Having two bars on board your new aircraft may be seen to be a trifle decadent, but what else would you expect from Richard Branson?
Virgin's new Australian long haul carrier, V Australia, has been designed as a premium product to rival other airlines like Emirates and Singapore.
When you walk inside V Australia's first Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft you are immersed by a distinctively retro vibe. The red and green pattern of the economy seats, the mood lighting and the self-service bars take you back to a time before words like `global financial crisis' became part of the lexicon. A time when flying was something only the rich and famous could afford to do. You get the feeling that Austin Powers would not be out of place on board V Australia.
(Photos: Take a look inside V Australia's Boeing 777-300ER)
The touch screen in-flight entertainment system is also well suited to serial flirts like Powers. The chat feature allows passengers to select a seat number and send messages direct to anyone who catches their eye on the plane. Passengers can use the entertainment system to play games like Texas hold'em poker and sudoku, complete crosswords, shop or even read books on screen. Naturally the system is stocked with hundreds of CDs and movies.
All cabins are fitted with deep overhead storage bins to accommodate the trend towards larger carry on luggage.
While the iconic image of the flying kangaroo has the ability to make even the most stoic Australian traveller feel homesick, V Australia is attempting to wrestle away Qantas' long-held claim over the national identity.
And it doesn't get much more Australian then the Southern Cross which adorns V Australia's tail and the business cabin ceiling when the lights are dimmed.
Vegemite on tap, Sydney Opera House salt and pepper shakers and Australian icons hidden in the wallpaper of the plane flood the senses, creating a nostalgia for Australia whether you are leaving it or returning home.
For those up the pointy end of the plane, the two-three-two seating configuration in business class provides enough room for 40 lie-flat seats and a fully stocked bar. There's also a women-only toilet here because "men don't often get it right", Virgin Blue Group chief executive Brett Godfrey has said.
The 32 premium economy seats also provide sufficient room for business travellers to operate a workstation. These seats are comfortable and feature laptop power, USB slot and moveable reading light - as well as a separate bar.
Economy seats are also powered for laptop use and USB capability. While the 288 seats have less room than premium economy, at 18.8 inches wide they are the widest economy seats of any carrier offering flights across the Pacific, including the behemoth Airbus A380.
The 777-300ER is also the most fuel efficient aircraft, a fact which Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey believes will give the airline an edge over Delta Air Lines when it launches on the Pacific in July with the 777-200 Longer Range.
"Delta (is probably using) the wrong aeroplane, quite frankly, to fly from Sydney to Los Angeles. It is a wonderful aeroplane but it is built for 18 to 20 hour missions," he said. "Talk to the Boeing folk and I think they will tell you that, like for like, there is probably a 15 per cent differential in terms of seat cost on the two aeroplanes so that is quite a huge advantage for us."
Mathew Murphy travelled to Seattle courtesy of Boeing and Virgin.
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