Virgin Australia brings business class flights to the Gold Coast
By danwarne, August 8 2011
Virgin Australia will start flights with business class to the Gold Coast towards the end of this year, with a snazzy new airport lounge set to follow.
The move makes Virgin the only airline to offer domestic business class services to the Gold Coast, although the availability of business class seats will depend on how quickly the airline can upgrade the aircraft which run this route.
Currently it has five business class-equipped Boeing 737-800 in operation. The airline plans to have business class seats across the majority of its fleet by year's end. Busines class fares to the Gold Coast will go on sale between October and December this year.
Australian Business Traveller toured Virgin’s impressive new 737 business class product in May – see the full photo gallery here.
There’s no question that the inflight product is superior to any other airline flying domestically in Australia, with spacious leather seats, an inflight amenity kit and a menu designed by Luke Mangan.
Coming in 2012: Virgin Australia’s Gold Coast lounge
The long bar forms the spine of Virgin Australia's new Brisbane lounge
Virgin Australia carries almost one million passengers through the Gold Coast each year, says Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti, which means the newly-built Gold Coast lounge will be a welcome addition for business travellers and frequent flyers.
The lounge will be designed along the same modern lines as the airline's new Melbourne and Brisbane lounges: for a preview of what's to come, check our extensive photo galleries of the Melbourne and Brisbane lounges.
At 680 square metres the Gold Coast lounge will be almost as large as its Brisbane sibling, with seating for up to 140 guests. As with all Virgin lounges, on offer will be 'Luke Mangan-designed' meals, snacks and refreshments; premium wine, beer and an around-the-clock barista service; free WiFi; plus HD TV sets with free-to-air and Foxtel TV.
But if Virgin wants to be a hit with the Gold Coast's business travellers the airline will need to work harder on its breakfast menu, as the results of our 'business lounge breakfast battle' between the Qantas Business Lounge and Virgin Australia revealed.
Virgin Blue - Velocity Rewards
12 May 2011
Total posts 66
Hey Dan, just to fix something there is more then 1 equipped Business class 737, there is 5. VH-YFC,VH-YFE,VH-YFF,VH-YVA and VH-YIA. All are sky interior as well :)
Cheers.
Qantas
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 177
Thanks for the pickup Jack! Will fix.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
"There’s no question that the inflight product is superior to any other airline flying domestically in Australia, with spacious leather seats, an inflight amenity kit and a menu designed by Luke Mangan."
LOL
Virgin Australia - Velocity Frequent Flyer
28 May 2011
Total posts 81
It is without a doubt the best 737 business class product in Australia - the only thing that trumps it is the Virgin A330 J product, and Qantas international J product which is flown on some domestic routes (coast-coast).
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
At the moment it is no better than what QF fly in their 738s. Same seat width, same pitch, same lack of IFE and basically the same service.
It is not the best product in the skies, as the article said it is. Although I don't agree with your statement that VA A332 is better, the basis of your own comment supports my refutal of what the article says by saying that this product is eclipsed by something else.
Virgin Blue - Velocity Rewards
12 May 2011
Total posts 31
" if Virgin wants to be a hit with the Gold Coast's business travellers the airline will need to work harder on its breakfast menu"
Well, not really. All they need to do is turn up. Qantas dont even fly to the Gold Coast, let alone have a lounge there.
08 Aug 2011
Total posts 3
Does this mean that they will stop sending the ‘rogues’ to the GC or will it still be pot luck when making the booking. There is nothing to tell you what type of plane you can expect when buying a seat. And now they are taking spirits off the menu....
Virgin Blue - Velocity Rewards
12 May 2011
Total posts 31
All of the "rogues" are being replaced with the new cabin with business class as i undertand it. The J product won't be for sale until the fleet is ready - hence the target of the end of the year.
... Hang on, what was that about NO SPIRITS? Really?
08 Aug 2011
Total posts 3
They don’t warn you now about the “rogue” when booking premium.. complain and if lucky you might get a partial refund to put up with narrow seats and no TV. They have only 5 fitted planes now… how long will it take to retro the entire fleet. I think we need options to know what we will be getting when booking… I would choose to travel on the new planes at a different time. As for the spirits none after August 11th … all in line with the new look and menu. Why ‘a management decision’… not even an option to buy
Virgin Australia - Velocity Frequent Flyer
28 May 2011
Total posts 81
mp where did you hear this? Sounds like it would have to be wrong, I don't get why they would take spirits off the menu? Maybe this is a short term loss, for a solution in the works?
Strange....
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
I don't get why they would take spirits off the menu?
So that they can stock the trolleys with other drinks that they sell more of. If nobody buys spirits then there's no point in filling the trolley with them and the extra space that they free up can be used to save time on a turn some time during the day (saving $$)
08 Aug 2011
Total posts 3
Noob
Heard it on flight last weekend and confirm after a flight yesterday the only options now are win and red wine, and Pure Blonde beer. The official line is after they did market research the results indicate the majority don’t want choice...
And yet again I had another 'rouge' on the flight to Melbourne, problem is cabin crew know it is a rouge but customer service think it PE. Without choice of drink and food, the chance of drawing a rogue with lack of seat space it may be time to look at the opposition.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Virgin Australia brings business class flights to the Gold Coast