Virgin Australia unveils $12 hot chips for longer flights
Virgin Australia will sell hot chips for $12 on flights scheduled to last longer than 90 minutes, pairing the snack with aioli instead of tomato sauce. The…
Virgin Australia unveils $12 hot chips on flights scheduled to last longer than 90 minutes, bringing a familiar takeaway snack into the cabin. The airline says it spent months testing how to serve them hot and crispy; some passengers already doubt the result will hold up in the air.
Each bowl costs $12 and comes with aioli rather than the classic tomato sauce. Virgin Australia says the new item will be available across all flights scheduled for more than 90 minutes.
That is a straightforward menu change, but the response points to a practical question for passengers: will the chips still be crisp when they reach the tray table?
Months of testing, mixed reactions
Andrew Cleary, Virgin Australia’s chief customer officer, said the airline believes it is the first to serve hot chips onboard. He said the carrier wanted to bring food people enjoy on the ground into the air.
“Hot chips are a great example, with no Australian airline believed to have served them onboard before,” Cleary said. “It’s taken months of testing to get them hot and crispy in the air.”
The airline said its cooking process had been “tested and evolved over many months to ensure they arrive to guests hot and crispy.” The source did not specify how the chips are prepared, so the details of the method remain undisclosed.
Passengers quoted by Nine.com.au were divided. Maddi said she expected the chips to be soggy and questioned whether a good hot chip could be made at 30,000ft. She also said she would not pay $12 to take the chance.
Kahla argued that hot chips belonged “back on solid ground,” while Rosie raised concerns about the smell for other passengers. She also said a warm snack could be welcome on evening flights. Mia suggested the idea might work if an air fryer was involved.
Chips join a changing onboard menu
The launch sits alongside other additions to Virgin Australia’s food and drink offering. The airline’s TikTok-inspired cheeseburger toastie, priced at $14, is also returning. Virgin Australia says it has sold more than 50,000 since the toastie launched in May 2026.
The toastie includes ground beef, cheese, pickles, sauce and mustard. Matcha lattes, BOSS Iced Latte Coffee cans and a Jose Cuervo Sparkling Margarita are also on offer, according to Nine.com.au.
Virgin Australia has also revamped its business-class menu. The listed options include an egg and cheese breakfast quesadilla, seared beef with roasted vegetables, potato and rosemary jus, and stir-fried beef in black bean sauce with rice and Asian greens.
For passengers, the clearest trade-off is price against uncertainty: the chips cost $12, and reactions show that some travellers are unconvinced they will arrive crisp. The airline’s months of testing will now be put to the test on flights longer than 90 minutes.
Source: nine.com.au
