Review of Virgin Australia flight from Canberra to Brisbane in Economy

Welcome aboard another Virgin Australia trip report, this time the return sector from Canberra to Brisbane. After spending the weekend exploring Canberra - which is often described as Australia's most boring city (something I found to not be true), it was time to return back to the real world.

Today's aircraft is VH-YFF - a 12 year old 737-800, it has served its entire life with VA. Tail is beginning to look ready for a fresh coat of paint, as is the case with many of the aircraft in VA's fleet.

Routing is as below (courtesy of flightaware) - with approx 1:40 from take off to touch down.

Before the flight I spent a bit of time in the lounge gorging on the delish staple tomato pasta that VA loves so much. The lounge was modern, empty and one of the better ones in the network (I think this might solely be the case based on how quiet it was, imagine it is a different story when all the politicians are ferrying home on a Friday arvo). I was able to also spend a bit of time looking out the massive windows at the raft of aircraft arriving. Weather was poor in Melbourne which resulted in a several diversions, with a QF 717 to Melb from Canberra returning. I was also lucky enough to see a Rex 737 divert here (I wonder if this was the first time they had visited in Rex colours).

This particular JQ A320 once wore a promotional livery for the Peanuts & Friends movie. Like the VA 737, this one also looks like it needs a fresh coat.

Boarding begun slightly behind schedule, with the poor gate agent running up and down the terminal trying to sort something.

Seat today was 3A in the economy x section (directly behind biz) - granted as a park of Velocity Platinum Status (and largely the only one I care about). Load was reasonably light with the middle seats both empty in my row.

Legroom really isn't an issue in the front row, with even more legroom in the ex-SilkAir aircraft without the physical divider between Y and J.

I've always been a big fan of VA's cabin colours, and the Boeing skyinterior was fantastic on this aircraft, with beautiful purple mood lighting throughout (although not in this shot lol)

Next door was the QantasLink (opby Alliance) E190 also heading back to Brisbane. This particular aircraft started its life with USAirways in 2008, before eventually ending up with American after stints with the scope clause carriers before joining Alliance in August 2022. Getting its snazzy paint scheme in October of the same year.

We were underway roughly on time, with a short taxi to the departing runway. With an hour and forty minutes in the air before descending into Brisbane.

We landed on runway 1R and taxied onto stand shortly thereafter.