Fellow passengers: As you would expect, many families returning to Auckland after spending school holidays on the Gold Coast.
How full: There were three empty seats in Business and maybe six in Economy, pretty good for a plane with 176 seats.
Entertainment: Virgin has an app you can download prior to flying, with a range of movies, games, TV shows, music videos and podcasts. I didn't watch anything but my two teenage children thought it was okay.
Food and drink: Water after takeoff then free coffee, tea or water. You can purchase a fare with a meal included or you can choose a snack from the menu, which I did, a nice chicken-and-walnut sandwich and a beer. Virgin's in-flight magazine, Voyeur, carried plenty of announcements about the fact that from October 28 fares across the Tasman will be inclusive of bag, entertainment and meal.
Toilets: Clean and working although with only two toilets for 160-plus passengers, there was a queue.
The service: The crew were excellent, relaxed and efficient. Announcements were kept to a minimum.
The airport experience: Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta offers an excellent entry and exit point if you are visiting the region. There are approximately 54 departures per day from this airport, only five or six of which are international flights, including four to Auckland, so arrival and departure formalities are stress-free.You can also pick up an Uber at the Airport from a specifically marked departure point.
Virgin Australia recognises Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer loyalty cards so we were able to check in at the Virgin Premium Check-In Counter. There was no queue and we received an upgrade to Economy X and an invitation to their lounge. I know there has been a fair bit of discussion about Koru Lounges recently but I have to say that the service and offering at the Virgin Lounge was superior to Auckland's International Koru Lounge.
Summary: There is a choice of four carriers flying the Gold Coast to Auckland route but I think I will be sticking with Virgin.
