Virgin Australia Premium Economy

Recently we flew with Virgin Australia in their Premium Economy cabin, everything from the priority check-in to the extra legroom has a touch of indulgence that you don’t get in the economy class.

The intimate cabin has a 2-4-2 configuration with only 24 seats, and is extremely roomy with enough space for a small bag to go under or to the side of the seat without taking away any legroom. There is also a footrest which extends from the set in front, combined with the seat reclined it made for a comfortable rest during the flight.

Arriving at our seats we were greeted by the luxurious blanket and pillow as well as a bottle of water and an amenity kit. The amenity kit contains everything you need to make your flight more comfortable including eye mask, socks, tissues, earplugs, toothbrush, toothpaste, skin care and a pen.

After being welcomed to the flight with a drink and snack before take-off, we were then able to order our breakfast and select if we would like to be woken up or left to sleep. Along with having a choice in breakfast options, premium economy passengers are also able to choose from the menu for your main meal. This is not standard in other premium economy classes and really puts Virgin above other carriers. The menu is very comprehensive and includes options suited to all tastes.

For the main course, we were given the option of two starters, and three mains including vegetarian options and more lighter meals. The main course was followed with either cheese or dessert course, the cheese came with both a Cheddar and a Brie along with grapes and crackers. To drink you have the choice of from the extensive wine list or Nespresso coffee, tea, or juice. The meal service is heightened by being served in business class style on top of a table cloth with a proper plate and cutlery.

Shortly after takeoff all of the premium economy passengers are provided with noise-cancelling headphones to use during the flight. The entertainment screen at 10.6 inches has an extensive range of on demand entertainment including both new release and classic movies, plus games and TV shows. Under the screen is the remote for the screen, a USB charging port and headphone jack, although there was no power point near the seat the USB port was great for charging smaller devices, however the lack of power outlet is a good thing to keep in mind if you plan on using a laptop.

During the flight, you have the option to connect to the inflight wifi for a small fee. The instructions for setting this up are easy to find and even easier to understand. As this was a night flight we only used the WiFi for a short amount of time but found that it was very responsive and if the flight was at a different time we would used it for longer.

Overall the flight with Virgin Australia was very comfortable and is one of the better premium economy products on the market.