Written by Kurtis Lee
Overview
Earlier on, we've touched on Qantas's business class service (Qantas Domestic Business Class Amid COVID 疫情下澳州航空的商務艙服務)during the coronavirus era. While Qantas performed well on its hard products, Virgin Australia has the edge on its soft products. So, would the reduced hard product justify the cheaper fare? See for yourself in this article as I travel back to Sydney on my return journey. 
較早前，KURTIS帶大家看過澳洲航空(Qantas Domestic Business Class Amid COVID 疫情下澳州航空的商務艙服務)在疫症下商務艙的服務。雖然澳洲航空在硬件上更勝一籌，但維珍澳洲航空在服務和細心程度上卻較高。所以你會覺得商務艙價錢便宜就等於是差的服務嗎？讓我們一起去看看。
- Airline 航空公司: Virgin Australia 維珍澳洲航空 (VA/VOZ)
- Aircraft Type 機型: 737-800
- Aircraft Rego 註冊編號: VH-YFR
- Cabin Class 艙等: Business 商務艙
- Flight No. 航班編號: VA427
- Flight Route 航線: ADL-SYD
- Seat 座位: 2F
- Date 日期: 29/11/2020
As all Virgin lounges were closed at the time of flying, there were no lounge access. However, the terminal at Adelaide Airport offered a positive experience. There are tables with charging spaces, a newsagency, a cafe, as well as a great view of the tarmac.
由於當天所有維珍的貴賓室都暫時關閉，所以只好在機場遊蕩了。幸好地，阿德萊德機場的客運大樓設施配套都很好。客運大樓裡面設有充電位置，書店，便利店，咖啡店還有開揚的停機坪風景。
A view of the airport oval. It looked deserted because of the scarcity of flights
This view could be a plus for avgeeks as it faces directly to the runway
Seat 座位
There are only 2 rows of seats in the 737 business cabin, as opposed to having 3 on the Qantas metals. Although this limits the availability of business class seats, it does offer more exclusiveness and attention from the cabin crew. 
商務艙設有2行座位，與澳洲航空的3行少了1行。正因座位少了，換來了較專注細心的服務。
The seats on Virgin's business class lack IFE screens. However, you can access their entertainment system on your own tablets via their inflight Wi-Fi. 
雖然座位沒有娛樂系統的螢幕，每位乘客都可以在自己的電話或平板電腦使用機上的網絡連結到維珍的娛樂系統。
To charge your device, there's also a universal power outlet below every seat
在每個座位的底下都有一個萬能插叉電器。
Simple seat design but great comfort 簡單的設計,但好舒服
Overview of the cabin. This is a standard 2-2 configuration as you'll see in business class on most narrowbody jets
機艙概述: 這是標準的2-2配置，您會在大多數窄體機的商務艙中看到
Each seat is also fitted with a coat hanger and a recline button 每個座位還配有一個衣架和一個傾斜按鈕
Virgin only features a recline function while Qantas goes the exta mile by installing a legrest on each seat
澳洲航空的座位腳部支撐，是維珍沒有的。
A coat hanger is located on the side of each seat
每個座位旁邊都是一個掛衣服的掛鈎。
The Flight 航班
The flight left the gate on time and we were cleared for takeoff soon. There weren't much traffic these days in Adelaide due to the pandemic.
我們準時後推並離開閘口。
The view out my seat as we were preparing for pushback and start
窗外的風景 
The view as we were crusiing over rural SA
南澳的風景
Meal Service 餐飲
Meal service commenced as soon as the seatbelt sign went off. As part of the cost reduction measure, the buy-onboard menu wasn't available for economy class. Business class was also only offered a snacks box, with a choice of drinks from a limited menu. Wines, tea and coffee, water and coke were available, but not juices. So, that means I had to choose something else instead of my routine apple juice. 
在安全帶訊號熄滅之後，餐飲服務便開始了。為了減少開支，原本的提供給經濟客艙的機上食物購買menu取消了，並被簡單的水和簡單小食取代。而商務艙也只有一個簡單的食物盒和簡單化的飲料選擇，例如是咖啡，茶，水，汽水和酒，但卻沒有果汁。
I finally washed down the meal with some water and coke.
我最後選擇了汽水和水。
The snack box containing both savory and pastry options actually looks quite decent 有鹹味又有糕點的小吃盒實際上看起來還不錯
IFE 娛樂系統
As mentioned above, the entertainment system can be accessed via the inflight Wi-Fi using your own devices. It doesn't connect you to the internet but there's far more than enough content to get you occupied. Apart from movies and TV series, an inflight map is also provided, which is pretty informational.
雖然機上的網絡不能連接到互聯網，但維珍的電影選擇也很豐富。
Connection to the system was easy and video playback was smooth.
影片播放來說大致上也算順暢。
A peek at my IFE setup
A range of movie selections
電影選擇很多
Flgiht map - pretty much all the information you'll need for your flight
飛行地圖資訊豐富。
The Soft Touches 維珍細心的一面
At first glance, Qantas seems to have outperformed Virgin Australia. However, in my opinion, Virgin has excelled in its soft product. Throughout the flight, the cabin crew had been attentive to every passsenger's needs. Even after meal service, they walked along the cabin from time to time to make sure every guest was well taken care of. On the contrary, the cabin crew on my Qantas flight appeared to have vanished into thin air after meal service.
表面看上去，澳洲航空的體驗都比維珍的有優勢。可是，維珍澳洲航空在軟件服務方便卻做得比較好。在整個行程之中，每位空服員都很細心的了解每位乘客的需要並盡量達到。即使在用餐過後，他們都不時在客艙裡面巡視。相反，澳洲航空的空服員在用膳過後就像消失了一樣。
Another thing that I've noticed was cabin crew on Virgin Australia seem to be more interactive and casual, while those on Qantas are more formal and routine. Whether this is a pro or con could be controversial, so I'll leave it for your discretion.
另外，維珍的空服員都較隨和和親切。
Lake Tyrrell in Mallee, Victoria
維多利亞州的風景
Royal National Park as we were descending into Sydney
在悉尼附近的郊野公園
Georges River as it empties out to Bontany Bay
流出大海的主要河流
IKEA, Tempe, just seconds before we touch down
在機場旁邊的宜家傢俬
Conclusion 總結
Depending on your personal needs and likings, one might prefer one airline over another. However, with a price of nearly half (when purchased early on short domestic flights) of that of Qantas, one might see himself choosing Virgin Australia over its rival.
根據不同類型客人的需求（e.g., 公幹 vs 以旅遊為主的旅客），不同人會偏好不同的航空公司。但基於價錢差不多是澳洲航空的一半的原因下，某些旅客可能會選擇乘坐維珍。如果是你，你會怎麼選擇呢？
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