Cheap flights to launch mid-year, and new business and economy food menus that will tantalise the tastebuds

VIRGIN Australia has announced cheaper flights will be soon be launched mid-year, and new business and economy food menus that will tantalise the tastebuds

VIRGIN Australia has announced cheaper flights will be launched mid-year, and new business and economy food menus that will tantalise the tastebuds.

Virgin Australia Group chief executive and managing Director Jayne Hrdlicka said following drop in business class fares of up to 20 per cent last November compared to pre-COVID prices, the airline would undertake a further review of its business and economy fares.

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The new fares will “deliver better value for travellers, provide more flexibility and choice when compared with pre-COVID-19 prices,” according to a media release. “The significant win for consumers will make a seat in Business Class more accessible than ever before.”

The announcement comes as all seven Virgin domestic lounges reopen.

Virgin Australia general manager (product and customer) Sarah Adam said the business class and economy food menus had also been overhauled to reflect the expectations of customers.

Dishes in business class include a range of hot meals, healthy salads and Australian classics, served on tableware, including crockery, glassware and cutlery.

The new menu will rotate on a bimonthly basis and comes with Australian wine and beer, plus soft beverages and spirits.

“It’s well known that when you’re high above the clouds you lose some sense of taste and smell so this was a really important factor in designing the new menu so our food not only looks great but tastes great in the air,” said Ms Adam.

“We’ve really dialled-up the flavours in the food with the right seasoning and textures to provide a very competitive Business Class experience for domestic travel in Australia.”

Passengers in economy will no longer be given a predetermined snack, with research by the airline finding passengers would prefer to choose their own snack.

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“Today’s customers are more conscious about what they consume than ever before. We like to choose what we eat and what we drink throughout the day – we are simply extending that choice on-board as well,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“By removing snacks that aren’t valued by our guests we’re able to structurally reduce airfares making it even cheaper to fly. We’ll continue to offer complimentary tea, coffee and water on all flights and the opportunity for guests to purchase their favourite menu items at a reasonable price."

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