QF and they have all been very good, however this Virgin flight was excellent. Who knows, maybe I just got lucky, I certainly did get lucky with the A330 which seems to be a rare sight for Virgin on the east-west coast runs these days.

I have flown business on QF Brisbane to Sydney early evening flight. Cabin is out dated. Had a steak which was so over cooked. Cabin service was excellent, but only 2 of us in the business cabin. It was a rewards flight as part of a overseas flight. I would never pay cash for a ticket.

Just wondering why the seat measurements are all in inches? I'm over 40 and even I've only ever been brought up with metric. I just mention it because it's a bit annoying to have to convert all the measurements. By all means use both, but just using only imperial seems a bit weird to me. Just sayin'

I often fly QF business across the Tasman but recently flow VA to Bali and to Wellington. I loved the VA international lounge in Brisbane. It's kind of a pop up but very chic and great coffee food and beverages. They even offer cocktails which you make yourself from recipes and ingredients provided. I agree with most people that Qantas is more form and offers champagne on International short haul whereas VA offer sparkling (a good one though). Food on VA is much better than QF. I gave up ordering steak on QF years ago as it's always leathery. Chicken is a safe option! I like that Qantas offers desert wine and cheeseboard but I always have to ask for it! Overall I think they're much of a muchness and I think the cuts are beginning to show.

I'm a pretty dedicated QF flyer, but I have done VA J and those few times have been ‘fun' but I'm kind of appreciative of the QF professionalism because I'd trust them more if there is an issue. Plus I appreciate the lounge as VA's offer feels too much like an Apple store to me and whilst I love Apple, I don't go to their stores to relax.

That said, we are EXTREMELY lucky in AU. I've flown at the pointy end in most major domestic markets + intra Europe and both products eclipse anything else I've ever experienced anywhere.

Am wondering what sort of meal I will get in Bus Class flying MEL-OOL on a 10.20 am flight?

My preference is absolutely VA. I agree with most of the comments already posted and would highlight the attentiveness of VA cabin crew for ensuring you are served promptly and with a pre-departure drink like sparkling wine. Each time I have asked for a sparkling wine or champagne on QF J (domestic) I'm advised that they are not offered until after take off. Not sure why it is difficult to provide one before departure like VA do. I'm also puzzled by the trolley that has to come through the cabin on QF, why can't J class be served individually without a trolley I always think, VA do this without a trolley far more efficiently in my view. I do like QF lounges and can understand why that is a superior point, however for me I am all about the hard product in the air and for that, VA get my business.

I've been Platinum with VA for many years and obtained a status match with Qantas. I then flew a number of business class flights with Qantas to check them out but found they were very poor compared to my experience with Virgin.

It all starts with the service. The prompt introduction from the person looking after you for the flight, greeting you by name, hanging your jacket and the offer of a pre-flight drinks including sparkling wine. This made for a more special treatment feeling than I received on the Qantas flights where there was a non existent personalised greeting and a 'here's some water' as they walked past.

The meals I received on the Qantas flights were consistently average at best whereas it's clear far more thought has been put in to the meal quality and presentation with Virgin.

I agree that the Qantas Business Class lounges are far better than Virgin's often overcrowded lounges but for the in flight experience, I'd readily recommend Virgin over Qantas.

Recently travelled Virgin Brisbane to Denpasar Business Class and the service was average at best. You have to ask for everything on offer and they ran out of Bubbles, wine and other offerings as they just don't carry much on board. May have to look at Qantas out of Sydney for a proper Business Class experience.