As a frequent commuter around Oz, I generally stick with Qantas despite their well-known operational issues. I was recently put on two Virgin flights ex-BNE, and while in coach had the ability to see what Virgin Australia's idea of domestic business class service is.

And it's very sad, and completely unacceptable.

The shortcomings are extensive. They include:

• No separate cabin, not even a curtain, to designate the difference (seats red leather instead of blue)
• Same size and type of seats as in coach, with only slightly increased seat pitch
• "Meals" that used to be considered coach-class meals previously (DJ coach now has food for sale).
• No Business Class-type service levels

On neither flight were pre-flight drinks ever proffered to the "business class" passengers. And because DJ hasn't increased the number of FA's, the FA/flight supervisor goes to help out the other FA's with Y service of food and drinks.

And typical of my experience with DJ domestically in Australia, the FA's disappeared from view after the service was done. The FA in the front closed the curtain to the galley (daytime flights), and NEVER EMERGED until the flight started down.

My experience with QF business is just the opposite, and if this is the widespread way DJ is trying to remarket their service image, they're dead.