Virgin America Takes Off With a 'New Year's Resolution' Menu

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 10, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the airline known for its first-of-its-kind touch-screen menu and award-winning cuisine, today launches a new menu that features healthier fare for travelers looking to keep their New Year's resolutions – even at 35,000 feet.  As the only airline headquartered in California, Virgin America's focus on a fresh, diverse range of menu options has helped the carrier capture the "Best Domestic Airline for Food" award in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards.  The new Main Cabin and Main Cabin Select menus are available "on-demand" to Virgin America flyers via the airline's Red™ In-Flight Entertainment platform, which allows travelers to order cocktails, snacks and meals right from their seatback touch-screen any time during a flight.  

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Virgin America's fresh, diverse range of menu options – including local fruits and vegetables, premium meats and artisan breads – reflects its California roots.   The airline refreshes its menu quarterly in order to provide travelers with more seasonal and locally-sourced options. Virgin America also offers cage-free eggs on its in-flight menu.  The latest Main Cabin and Main Cabin Select menu includes lighter options like an Asian vegetable salad and a chickpea salad wrap – along with lower calorie and more healthful snacks like PopChips. Because Virgin America offers one of the largest menu selections in the U.S. skies, in addition to healthier fare, the airline also offers some "comfort food" classics, for those still looking to indulge.  First Class flyers can choose braised short ribs in red wine sauce, smoked Gouda mac‐n‐cheese and La Artisan Macaroons.  Kids on the go can grab a peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip half sandwich and flyers on the airline's Mexico routes can enjoy a Mexican cheese and fruit plate.  For travelers who don't want the party to be over, Virgin America offers a unique specialty "Mile High" bar – with cocktail options curated by the airline's social media audiences and teammates.

Virgin America is the only airline in the U.S. with a touch-screen seatback menu that enables "anytime" ordering and an "open tab" feature which allows guests to swipe their card once to keep their tab open for movies, cocktails, meals or snacks throughout a flight.  The New Year's menu is available through March 2012.  Selections featured will vary by route, but include:

New First Class Breakfast Menu (all First Class meals are complimentary):

• Mini Fruit and Cheese Plate: Fresh pineapple, mango, red and green seedless grapes served with Swiss and cheddar cheese wedges and lavosh crackers.
• Egg Cheese Croissant with Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Fruit Plate: Freshly baked croissant with cage free eggs, Swiss cheese and oven roasted tomatoes - served with a selection of fresh pineapple, mango, kiwi, watermelon, red and green grapes, orange and grapefruit sections, papaya and fresh berries, served with Greek-style yogurt.
• Fruit Shooters: Yogurt with fresh pineapple topped with blueberry ginger compote, strawberry and mint puree with strawberry and kiwi - served with a pineapple, kiwi, mango and strawberry skewer.
• Fresh Tropical Fruit Plate and Breakfast Rice Pudding: Hearty and healthy brown rice pudding, tossed with dried apricots, cranberries and cherries with a touch of molasses and vanilla, topped with fresh berries and toasted hazelnuts, served with fresh pineapple, mango, kiwi, watermelon, red and green grapes, citrus segments, papaya and fresh berries - served with Greek-style yogurt.
• Truffled Asparagus and Camembert Omelet with Grilled Provencal Tomatoes and Forest Mushrooms:  Fresh free-range egg omelet, filled with sautéed green and white asparagus and creamy camembert cheese, topped with truffled sautéed shitake and oyster mushrooms, served with roesti potatoes, seasoned broccolini, and Provencal style roasted tomatoes - served with chicken and apple sausage.
• Fresh Tropical Fruit Plate with Warm Blueberry and Rhubarb Crumble: Warm blueberry and rhubarb with a streusel topping of rolled oats, pistachios, pecans, pumpkin seeds, winter spices, and dried fruit - served with fresh pineapple, kiwi, grapes, citrus segments, fresh berries, and vanilla yogurt.

New First Class Snacks, Appetizers and Entrees:

• Roasted Vegetable Antipasto: Savory baba ganoush,, smoked gouda, pepper jack and smoked cheddar cheese served with antipasto of peppadew peppers, artichoke heart, green olive, roasted yellow tomato and a honey poached mushroom, and crisp rosemary lavosh and a Belgian chocolate.
• Chinese Vegetable Salad and Smoked Chicken Green Lentil Salad: Crisp romaine and mesclun lettuce, tossed with red cabbage, sugar snap peas, daikon radish, fresh curled carrot, toasted cashew sesame Asian dressing - served with smoked breast of chicken and green lentil salad with braised orange saffron glazed fennel.  
• Seared Cauliflower with Himalayan Red Rice: Pan seared cauliflower cutlet served over a bed of Himalayan red rice salad with fine diced veggies, ginger, pine nuts, peppers and cranberries topped with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, nicoise olives, teardrop tomatoes and fresh chive vinaigrette.
• Sorghum Brined Chicken Breast and Smoked Gouda Mac‐n‐Cheese: Sorghum marinated chicken breast pan seared and served on spiral pasta tossed in smoky Gouda and sharp cheddar cheese sauce with prosciutto ham, onions and garlic - served with broccolini, roasted corn, green beans and red onions, finished with a classic chicken supreme sauce.
• Braised Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce: Slow braised beef short rib on French green lentils with roasted Brussels sprouts and sunburst squash, finished with a rich red wine sauce.  
• Roma Tomatoes with Guacamole: Fresh tomato petals topped with Yucatan guacamole and garnished with baby corn, fresh Panela cheese and cilantro pesto.
• Free-Range Chicken Mole: Free-range chicken braised in a classic mole sauce of ancho chilies, annatto, cinnamon and dark Mexican chocolate. Served with black beans topped with Oaxaca cheese and grilled scallions and a tomato and carrot rice pilaf.

New First Class Desserts:

• La Artisan French Macaroons
• Lemon Pave: Crispy pate sucree topped with tangy lemon curd
• Sweet Corn Flan: A classic Mexican dessert of creamy custard and fresh corn, topped with caramelized sugar.

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 meal options range from $4 - $9, and are complimentary in Main Cabin Select. These include:

• Turkey, Egg and Cheese Croissant: Fresh baked croissant sandwich with shaved oven roasted turkey, Swiss cheese and sliced hardboiled egg, finished with a tangy Dijon spread and served with fresh fruit and yogurt.
• Artisan Cheese Selection: Brie, smoked Gouda, cheddar and Swiss cheese served with red and green grapes, dried apple, fig, pecan and rosemary lavosh crackers.
• Chickpea Salad Wrap: Fresh chickpea salad made with fresh tomato, basil and ripe olives rolled with veggies, crisp lettuce and cream cheese in a lightly grilled sun dried tomato tortilla wrap. Served with a fresh fruit cup.
• Asian Vegetable Salad: Tossed salad of crisp romaine and mesclun lettuce, tossed with red cabbage, sugar snap peas, daikon radish, fresh curled carrot, toasted cashew nut and sesame dressing.  
• Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chip Half Sandwich: Half peanut butter, sliced bananas and chocolate chip sandwich, served with gummy fruit snack.  
• Fresh Veggie Salad: Freshen up with a mix of exotic lettuce, roasted red and yellow peppers, sliced artichoke hearts, and teardrop tomatoes. Served with creamy ranch dressing.
• Grilled Chicken Wrap: Our take on a mile-high burrito: grilled, marinated chicken strips with red peppers, cucumber, tomato, Italian lettuce, and French dressing in a cilantro tortilla. Served with black bean, pepper and cilantro salad.
• Mexican Cheese and Fruit Plate: Have an in-flight picnic with an assortment of Cotija, Gouda, and jalapeno manchego cheese with red and green grapes, dried plums, apricots, and buttery crackers.

In addition to the fresh offerings onboard, Virgin America flights continue to offer popular prepared meal boxes snacks, mile-high cocktail and beer and wine options onboard:

Meal Boxes ($7):

• Hearty Meal: This anytime combination includes Old Wisconsin beef salami, Partner's Crackers, Oakfield Farms cheddar cheese, Snyder's mini pretzels, Welch's fruit snacks, and Thin Addictives Cranberry Almond cookies.
• Protein Meal: This protein-packed meal combines Bumble Bee lemon pepper tuna, Athenos whole wheat bagel chips, Wild Garden sundried tomato hummus, Partners crackers, Emerald's natural almonds and Ocean Spray Craisins.
• Jet Set Kid Pack: This fun kids' snack box comes with Giddy Strawberry Dip'ems Snacks, Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers, Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Goldfish, Dolphin Earbuds, and a slide puzzle to pass the time.

Snacks (range from $3 - $4), include:

• 479° Popcorn Fleur de Sel Caramel: A delicious mix of sweet and salty: fluffy organic popcorn in buttery caramel with a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel on top.
• Cheddar Popchips
• Emerald Mixed Nuts

Virgin America's Mile-High Cocktail Menu (curated and developed by our social media fans and teammates) includes:

• The Funkin Margarita: combines Sauza Hornitos Reposado, Funkin Margarita Mix, and a lime.
• The Haute Chocolate: combines Bailey's Irish Cream and Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate.
• The #VirginBull: combines Funkin Margarita Mixer, VeeV Acai Spirit, Ginger Ale, and a lemon, served on the rocks.
• The Whiskey Sunset: combines Jack Daniel's, Bacardi Rum, Sprite, Seltzer, Orange Juice, and an orange, served on the rocks.
• The Vanilla Swizzle: combines Bacardi Rum and Sprite, served on the rocks.
• The Cloud Hopper: combines Absolut Vodka, Honest Ade Pomegranate Blue, Ginger Ale, and a lime, served on the rocks.
• The TeaTonic Shift: combines Absolut Vodka, Honest Tea Honey Green, Ginger Ale, and a lemon, served on the rocks. The Ginger VeeV: combines VeeV Acai Spirit, Ginger ale, and a lime.
• The Drunken Parrot: combines Bacardi Rum, Cranapple Juice, and Ginger Ale.
• The Redeye: combines Bloody Mary Mix, Bud Light, and Lime.
• The Moonmosa: combines Blue Moon, and a splash of Orange Juice.

Beer and Wine:

• Gordon Biersch Marzen: A beer with the flavor of dark roasted barley and a lingering caramel malt finish.
• Blue Moon Beer: Unfiltered wheat ale using white wheat, oats, and the perfect combination of coriander and orange peel.
• Heineken: A distinctive pilsner straight from the Netherlands
• Black Star Beer: Black Star Double Hopped Golden Lager is hopped first in the kettle then again before finishing. Result? A refreshing beer with lots of taste.
• Bud Light: A blend of two and six row malt and cereal grains give Bud Light its clean, crisp smooth taste.
• Karma Sparkling Wine: A fashion-forward champagne brut, built for the trendiest nightclubs and lounges, but with the refreshing subtlety of melon and pear.
• Alice White: A full-bodied Australian Chardonnay with citrusy tropical flavors and a crisp, refreshing finish.
• Hayes Ranch Merlot: Hints of spices and berries add a little excitement to this smooth, delightful red.
• House Red 375 ml by Wente Vineyards:  A red wine with aromas of black cherry, cranberry and vanilla, medium tannins, and a smooth, spicy finish.
• House White 375 ml by Wente Vineyards : A crisp white wine with aromas of guava, melon, gooseberry, citrus, and pineapple, and a creamy, refreshing finish.

Since its launch in 2007, Virgin America has earned a list of travel industry awards including, "Best Domestic Airline for Food" in Travel + Leisure 2009 World's Best Awards, "Best Domestic Airline" in the Condé Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the fourth consecutive year.  The airline operates a new fleet that is up to 25% more fuel efficient than the average flying in the U.S. and is headquartered as an anchor tenant at San Francisco International Airport's eco-efficient new Terminal 2 – which recently became the first LEED Gold Certified major airport in the U.S. and the first to feature Slow Food® vendors.

About Virgin America:  Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel.  In just over four years flying, Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Condé Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 'Readers' Choice' Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 'World's Best' Awards.  The airline's new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat.  Virgin America offers Gogo™ WiFi on every flight and hosts the largest in-flight entertainment library in the North American skies via the touch-screen Red™ platform.  For more: www.virginamerica.com

SOURCE Virgin America

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