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#959799 by flyingfox
01 Mar 2021, 18:04
Update from VS Trade;

VIRGIN ATLANTIC LAUNCHES NEW SPRING MENUS

Upper Class customers can now enjoy welcome drinks, a choice of three individually plated hot meals as well as more light bite options
Premium customers receive a bespoke meal service including three hot meal choices

Virgin Atlantic is evolving its onboard service in Upper Class, providing even more choice for its customers. Following the restart of passenger flying in July 2020, the airline simplified its service onboard to minimise interaction between customers and crew. These latest changes see some of the most popular elements of Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class service return, with some added extras, whilst ensuring health and safety remains at the heart of the proposition.

Customers are now offered a welcome drink upon boarding, followed by the choice of three individually plated hot meals as part of the main meal service. This is accompanied by a salad and choice of three desserts including cheese and biscuits. On day flights, customers are offered a second meal service including the signature Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea and can now opt for a deli dish or a lighter option if they prefer. For those travelling on night flights, there is a choice of three hot breakfasts as well as side dishes including fresh seasonal fruit, bircher muesli and pastries. All these options can be washed down with a selection of champagne, wine, liquors, soft drinks and teas and coffees.

Customers travelling in Premium now receive a bespoke meal service including a choice of three hot meals, cheese and biscuits and a dessert, all served on a tray. For the second meal service, Premium customers receive the Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea with a choice of prosecco or hot drink or on night flights, a breakfast including a warm pastry, seasonal fruit and yoghurt served with PG Tips tea or Change Please coffee.

Customers in the Economy cabin can choose from two hot meals as part of the Fly Safe, Fly Eat meal box, which also includes cheese and biscuits and a dessert. The second meal service includes the Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea on day flights or a breakfast consisting of a warm pastry, fruit and yoghurt on night flights. Customers in Premium and Economy can also choose from a selection of wines, beers, liquors and soft drinks throughout the flight.

All these changes are made in accordance with the airline’s comprehensive health and safety measures, implemented to offer peace of mind in the airport and when taking to the skies. These include enhanced and thorough cleaning practices at check in, boarding gates and onboard including the use of electrostatic spraying of high-grade disinfectant in all cabins and lavatories before every flight, ensuring no surface is left untouched. Safe distancing will also be adhered to wherever possible, and mask wearing will be required throughout the journey. All customers will be provided with a personal Health Pack for their health and safety, which will contain medical grade face masks to be worn onboard, surface wipes and hand gel.

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented:
“We know our customers are missing that magical feeling you get when you step onboard an aircraft, ready to start your travels. Whilst customers may not be able to travel right now, we’re bringing back those little touches, including welcome drinks, hand plated food and more choice of meals, so that first flight after lockdown feels even more special.
“All these additions have been made whilst continuing to uphold some of the most comprehensive health and safety measures in the industry. We were delighted to be awarded Diamond Status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying, for our efforts in ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation. Making sure everyone flies safe and well is a non-negotiable and has been an absolute priority for us since the start of the pandemic. Our commitment is underpinned by robust cleaning measures both in the air and on the ground, our innovative customer experience, the introduction of Covid-19 insurance and the fact that we test our crews before every departure from the UK and our ground teams at least once a week.”

Menu

Welcome drinks upon boarding; 2. drinks and snacks after takoff; 3. Main meal.

Starter
Mozzarella and tomato salad with micro basil and cress (v)
Ciabatta roll with butter

Main
Roasted chicken breast, potato purée, sautéed spinach, girolles mushrooms, Bourguignon sauce
Artichoke tortellini (v) with wilted spinach, grilled artichokes and sage butter sauce
Roasted salmon fillet, lemon and spring onion giant couscous, grilled baby courgettes and chervil sauce

Dessert
Coconut lemon tartlet
Seasonal fresh fruit
Cheddar, Brie, and Stilton with crackers

Second meal service
Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea
West country cheddar and carrot chutney on malted roll and Mediterranean falafel wrap
Scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Raspberry glazed éclair, salted caramel vanilla tart and cherry macaron
Deli dish
Chicken terrine, spiced cauliflower and braised pineapple
Chocolate gateau

Lighter option
Asian-style glass noodle salad, seaweed and charred pineapple
Fresh fruit salad

Breakfast
Full breakfast including chicken sausage, turkey rashers, scrambled eggs, baked beans, herb potatoes, roasted tomato and mushrooms
Vegetarian cooked Breakfast including cheddar cheese omelette, mushroom, hash brown and vine roasted cherry tomatoes
Mini apple pancakes with creme anglaise and apple cinnamon compote
#959812 by 747G-VXLG
02 Mar 2021, 18:17
flyingfox wrote:Update from VS Trade;

VIRGIN ATLANTIC LAUNCHES NEW SPRING MENUS

Upper Class customers can now enjoy welcome drinks, a choice of three individually plated hot meals as well as more light bite options
Premium customers receive a bespoke meal service including three hot meal choices

Virgin Atlantic is evolving its onboard service in Upper Class, providing even more choice for its customers. Following the restart of passenger flying in July 2020, the airline simplified its service onboard to minimise interaction between customers and crew. These latest changes see some of the most popular elements of Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class service return, with some added extras, whilst ensuring health and safety remains at the heart of the proposition.

Customers are now offered a welcome drink upon boarding, followed by the choice of three individually plated hot meals as part of the main meal service. This is accompanied by a salad and choice of three desserts including cheese and biscuits. On day flights, customers are offered a second meal service including the signature Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea and can now opt for a deli dish or a lighter option if they prefer. For those travelling on night flights, there is a choice of three hot breakfasts as well as side dishes including fresh seasonal fruit, bircher muesli and pastries. All these options can be washed down with a selection of champagne, wine, liquors, soft drinks and teas and coffees.

Customers travelling in Premium now receive a bespoke meal service including a choice of three hot meals, cheese and biscuits and a dessert, all served on a tray. For the second meal service, Premium customers receive the Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea with a choice of prosecco or hot drink or on night flights, a breakfast including a warm pastry, seasonal fruit and yoghurt served with PG Tips tea or Change Please coffee.

Customers in the Economy cabin can choose from two hot meals as part of the Fly Safe, Fly Eat meal box, which also includes cheese and biscuits and a dessert. The second meal service includes the Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea on day flights or a breakfast consisting of a warm pastry, fruit and yoghurt on night flights. Customers in Premium and Economy can also choose from a selection of wines, beers, liquors and soft drinks throughout the flight.

All these changes are made in accordance with the airline’s comprehensive health and safety measures, implemented to offer peace of mind in the airport and when taking to the skies. These include enhanced and thorough cleaning practices at check in, boarding gates and onboard including the use of electrostatic spraying of high-grade disinfectant in all cabins and lavatories before every flight, ensuring no surface is left untouched. Safe distancing will also be adhered to wherever possible, and mask wearing will be required throughout the journey. All customers will be provided with a personal Health Pack for their health and safety, which will contain medical grade face masks to be worn onboard, surface wipes and hand gel.

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented:
“We know our customers are missing that magical feeling you get when you step onboard an aircraft, ready to start your travels. Whilst customers may not be able to travel right now, we’re bringing back those little touches, including welcome drinks, hand plated food and more choice of meals, so that first flight after lockdown feels even more special.
“All these additions have been made whilst continuing to uphold some of the most comprehensive health and safety measures in the industry. We were delighted to be awarded Diamond Status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying, for our efforts in ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation. Making sure everyone flies safe and well is a non-negotiable and has been an absolute priority for us since the start of the pandemic. Our commitment is underpinned by robust cleaning measures both in the air and on the ground, our innovative customer experience, the introduction of Covid-19 insurance and the fact that we test our crews before every departure from the UK and our ground teams at least once a week.”

Menu

Welcome drinks upon boarding; 2. drinks and snacks after takoff; 3. Main meal.

Starter
Mozzarella and tomato salad with micro basil and cress (v)
Ciabatta roll with butter

Main
Roasted chicken breast, potato purée, sautéed spinach, girolles mushrooms, Bourguignon sauce
Artichoke tortellini (v) with wilted spinach, grilled artichokes and sage butter sauce
Roasted salmon fillet, lemon and spring onion giant couscous, grilled baby courgettes and chervil sauce

Dessert
Coconut lemon tartlet
Seasonal fresh fruit
Cheddar, Brie, and Stilton with crackers

Second meal service
Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea
West country cheddar and carrot chutney on malted roll and Mediterranean falafel wrap
Scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Raspberry glazed éclair, salted caramel vanilla tart and cherry macaron
Deli dish
Chicken terrine, spiced cauliflower and braised pineapple
Chocolate gateau

Lighter option
Asian-style glass noodle salad, seaweed and charred pineapple
Fresh fruit salad

Breakfast
Full breakfast including chicken sausage, turkey rashers, scrambled eggs, baked beans, herb potatoes, roasted tomato and mushrooms
Vegetarian cooked Breakfast including cheddar cheese omelette, mushroom, hash brown and vine roasted cherry tomatoes
Mini apple pancakes with creme anglaise and apple cinnamon compote


Do you know how long the menu will be used for?
#959824 by LREDI
02 Mar 2021, 22:41
I expect it will be until July time when they can review. The tray is down to minimising contact.

Return of main meal plated is good but choice is poor around starter and desert. They need to do better there once pax return. Also noted the first drink service and crisps is back.

I wish they’d put the original table clothes over the trays to at least look a bit better?
#959857 by Hev60
03 Mar 2021, 19:15
Wow, today is the first anniversary of this original post.

Who could have predicted that those “weeks” would have gone on for endless months :-O

Now one year later, we haven’t realistically got a clue when we can fly, especially to the US.
Simply amazing but very sad.
#959867 by ColOrd
03 Mar 2021, 21:24
Ha, V-Flyer, FlyerTalk (sorry!) and my Facebook Memories of past adventures have been what has kept me going since this all kicked off! Apologies to those who follow me on Twitter for my constant VS references and tweets!!

However I had positive news and my vaccine is booked for next week!! HURRAH! Maybe able to get away after all!
#959873 by David
04 Mar 2021, 00:14
flyingfox wrote:Update from VS Trade;

VIRGIN ATLANTIC LAUNCHES NEW SPRING MENUS



Menu

Welcome drinks upon boarding; 2. drinks and snacks after takoff; 3. Main meal.

Starter
Mozzarella and tomato salad with micro basil and cress (v)
Ciabatta roll with butter

Main
Roasted chicken breast, potato purée, sautéed spinach, girolles mushrooms, Bourguignon sauce
Artichoke tortellini (v) with wilted spinach, grilled artichokes and sage butter sauce
Roasted salmon fillet, lemon and spring onion giant couscous, grilled baby courgettes and chervil sauce

Dessert
Coconut lemon tartlet
Seasonal fresh fruit
Cheddar, Brie, and Stilton with crackers

Second meal service
Eric Lanlard Mile High Tea
West country cheddar and carrot chutney on malted roll and Mediterranean falafel wrap
Scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Raspberry glazed éclair, salted caramel vanilla tart and cherry macaron
Deli dish
Chicken terrine, spiced cauliflower and braised pineapple
Chocolate gateau

Lighter option
Asian-style glass noodle salad, seaweed and charred pineapple
Fresh fruit salad

Breakfast
Full breakfast including chicken sausage, turkey rashers, scrambled eggs, baked beans, herb potatoes, roasted tomato and mushrooms
Vegetarian cooked Breakfast including cheddar cheese omelette, mushroom, hash brown and vine roasted cherry tomatoes
Mini apple pancakes with creme anglaise and apple cinnamon compote


Got to say, for me, not the best menu I’ve seen.

David
#959976 by matt.hibb
08 Mar 2021, 11:54
mitchja wrote:VS have further extended Flying Club status and vouchers by 3 months.


I'm struggling to understand what this means.

- My membership year is to the end of July.
- I qualified gold again at the end of July 2019 and by the middle of March 2020 had earned 1440 tier points so I had already qualified for gold again for the July '20/July '21 year.
- My account still says I have earned 1440 tier points, i.e. it didn't reset July 2020. There are no dates mentioned in terms of gold expiry or when to earn 1000 tier points by.
- No idea if I will have much or indeed any travel in 2021.

Any idea when I will remain gold until? And when I will have to earn another 1000 tier points by to retain it?
#960009 by Cat_H
10 Mar 2021, 18:31
I'm not sure whether this has been discussed, but I heard via the Flying Club that Heathrow Terminal 3 should be opening at the end of April (was apparently supposed to be End of Feb, but didn't for obvious reasons). If you take a look on the Heathrow website's Terminal Finder, you can see that Virgin will be flying from Terminal 3 to JFK from the 26th April.

I presume this will depend on the discussions on the 12th April as to whether flights can return in May.

Hopefully, this will mean that the Upper Class wing and Clubhouse can open too but we'll have to wait and see.
#960011 by ColOrd
10 Mar 2021, 19:40
Actually, if you look all VS flights seem to switch back to T3 from 26th according to that tool. It also shows Japan Airlines, Finnair and Emirates all moving back in as of that date as well as American.

Now if you read that in conjunction with this article: https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/03/0 ... erminal-3/

And also the fact that from the 26th, Qatar, according to that tool, move to Terminal 2, it points to the HfP article being spot on. There's some data anomalies with it though in that its showing Air France as opping from T2 AND T4 and QR the same for example, but just the fact that it broadly backs up the above HfP article, although a lot sooner than they thought.

I welcome it and my understanding is that whilst T3 is closed to customers its all still pretty operational. VS offices both land and airside are open for colleagues, DTCI is being used for Covid Testing and certainly at least VS cargo ops are running out of T3.

T4 on the other hand I believe is completely closed with nothing but a skeleton crew for fire and security.

There's a logic to this, terminal moves impact on performance, and whilst that might not seem too important right now, LHR and the industry needs consumer confidence, and they won't get that if they are in an operational state of flux. Assuming they are gearing for the 17th May, it would make sense to start to ramp up a few weeks before, bed in the processes and ways of working with low pax numbers and allow rebuild from there.

Also, I am meant to be flying from LHR on the 25th June and I would love to sit in the CH with a Redhead watching red planes!!
#960013 by Cat_H
10 Mar 2021, 22:35
ColOrd wrote:Actually, if you look all VS flights seem to switch back to T3 from 26th according to that tool.


Yes, apologies, I wasn't clear. The flight going to JFK was an example to show that they are all flying from T3. I didn't want to go through all of them! Although good to hear that other airlines are also moving.

ColOrd wrote:Also, I am meant to be flying from LHR on the 25th June and I would love to sit in the CH with a Redhead watching red planes!!


I'm due on the 9th June so I too would be very excited to be in the Clubhouse rather than the lesser Plaza Premium lounge!
#960052 by mitchja
12 Mar 2021, 22:08
flyingfox wrote:Update from VS Trade;


Cancellations Effective Until
LHR-MBJ-LHR. 23 March
MAN-BGI-MAN. 23 March
LHR-GND-LHR. 23 March
LHR-ANU-LHR. 23 March
LHR-HKG only. 23 March
LHR-PVG-LHR. 23 March
LHR-CPT-LHR. 23 March
LHR-JNB-LHR. 23 March


No real surprise, but all of those dates above now pushed back to 19 April.
#960053 by flyingfox
12 Mar 2021, 22:50
mitchja wrote:
flyingfox wrote:Update from VS Trade;


Cancellations Effective Until
LHR-MBJ-LHR. 23 March
MAN-BGI-MAN. 23 March
LHR-GND-LHR. 23 March
LHR-ANU-LHR. 23 March
LHR-HKG only. 23 March
LHR-PVG-LHR. 23 March
LHR-CPT-LHR. 23 March
LHR-JNB-LHR. 23 March


No real surprise, but all of those dates above now pushed back to 19 April.


Indeed James I know it’s down to refunds etc but the schedule will not restart in ernest until 17th May at the earliest, it would be helpful if VS attempted to acknowledge that on selected routes that certainly won’t restart until after that date.
#960140 by VS075
18 Mar 2021, 10:53
Murraymint wrote:Was booked for MCO on 24th April. I see that direct routes now not bookable until 17th May.
Just waiting for cancellation email now and see what’s offered instead of refund (although it’s a reward booking in the 50% sale so might complicate things).


Mid-May is when the UK government intends to lift the ban on its citizens from travelling, though that is conditional other than we know for sure it won't happen earlier.

Another factor is when Joe Biden decides to reopen the US borders.
#960141 by blindman65
18 Mar 2021, 12:45
Murraymint wrote:Was booked for MCO on 24th April. I see that direct routes now not bookable until 17th May.
Just waiting for cancellation email now and see what’s offered instead of refund (although it’s a reward booking in the 50% sale so might complicate things).


Might be worth you reading what rights you have under EC261 as VS seem to be ignoring this and trying to fob people off with a rebooking at Extra cost
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