I really hope VA can get back to going toe to toe with QF on more than just domestic. I'm also cheering on Rex to expand. QF needs competition to keep them in line.
Thanks for the memories. VA-I was a great airline, we miss them dearly. John Borghetti never met an expense he couldn't incur, which made for great premium experiences. Used to be great leaving SYD in domestic - you'd check-in on the phone in the taxi, get dropped off around t-15 at the curbside lounge entry, scoot through security, grab two bottles of Capi mineral water then down the lift and straight onto the plane. Can't do that anymore.
As an ex crew member on the VA 777 absolutely loved watching your review. As special as it was to be a passenger on it, it was also pretty special to call it home for work. Thanks for putting the effort into the video!
Thank you for watching! If I could still fly VA to LAX I definitely would. Also, if you don't mind me asking, where did you move on to after the 777s left and VA 'restructured' to be basically domestic only with the 737s?
Loved “The Business” on these 777’s. We flew to LA from Brisbane back in 2016 and had an amazing experience. Still one of my favourite flight experiences to date. I miss it 😢
I'm not really keen on VA much lately since they retired their 777s, A330s, ATR72s and E190s. However, hopefully one day they will have their wide-bodies back.
@@LeisureFlyer Yeah well now they have orders for 737- 8/9/10 MAX aircrafts. And Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) in Perth operate Airbus A320s and Fokker 100s. At least there are two other aircraft that Virgin flies but I wish they had their wide-bodies back. Overall, great video!
@@lachlansworden-m3nI flew in the A320 from Perth to Adelaide yesterday. What a shocking plane with no legroom. Also flew business Mel to Perth but it was the old business product so it didn't even have a wall charger for a 4 hour flight...
oh i still have not gotten over this, i was suposed to go to NYC via LA on VA in march 2020, and was looking forward flying with them as the product looked really good and of course it was a 777. still bumed that i missed out, although i am glad i flew on their a330s to perth!
A330 was a treat for coast to coast, but it really comes into its own on a longer trip like to USA. Apparently Qatar has one of these old VA planes, so there's still an opportunity to fly it 😂
We flew business from Melbourne to Tokyo and it was terrible. The seat was same as premium economy and leg room restricted by wall in from of us. Apart from the food and service, it was a waste of money.
@@LeisureFlyercan almost guarantee old mate flew their 737 business class which while fine for domestic is simply not appropriate for international especially considering the prices they charge are the same as other airlines offering true international J. Virgin have now axed their Japan routes altogether
@@LeisureFlyer you guessed it. Dunno about others but the one and only time I enjoy business class is on a long haul night time flight with a lie flat seat. No idea why anyone would pay to fly in business to Japan from CNS, especially on virgin. Did once fly Lon-tok with JAL in J and that was really comfy
covid.. needed to restructure and reposition themselves within the market. Unfortunately that meant dropping these longer routes that had previously been popular.
I really hope VA can get back to going toe to toe with QF on more than just domestic. I'm also cheering on Rex to expand. QF needs competition to keep them in line.
100% but it's probably going to be a while yet.. :(
Thanks for the memories. VA-I was a great airline, we miss them dearly. John Borghetti never met an expense he couldn't incur, which made for great premium experiences.
Used to be great leaving SYD in domestic - you'd check-in on the phone in the taxi, get dropped off around t-15 at the curbside lounge entry, scoot through security, grab two bottles of Capi mineral water then down the lift and straight onto the plane. Can't do that anymore.
Yep, old VA was pretty good! Loved the Premium Entry and Fly Ahead perks most of all IMO.
As an ex crew member on the VA 777 absolutely loved watching your review. As special as it was to be a passenger on it, it was also pretty special to call it home for work. Thanks for putting the effort into the video!
Thank you for watching! If I could still fly VA to LAX I definitely would. Also, if you don't mind me asking, where did you move on to after the 777s left and VA 'restructured' to be basically domestic only with the 737s?
@@LeisureFlyer a lot of VA long haul crew have moved to Qantas Long Haul (QCCA) and others have left the industry altogether.
It was the best Business Class product across the Pacific...
I hope Virgin will bring back this product/service one day.
We can only hope so :/
Loved “The Business” on these 777’s. We flew to LA from Brisbane back in 2016 and had an amazing experience. Still one of my favourite flight experiences to date. I miss it 😢
Hopefully VA can find their way back! This was (and still would be) a seriously competitive product.
I'm not really keen on VA much lately since they retired their 777s, A330s, ATR72s and E190s. However, hopefully one day they will have their wide-bodies back.
Yes, the A330s and 777s were fantastic. A real loss and VA is nowhere near what it used to be :(
@@LeisureFlyer Yeah well now they have orders for 737- 8/9/10 MAX aircrafts. And Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) in Perth operate Airbus A320s and Fokker 100s. At least there are two other aircraft that Virgin flies but I wish they had their wide-bodies back. Overall, great video!
@@lachlansworden-m3nI flew in the A320 from Perth to Adelaide yesterday. What a shocking plane with no legroom.
Also flew business Mel to Perth but it was the old business product so it didn't even have a wall charger for a 4 hour flight...
oh i still have not gotten over this, i was suposed to go to NYC via LA on VA in march 2020, and was looking forward flying with them as the product looked really good and of course it was a 777. still bumed that i missed out, although i am glad i flew on their a330s to perth!
A330 was a treat for coast to coast, but it really comes into its own on a longer trip like to USA. Apparently Qatar has one of these old VA planes, so there's still an opportunity to fly it 😂
@@LeisureFlyer i might just have to go to qatar then😂😂
What an airline it was, what an aircraft, let's hope the new owners replicate this
I miss velocity 777s so much 😭😭
me too :( maybe one day again...
Back to LAX 2024 ???????
We flew business from Melbourne to Tokyo and it was terrible. The seat was same as premium economy and leg room restricted by wall in from of us. Apart from the food and service, it was a waste of money.
When was this and which aircraft?
@@LeisureFlyercan almost guarantee old mate flew their 737 business class which while fine for domestic is simply not appropriate for international especially considering the prices they charge are the same as other airlines offering true international J. Virgin have now axed their Japan routes altogether
@@CJ.1998X.Y.Z Yeah that would make sense. 737 to Japan would not have been good. I think it stopped along the way as well right? Cairns or something?
@@LeisureFlyer you guessed it. Dunno about others but the one and only time I enjoy business class is on a long haul night time flight with a lie flat seat. No idea why anyone would pay to fly in business to Japan from CNS, especially on virgin. Did once fly Lon-tok with JAL in J and that was really comfy
It was top line with the best aircraft at the time 777-300ER- shame it went
Definitely was!
Could someone tell me why they got rid of their triple 7s and their a330s?
covid.. needed to restructure and reposition themselves within the market. Unfortunately that meant dropping these longer routes that had previously been popular.
@@LeisureFlyer dang thats annoying wish i could've experienced it, do you reckon theyll buy some anytime soon
@@FR_Productionss extremely unlikely. VA is not what it used to be at all :(
@@LeisureFlyer noooo
Yes VA plane Melbourne to LAX in 2011 One Time
I thought va retired 777
Yep, that's why I say the video isn't necessarily "relevant' any more. But still fun to look back on.
virgin fly to New Zealand but only with 737 which I don't like.
the A330 would be better
Yup, VA is down to all 737 now. No more A330 :(
@@LeisureFlyer stink one. do they at least have seatback entertainnment screens?
Air NZ have a superb international product
Nope.. entertainment is via streaming to your personal device I believe.
I suppose that’s something. Is there free wifi onboard?
@@zf5167 don't know tbh. I haven't flown VA short haul international in ages.