Virgin America, the California-based airline known for its fresh, award-winning in-flight cuisine, launches its spring in-flight menu and joins with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to celebrate the food at its new home at San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal 2 (T2). Virgin America is an anchor tenant at SFO’s new T2, which aims to be one of the most sustainable airport terminals in the world. Part of SFO’s sustainability efforts included recruiting Slow Food® vendors that serve local and sustainably-sourced cuisine. The airline announces the rollout of its new spring onboard menu in conjunction with the unveiling of new vendors at SFO which include restaurants from Food Network Host and Bay Area-based chef Tyler Florence and Iron Chef Cat Cora.

The food purveyors and restaurants in SFO’s next generation Terminal 2 (T2) fire up the ovens and display their wares today for a “Taste of T2” – a special event highlighting the delicious cuisine options that will be available to passengers traveling through SFO. Inspired by San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building, T2 offers a beautiful food marketplace and retail street featuring the best of the Bay Area’s retailers and restaurants offering locally-sourced, organic menu items. T2 will feature notable local establishments such as Andale, Napa Valley Farms, Vino Volo, Peets Coffee & Tea and The Plant Cafe Organic. As part of SFO’s sustainability efforts, all T2 vendors are also required to use compostable utensils and containers.

Since its launch, Virgin America has aimed to serve local and sustainable cuisine onboard. The airline’s menu helped it capture the “Best Domestic Airline for Food” award in Travel + Leisure 2009 World’s Best Awards.

Virgin America’s menus are crafted using an assortment of sustainable and fresh ingredients, including local fruits and vegetables, premium meats and artisan breads.

The new Main Cabin and Main Cabin Select menus are available “on-demand” to Virgin America flyers via the airline’s innovative touch-screen seatback entertainment platform. The Red ™ In-Flight Entertainment system allows travelers to order a variety of cocktails, snacks and meals right from their seatback touch-screen any time during a flight. Virgin America is the only airline in the U.S. with a touch-screen seatback menu that enables “anytime” ordering during a flight.

The latest menu is available through June 2011. Selections featured will vary by route. In Main Cabin and Main Cabin Select, guests can select their meal and snack options at the touch of a button using the Red system’s interactive seatback entertainment platform at any time during their flight. The on-demand ordering system is only offered by Virgin America and is part of the airline’s standard, award-winning service model. Prices for the new Main Cabin seasonal menu options range from $5-9, and are complimentary in Main Cabin Select.

In addition to the fresh offerings onboard, Virgin America flights offer prepared meal boxes in four varieties:

• Comfort (Vegetarian): Mott’s applesauce, Madi K’s blend of almonds, raisins and chocolate, Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies, a Clif Organic Energy Bar, Sun butter, Late July Organic Crackers and Dickenson’s strawberry preserves.
• Hearty: Old Wisconsin beef salami, Late July Organic Crackers, Oakfield Farms cheddar cheese, Snyder’s mini pretzels, Welch’s fruit snacks, and Thin Addictives Cranberry Almond cookies.
• Protein: Bumble Bee lemon pepper tuna, Athenos whole wheat bagel chips, Wild Garden sundried tomato hummus, Partners crackers, Fisher mixed nuts, Ocean Spray Craisins and a Toblerone chocolate.
• Jetset Kid Pack: Coming in May, this fun children’s box contains Giddy Strawberry Dip’ems Snacks, Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers, Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Goldfish, Fruit By The Foot, Dolphin Ear buds and Glide Puzzle.

Each meal box is available for $7. Virgin America also offers a wide selection of cocktails and snacks on-demand including a special selection of ‘Cocktails with Altitude’ which were created by Virgin America’s in-flight teammates. Virgin America also recently added Blue Moon Beer to its drink selection, as well as San Francisco’s very own Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate. Snacks include offerings such as 479 Popcorn Fleur Del Sel Carmel, Jelly Belly Jelly Beans Fruit Bowl mix and Popchips and are available for $3-4.

Source: Virgin America

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