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DEPARTURE
We went straight to the kiosks at TSV to check in. Choice over seat allocation is a real
convenience, and the whole process was painless. It's great that Virgin provide kiosks even at small
regional ports like Townsville - come on Qantas! The bag drop line was virtually non-existent and we
were shortly on our way through security.
CABIN
Relatively new 737-800 with newly-configured cabin including three rows of premium economy seating.
These planes have hardly aged at all. We had some difficulty finding room for cabin baggage, but the
cabin crew were very willing to assist. Toilets were clean.
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SEATING
Comfortable leather seats with plenty of legroom, much better than Qantas or Jetstar. On previous
737-800 flights, the head rests had moveable 'ears', but on these sectors, the aircraft did not. A
retrofit could be in the order here.
CATERING
Reasonably priced sandwiches, alcohol, soft drinks and hot drinks are available for purchase (the
products available on board are often cheaper than what you'd pay at the airport). I can't really
comment on the food - it's pretty standard fare - but it's nice to see a LCC (or "new world
carrier", according to Virgin) offering decently priced meals and drinks on board.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
Live2Air was provided free on this first sector, as there was a technical fault with the aircraft.
We sat on the ground for at least an hour and a half waiting for a mechanic to arrive and see if the
aircraft was serviceable. Very limited choice of programming on tiny screens; hardly worth paying
for. It did help us pass the time, however.
CABIN STAFF SERVICE
Cabin crew provided information during our time on the ground. What's more, they were apologetic
when we were instructed to disembark the aircraft when they finally deemed the aircraft
unserviceable. Delay vouchers worth $6 were well received, and could be used at the F&B outlet in
the terminal while we waited. Cabin supervisor was professional in her dealings and handled the
situation well.
FLIGHT ARRIVAL
Eventually a replacement aircraft arrived, and we got to Sydney a good five hours later than
scheduled. While we had missed our connection to Adelaide, Virgin had thoughtfully arranged for us
to stay overnight at the nearby Mercure Hotel (at their expense) and fly on to Adelaide the
following afternoon. Only downside was that Virgin didn't provide meals. Flight home to Adelaide was
uneventful.
CUSTOMER VERDICT
A highly recommended carrier. Virgin handled the delay very well, and we were appreciative of the
overnight accommodation provided. Service isn't quite on par with Qantas, but for the price, it's
worth it.
CUSTOMER RANKING
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