Airline review: Bravo to this Virgin crew. Boo to the same old food

The airline: Virgin Australia

• The flight Apia, Samoa (Faleolo International Airport) to Brisbane, Australia (Brisbane Airport), flight VA76
• Frequency Five times a week
• Aircraft Boeing 737-800
• Class Economy; seat 23D
• Flight time 4 hours, 45 minutes (departs 5.50am, 10 minutes ahead of schedule).

Virgin Australia departs Samoa early in the morning.

Checking in

I stay overnight pre-flight at the Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort (as do many) for the six-minute airport transfer it affords. (The resort is currently closed for pre-CHOGM renovations but will open again in October.) Arriving at about 4.15am, the airport is busy, but it’s a smooth check-in operation and I’m through security in no time. There is only one food outlet open and the attendant doesn’t know how to use the espresso machine. I’ve never looked so forward to an in-flight coffee – proving there really is a first time for everything. The outbound flight from Brisbane is a red-eye; departing at 7.30pm and arriving in Apia at 3.15am the next day.

Baggage

Fare levels Choice and Flex include one piece of checked luggage up to 23 kilograms. Lite allows the same, for a fee. Business includes two 32-kilogram pieces. Silver, Gold and Platinum Velocity members are allowed additional baggage. Carry-on for Economy or Economy X passengers is up to two pieces weighing a total of seven kilograms, plus one personal item, for example a handbag or laptop bag “of reasonable size”.

Loyalty scheme

Velocity Frequent Flyer. Velocity Points can be used for flights, upgrades, hotels and other products. They can be transferred from credit card, hotel, and Flybuys into Velocity accounts.

The seat

There are eight business class recline seats; the 30 standard seats designated Economy X (extra legroom) and 138 for the rest of economy, are in a three-three layout.

The cabin on board a Virgin Australia Boeing 737.

I’m in 23D down the back, but I choose it online strategically, hoping for empty spots in my row – aircraft economy is not generally designed with tall Polynesian people in mind. The leather covered seats have a 17-inch (43.18-centimetre) width and 31-inch (76.2-centimetre) pitch. Fortunately, our aircraft isn’t full. 23E is empty and the large man in 23F can comfortably raise his armrest and spread out into the unoccupied space. I find Virgin’s seats comfortable – and I always carry a shawl for a snooze and some personal cosiness so manage some shuteye as we take off at that ungodly hour.

Entertainment + tech

Virgin offers movies, TV shows and podcasts streamed to your device via its entertainment app. On this flight, there is also Wi-Fi, 30 minutes for about $10 or $24.95 for the entire flight (free for business class). I work for most of the flight, using the $24.95 option and it’s great for my needs. There are no dropouts or slow patches while I check and send emails and Google various things.

Service

This cheerful, friendly crew start things off by reorganising some seating to give passengers the room they need.

Food

It’s a pay-per-munch situation – and I have munched on VA’s comfort-food toastie, its bestseller cheese and crackers, banana bread and Pringles for a while now. I like the toastie, but how about more healthier options? Fruit, given Samoa grows a lot of it? Time to change things up. The coffee, predictably, is not worth me looking forward to – but it’s free, as is tea and water. Other drinks and food are at cost.

Carbon emissions

The count is 277 kilograms of CO2 for one economy passenger. Virgin Australia committed to a target of net zero emissions by 2050 in November 2021 and continues to actively build a wider sustainability strategy.

One more thing

A situation develops not long after takeoff with a child who has a disability. For a minute I think we might need to be turned around. But the crew are compassionate and helpful to the family who have other kids to deal with as well. Everyone stays calm and the child calms down, too. Bravo to the crew.

The price

From about $420, economy one way*.

The verdict

Early departure and arrival, great crew, reasonable economy comfort – what more could you want? Well, maybe a fresh banana.

Our rating out of five

★★★★

See virginaustralia.com

The writer travelled as a guest of Virgin Australia and the Samoa Tourism Authority.

*Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.

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