Airline review: Virgin Australia domestic business class, Perth to Sydney

Velocity Frequent Flyer

CLASS

"The Business", the class specifically available on Virgin Australia's recently launched domestic business class "suite". Seat 3A.

FREQUENCY

Virgin Australia operates regular flights between Sydney and Perth and Melbourne and Perth. The carrier is in the process of introducing its new business class suite so check with the airline or its website as to whether your service features it or its predecessor.

BAGGAGE

Virgin Australia business class and "The Business" passengers are entitled to an increased complimentary baggage allowance and priority baggage delivery on arrival.

THE SEAT

It's a suite, not a seat, thanks very much (but let's just call it a seat, shall we?). Such is the level of sophistication, and complexity, of airline business class seats that passengers may soon need a licence to operate then. Thank goodness, then, that Virgin Australia provides a detailed card explaining the myriad features and functions of its new seat. In a 1-2-1 cabin configuration, your reviewer is in a window seat, with a generous 60-inch (152-centimetre) recline. There is complete privacy, with those in the middle seats enjoying a retractable privacy screen that can be lowered if you're travelling with someone with whom you want to converse.

COMFORT

Although I didn't manage to fully recline the seat, which comes with an 81-inch (203-centimetre) pitch in flat-bed mode, on this fearfully early morning departure I did manage an hour or so of decent and welcome shut-eye. The seat features an aisle armrest which can be lowered to allow for extra space in bed mode. In upright mode, you can extend your legs and rest your feet on a leather "ottoman", which can also double as storage for soft items. I found the provided pillow – in Virgin Australia's signature purple, which stands out against the black leather and fabric upholstery of the seat – a little too firm (could a hotel-style pillow menu be the next business suite innovation?).

ENTERTAINMENT

On the 16-inch (41-centimetre) flat-screen you can choose from 300 hours of films and television programs, though on this early Saturday morning flight I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up on the weekend papers downloaded on my iPad. I was able to charge the device from a charging point inside the slightly difficult-to-reach, soft-fabric-lined "tablet holder" console next to me.

SERVICE

Polished, courteous, attentive and professional – as you would expect in a business class of this calibre.

FOOD

The excellent Luke Mangan-powered breakfast consists of juice, bakery and fruit items as well as a selection including scrambled egg burrito with chorizo, haloumi and tomato salsa (my choice) or banana bread with apricot, kaffir lime, coconut and maple syrup.

ONE MORE THING

Virgin Australia has partnered with Nespresso to create a coffee machine suited to the high altitudes at which the airline flies. The result is a cafe-standard coffee in the clouds, a most welcome development on a morning flight such as this one.

THE VERDICT

A lot of hype has surrounded Virgin Australia's new domestic business class seat, all of which, this passenger can report, is justified. This is one of the best-designed and most comfortable business class seats I've experienced and it's far better than it probably needs to be for domestic routes.

Tested by Anthony Dennis, who flew courtesy of Virgin Australia.

See also: Flight test: Qantas 747 jumbo jet upper deck
See also: Flight test: Emirates A380 economy class

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