Virgin Reintroduces Predeparture Ordering, Unveils New Menu

Virgin Atlantic is bringing back predeparture meal selection for Upper Class and Premium passengers departing from the U.K. from mid-April, 2022.

The news comes just after the announcement of delicious new menus for all passengers that debuted on April 1, 2022.

“We’re incredibly pleased to announce an enhanced food and drinks service on board, which brings a personalised, unique Virgin Atlantic experience for every one of our customers,” said Corneel Koster, Chief Customer & Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic.

Here’s what you need to know about Virgin’s preflight food selection service and the dishes you’ll be able to order.

Table of Contents

Preflight Meal Selection Returns for Upper Class Passengers
Virgin’s New Menu Highlights
- Mile High Tea
- Main Course
Final Thoughts

Preflight Meal Selection Returns for Upper Class Passengers

When the world shut down in March 2020, inflight meal service was one of the first things that Virgin — and nearly every single other airline that continued to operate — removed from flights to reduce the contact between flight attendants and passengers.

With that, the option to preorder Upper Class meals was also removed until now — over 2 years later — when passengers are now able to preorder once again.

When the service is reintroduced, Upper Class with flights departing from Belfast (BFS), Edinburgh (EDI), London Heathrow (LHR), and Manchester (MAN) will be sent an invite to choose what they’d like to eat from the inflight menu.

By the end of the summer, the airline plans to also introduce the service to those flying in Premium.

The window for ordering will be between 72 to 24 hours before departure. This means that passengers will be able to guarantee their preferred meal choice and remove the risk of their favorite dish running out before they’re served.

Hot Tip: Learn about the best ways to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with points in our step-by-step guide, and see which direct routes Virgin flies from the U.S.

Virgin’s New Menu Highlights

The theme of Virgin’s new menu for spring/summer 2022 is a combination of classic British fare and destination-inspired flavors and ingredients.

Mile High Tea

First and foremost, Virgin’s famed Mile High Tea has been tweaked and was rolled out as of April 1, 2022.

Economy guests will now enjoy a warm scone, the addition of a fish finger sandwich, and a brand new cake option. The same goes for Premium passengers whose new cake option will be a duo of mini patisseries.

And in Upper Class, burgers, superfood salads, crab cakes, and cream tea replace the more traditional British afternoon tea.

Main Course

New main course options will include hot smoked salmon, truffle butter breaded chicken, garlic ginger prawn curry, and a fig and goat’s cheese tart. To finish things off, guests will be able to choose from sweet treats such as a passionfruit and chocolate dome or an apple and blackberry crumble.

As you’d expect, passengers in Virgin’s Upper Class will get to choose from an enhanced version of the menu and can expect to indulge in the likes of garlic and stir-fried oriental chicken, chicken Achari curry, and pork and parmesan meatballs.

Hot Tip: Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club provides some incredibly good value redemptions, such as 55,000 to 60,000 points for a one-way ticket in ANA first class to Japan that cashes in at over $12,000!

Final Thoughts

Virgin’s passengers in Upper and Premium will soon be able to preselect their meals before departing from airports across the U.K. once again. This means that guests will be able to guarantee their favorite meal before they even get to the airport.

As for the new menu options, we cannot wait to try them out.