SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin
America, the California-based
airline known for its award-winning menu, today announces a new
partnership with Dean & DeLuca to bring the airline's First
Class flyers a curated selection of snacks in the sky including
caramel popcorn, spicy Cajun snack mix, raw almonds and gummi
bears. Renowned by epicureans across the country, Dean &
DeLuca's team of food experts has made it the company's mission to
find and provide the world's best culinary treats for more than 35
years. Virgin America is also debuting an exclusive offering from
ONEHOPE Wine – the label's 2013 Chardonnay and Cabernet
Sauvignon. Reflecting the palate changes that occur at altitude,
both wines were chosen for their bold, fruit-forward flavors in
Napa Valley during a joint
selection process with Virgin America and ONEHOPE to choose
the best options for travelers at 35,000 feet. All of Virgin
America's menus are updated quarterly using an assortment of
sustainable and fresh ingredients, including local fruits and
vegetables, premium meats and artisan breads. Virgin America's
focus on a fresh, diverse range of menu options has helped the
airline capture the "Best Domestic Airline for Food" award
in Travel + Leisure 2014 World's Best
Awards. This summer brings big, bold flavors in First Class with
entrees like the beef Bulgogi Bibimbap and hearty options like the
roast beef and cheddar sandwich on ciabatta bread to Main Cabin
guests who can order from their seatback any time during a
flight with the airline's Red® in-flight entertainment system.
Red's on-demand menu also includes an "open tab"
feature that allows guests to swipe their card once and keep
their tab open for continuous ordering during the flight.
"We take pride in elevating the industry standard for guest
experience – and designing our in-flight dining experience at
35,000 feet is no exception to this," said Frances Fiorillo, SVP People & In-Flight
Services. "We're thrilled to partner with Dean & DeLuca – a
gourmet brand that our discerning guests will enjoy and will help
us continue our award-winning tradition."
"We are pleased to partner with Virgin America on their summer
menu," said Justin Seamonds,
President for Dean & DeLuca. "The Dean & DeLuca products
offered are specially selected for Virgin America's guests,
providing refined taste and quality in onboard amenities. The
summer menu represents the finest in sweet and savory options,
bringing a taste of Dean & DeLuca's global heritage to each
flight."
Virgin America has been recognized for "Notable In-Flight
Dining" in SAVEUR Culinary Travel Awards for both First
Class and Main Cabin as well as being the top-ranked airline in
2014 by the Diet Detective for having the
"healthiest food in the air." For summer, Virgin America is
introducing a fresh new menu that includes First Class items
like:
- Arugula, beet and orange salad appetizer with citrus-mint
vinaigrette
- Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap bowl with marinated beef, julienned
carrots, sauteed kale and pickled watermelon radishes served on a
bed of coconut jasmine rice and topped with a spicy gochujang
sauce
- Herb roasted chicken salad with a Dijon-tarragon
vinaigrette
- Bittersweet chocolate ganache tart
In addition to the specialty snacks from Dean & DeLuca,
Virgin America has also refreshed its First Class amenities with
plush, custom-designed duvets and pillows and an Autopilot Kit with
eyeshades and earplugs.
Virgin America guests in Main Cabin will find new
seasonal menu items as well, including:
- Roast beef and cheddar sandwich on ciabatta bread
- Veggie wrap with black rice, faro and edamame dressed in a
light and refreshing soy yuzu vinaigrette
- Artisan cheese plate with white cheddar, muenster cheese, and
camembert cheeses served along fresh Gala apples, green grapes and
gluten free sea salt and olive oil crackers
- Mixed berry yogurt parfait with gluten-free granola
- Sea Salt Caramel 479 Degree Popcorn
- Krave Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky
- Jetset Kids Pack with fun, healthy snacks like Musselman's
Apple Sauce, Old Wisconsin's Turkey Snack Stick, Yum Earth Fruit
Snacks and Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar.
And for flyers 21-and-over, Virgin America is offering an
exclusive selection of two wines from ONEHOPE Wine – a label
that is produced in collaboration with Rob
Mondavi, Jr. and has been awarded over 100 medals in
local, national and international wine competitions. ONEHOPE
Wine has also donated over $1.4
million to partner nonprofits and the 2013 Chardonnay and
Cabernet Sauvignon are no exception – half of the profits from
onboard sales will be donated to benefit women's heart health
outreach and education.
The airline's full summer menu is available here.
Virgin America offers guests sleek, tech-forward aircraft cabins
with custom-designed seating, fleetwide in-flight
WiFi, signature moodlighting, power outlets near every seat
and the Red® in-flight entertainment system. In addition to
a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with
a deeper, more comfortable pitch, Virgin America's First Class
cabin offers plush white leather 'cradle sleeper' seating with 55
inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers.
The carrier's Main Cabin Select service offers 38 inches of
pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media
content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding.
The Red in-flight entertainment platform offers guests their
own seatback touch-screen TV, with more than 25 films, live TV,
interactive Google Maps, videogames, a 3,000 song library and
an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack
from their seatback any time during a flight. Red
also includes an "open tab" feature that allows guests to
swipe their card only once and keep their tab open for continuous
ordering during the flight.
Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has expanded its network
to include Austin, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Dallas Love
Field, Fort Lauderdale,
Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los
Cabos, Newark, New York
(JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Orlando, Palm
Springs (seasonal), Portland, Puerto
Vallarta, San Diego,
San Francisco,
Seattle, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Honolulu (as of November 2, 2015) and Kahului, Maui
(as of December 3, 2015).
Photos of Virgin America's new menu can be found here.
Photos of Virgin America's unique aircraft and broadcast quality
b-roll are available here.
About Virgin America: Known for its mood-lit
cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and
innovative fleetwide amenities — like touch-screen personal
entertainment, WiFi and power outlets at every seat, Virgin
America has built a loyal following of flyers and earned a
host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named
both the "Best U.S. Airline" in Conde Nast Traveler Readers'
Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure
World's Best Awards for the past seven consecutive years. For
more: www.virginamerica.com.
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SOURCE Virgin America