At the end of December I traveled between Perth and Sydney on the 330.
For information purposes I post this mini review.
(I had cosidered the Trip Reports Forum, but the Velocity forum will have more use.)
The SYD-PER flight had two business PAX in total, the PER-SYD flight had 8.
I departed from SYD at 5:30pm and from PER at 11:30am so received the "Dinner" service. There are separate catering services for the early morning (breakfast) and late night (supper) flights. I will include some menu information in a later post.
I had the same crew each way - they were close to (if not) the best I have experienced - on any flight I have undertaken in the last 10 years!
Pre-Departure I was offered Juice/Water/Champagne.
The food is interesting; some worked for me, some did not; More to follow.
The IFE is interesting with about 6 movies to choose, but takes me back ten years to having to plan the program you wish to watch. (Can't pause the loop.)
The nosewheel camera shot if fascinating; however, there is also a 'belly cam' showing an in flight image pointing straight down. After the nose wheel camera goes away, it is replaced with a "Pilot's View" pointing straight forward.
Standard decade old style flight path is available as well. IFE is "gate to Gate" but keeps getting reset almost every time a PA is made and you need to switch back to video when that happens.
serfty
Jan 8, 12, 10:59 pm
Sydney to Perth
__________________________________________________ ____________
breakfast
flights
scheduled to depart 0401 - 0930
Juice
Fresh Orange Juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a election
of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection V
Mains
Classic hot breakfast
Potato breakfast hash, with pork chiplatas and cannellini bakes beans
Char-grilled eggplant and zucchini Croque Monsieur with roasted trussed
cherry tomatoes and chives V
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappucino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
Hot Chocolate
__________________________________________________ ____________
dinner
flights
scheduled to depart 0931-2229
Bakery
Your choice of warmed bread served with Luke Mangan's extra virgin olive oil
and dukkah dipping spice
Starters
Thai style salad with omelette, herbs and tamarind dressing
or
Zucchini, basil and parmesian soup V
Mains
Barbecue-spiced beef pie with sweet potato, peas and tomato relish
Barramundi fillet with Japanese mushrooms, snow peas, ginger and miso broth
Potato, capsicum and rosemary tortilla with ratatouille and pesto V
Salad
Mesclun and baby spinich with chardonnay vinegar and lemon oil dressing V
Cheese
Maffra ashed cloth cheddar, Gippsland, Victoria
Tarago River cream brie, Gippsland, Victoria
Old Telegraph Road Sapphire Blue, Gippsland, Victoria
Cheese accompanied by pear and hazelnut paste, grapes and crispbread
Dessert
Lemon merangue tart
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappuccino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
__________________________________________________ ____________
Perth to Sydney
__________________________________________________ ____________
breakfast
flights
scheduled to depart 0401 - 0930
Juice
Fresh Orange Juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a election
of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Season fruit selection V
Mains
Classic hot breakfast
Tuscan breakfast frittata with pork chipolata, bacon and semi-dried tomato
Buttermilk pancakes with vanilla poached berries, creme fraiche and mint V
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappuccino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
Hot Chocolate
__________________________________________________ ____________
dinner
flights
scheduled to depart 0931-2259
Bakery
Your choice of warmed bread served with Luke Mangan's extra virgin olive oil
and dukkah dipping spice
Starters
Cajun char-grilled chicken salad with tabouleh and lime dressing
or
Moroccan spiced chickpea soup with harissa and mint V
Mains
Braised beef short rib with parmesan and herbed potatoes, tarragon
and mustard butter and green beans
Atlantic salmon fillet with roasted fennel, pepperonata and cherry tomato dressing
Mushroom, spinich and cheddar cheese pie V
Salad
Baby spinach, rocket and radicchio with red wine vinegar and mustard dressing V
Cheese
King Island black label wax cheddar, Tasmania
Tarago River Shadows of Blue, Gippsland, Victoria
Old Telegraph Road triple cream brie, Gippsland, Victoria
Cheese accompanied by pear and hazelnut paste, grapes and crispbread
Dessert
Luke Mangan's Amaretto tiramisu
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappuccino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
Hot Chocolate
__________________________________________________ ____________
]supper
flights
scheduled to depart 2300 - 0400
Supper
White bean soup with garlic and rosemary croutons V
or
Greek salad with Persion feta, warmed lamb meatballs and tzatziki
Both choices are accompanied by Luke Mangan's Chocolate Macadamias
breakfast
Juice
Fresh Orange Juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a election
of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection V
Cerial
Luke Mangan's toasted muesli with Craisins, coconut, raisins and hazelnuts
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappucino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
Hot Chocolate
__________________________________________________ ____________
Pre Dinner Drink and Nuts - Tried the "Australian Cocktail" 'by Luke Mangan'.
"Our new signature cocktail is a delicious aperitif, with the hue of an Australian sunset and the fresh lively flavours of our country. A blend of white spirits, cognac and cranberry juice, freshened with a ginger and lime syrup. A delicious way to begin your culinary journey today."
I found it a little too sweet and went back to the Lanson.
What on Earth! :shock: The fish, mushrooms etc. were literally swimming in the miso.
This dish simply did not work for me! I regard miso as a side dish an accompaniment, not the crux. It was weak tasting and the fish had become overcooked sitting in the miso. I fished the Barramundi and vegetables out and ate them separately.
FWIW, SWMBO has advised me she would have loved a dish like that - the sort of meal that's right up her ally... oh well ...
On the return the menu was different.
I tried the "Cajun char-grilled chicken salad with tabouleh and lime dressing".
Along with the meals were served a side salad of green stuff with a dressing as described. Both different dressings were interesting and quite nice.
The meals were both finished off with a choice of Dessert or a Cheese Selection from a trolley Port, Cognac, Baileys were available as well as coffees, teas etc.
I had no dessert, but the cheese selections were brilliant!
Jinxy
Jan 8, 12, 11:31 pm
Great report and here's hoping more PAX post mini reviews in this section also.
What made the crew such a standout? I must have gotten unlucky with the last couple I got...very cranky and couldn't be bothered!
Agreed with the miso...overkill or what!!
VH-RMD
Jan 9, 12, 1:35 am
nice! Thanks for that, hope to be doing that trip in the not too distant future.
cove
Jan 9, 12, 6:19 am
Serfty why do you think there were only 2 passengers in J on Virgin Australia when you flew?
Was it because of the lack of business activity this time of year?
Your report was really good so thanks for the report.
I had been building a pile of Velocity points but had been too scared to try the product. You have removed my fear now!
Jinxy
Jan 9, 12, 6:57 am
Serfty why do you think there were only 2 passengers in J on Virgin Australia when you flew?
Was it because of the lack of business activity this time of year?
Your report was really good so thanks for the report.
I had been building a pile of Velocity points but had been too scared to try the product. You have removed my fear now!
Don't be scared!! Are you a big QF fan?
Oneworldplus2
Jan 10, 12, 4:21 am
Perth to Sydney
Supper flights
Scheduled to depart 2300 - 0400
Supper
White bean soup with garlic and rosemary croutons V
or
Greek salad with Persion feta, warmed lamb meatballs and tzatziki
Both choices are accompanied by Luke Mangan's Chocolate Macadamias
Breakfast
Juice
Fresh Orange Juice
Bakery
Croissant, wholemeal roll or sourdough roll served with a election
of preserves or Vegemite
Fruit
Seasonal fruit selection V
Cereal
Luke Mangan's toasted muesli with Craisins, coconut, raisins and hazelnuts
Hot drinks selection
Coffee
Filter, Expresso, Cappucino or Latte
Tea
Madame Flavour Tea - Special Blend Black Tea, Earl Grey Twist,
Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, or Mint Tisane
Hot Chocolate
Thanks for the mini review Serfty. ^
Going from the supper menu above, l would prefer QF's 1 decent sized meal + drinks rather than 2 small meals. More time to sleep on QF with only 1 meal served.
How did you find the J seats VA on the A330?
I ask this because l did PER-SYD (QF, J, Red Eye) recently and got the A330, Domestic Config. The seats weren't anything to write home about and were the 2-3-2 with the centre blocked. I thought that QF had fixed this after complaints?
Did you use points (ASA), upgrade from a flex-fare to J (VA Plat perk) or pay full J fare?
serfty
Jan 11, 12, 4:51 am
Points+pay (6900+~$200)
More on the seats coming.
Coathanger
Jan 15, 12, 6:25 am
Thanks for the review serfty.
Just booked SYD-PER using Points + Pay but won't be flying until September. By which time the new A330s should be in service with the upgraded J product.
Let's hope the salad with omelette is gone by then too...
sushiinSYD
Jan 18, 12, 4:28 am
Thanks for wonderful review serfty.
Barramundi dish made me wonder if they try to introduce/expand something new. Yes, Japanese cook fish with miso, say mackerel, cod & etc. They are good but probably not in a broth. Was Japanese mushrooms shiitake? Again, interesting.
Looking forward to your seat review (actually, cannot wait!!)
I had that soup a couple of weeks ago on this route, and it is quite the nicest I've had in many many years, aerially or terrestrially!
Coathanger
Jul 1, 12, 6:09 am
Did my first A330 Coast to Coast roundtrip yesterday and overall was impressed with how far Virgin Australia has come since it's relaunch.
Most of the details of the service remain the same as serfty reported above but just wanted to share three photos:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7290/28782210151890565770175.jpg
The new barramundi main is a winner...mine was perfectly cooked with the skin still crispy.
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1825/47403110151890560925175.jpg
A warmed chocolate cookie on the morning SYD-PER (DJ553) was a really nice surprise.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/2314/17782110151890567410175.jpg
Improvised birthday cake that the crew took upon themselves to make, which was a great surprise on the PER-SYD return flight.
Overall top marks for service from the PER-SYD crew on DJ560, with the outbound crew on DJ553 being good but were gathered in the galley chatting for a fair bit of the flight.
Loved the touches of an international-grade amenity kit and the coat check service.
Can't wait to do this again later this year, which will hopefully be on the new A330!