Virgin America Offers New Healthy 2009 Menus
Airline Makes Onboard Food Options for Budget Flyers More Nutritious
Apr 16, 2009
Just as Virgin America seeks to revolutionize budget flying in the US, it also looks for ways to upgrade itself. One way is a recent makeover of its on-board meal offerings to passengers that goes beyond peanuts and pretzels.
Virgin America’s New Main Cabin Offerings
According to a press release issued by the airline in the week of April 16, 2009, passengers booked into VA’s main cabin seats can purchase a bevy of new options from the airline’s new spring menu at the touch of a button, with prices ranging from $3 to $6.
Snack offerings include a new “Grab and Go Food Cube” menu that includes items like Justin’s Maple Almond Butter, Seneca apple chips, Dan D cashews and Sweet Perry apple sauce. Virgin America is also now offering sweetriot All-Natural Dark Chocolate products, which are low in sugar, and both dairy and gluten-free, as well as gluten-free Haight-AshBerry Jalapeno Hippie Chips.
For more hearty meal items, the airline has introduced a new seasonal Fresh Menu with prices ranging from $7 to $10. Among the new offerings are appetizer offerings like a fruit and cheese platter (consisting of brie, Monterey Jack and aged cheddar cheeses with clusters of seedless red grapes, sun-dried cranberries, pecans and multi-grain crackers), a spinach salad and hummus with pita chips.
Sandwich and wrap offerings on the revamped Fresh Menu include a Mandarin Chicken hand roll (served with a Thai noodle salad), a Napa Valley Chicken Salad hand roll (served with an Italian pasta salad), a Flat Iron Steak sandwich and The Italian (a meat, cheese and veggie sandwich on artisian herb and focaccia flat bread). All come with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
It should be noted that the above menu items are complimentary for guests booked into the Main Cabin Select seats.
First Class Virgin America Dining Upgrades
The ticket may say first class, but Virgin America often prices these seats to be affordable to even budget flyers. One wouldn’t know it from the quality of the new gourmet menu being offered to passengers in this section, though.
Created with assistance by Chef Luke Mangan, who owns four restaurants around the world including South Food + Wine Bar in San Francisco, the menu emphasizes the airlines new commitment to healthier options.
Selections will vary according to the flight route, but among the new offerings are: BBQ lamb cutlets; Moroccan-spiced vegetable pie; braised beef with peas, feta cheese and pine nuts; eggplant and ricotta cannelloni, maple-roasted chicken with spiced pumpkin and broccolini; and green curry vegetables with braised basmati rice.
In the press release issued by Virgin America about the new menus, Chef Mangan stated, "I believe in only using natural foods, cooked simply and naturally. With our new spring menu, Virgin America is offering a healthy, delicious and satisfying selection that will pioneer a new standard for in-flight dining."
About Virgin America
Launched in August 2007, Virgin America currently flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston and Orange County, CA (starting April 29, 2009).
For more, please read the Suite101 article, "Virgin America Takes Flight."
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