9^th February  2011 …  Virgin Atlantic announced its biggest ever investment into the business class product, as it pledged £100million over the next three years to enhance its Upper Class offering around the world.  As part of the investment, a brand new Upper Class ‘fine dining’ experience will take to the skies from 1^st March 2012 on board all Virgin Atlantic flights, including the Nairobi-London route.

Making the announcement, Virgin Atlantic Country Manager, David Rose said, “Virgin Atlantic   continues its commitment to provide high end services to our diverse customers. By introducing the new menu, we are determined that our customers experience a significantly superior and more enriched service.”

“ We also introduced  new salt and pepper shakers that are unique and tailored designed to make everything in a Virgin aircraft look and feel special, The brand new pots, which are sure to be a crowd pleaser, have been inspired by a classic cocktail shaker”  he added.

The launch of the  new business class products will commence on Virgin’s Atlantic’s London Heathrow to New York JFK service with highlights including a new upper class cabin, an enhanced seat, a futuristic bar and many other cabin updates to give passengers a unique flying experience.   A new multi million pound Clubhouse at the John F Kennedy airport will also be launched later in the year.

Influenced by some of the best British restaurants and private members clubs, the new Upper Class dining service has been completely redesigned and customers will enjoy customised menus.  A new Virgin Atlantic icon will be revealed – a champagne ‘coupe’ glass made famous in the golden age of Hollywood – to serve the welcome drink, toasting the journey ahead.  Another great British tradition, afternoon tea, will also be served on individual mini cake stands with whatever passengers choose to enjoy.

In developing its new Upper Class products, Virgin Atlantic recruited groups of its most frequent fliers to test the ideas and feed into their development - even allowing some to try out the beds with an overnight stay in the airline’s test facility.

Notes to editors

·     Each passenger will receive their own mini cake stands including finger sandwiches, a delicious selection of cake, and scones with jam and clotted cream.  Cabin crew will fill passengers’ very own stylish mini cake stand with whatever passengers choose to enjoy, served with a fresh cafetiere of coffee or a selection of fine teas.

·     Breakfasts will be completely customisable and because of the way it’s prepared Virgin Atlantic now offers a completely meat free English Breakfasts too. 

·     Having waved goodbye to faithful Wilbur and Orville salt and pepper shakers, Virgin Atlantic is pleased to introduce a brand new Virgin Atlantic icon, a mini cocktail shaker.  It snaps in half to form individual salt and pepper pots, using crushed peppercorns instead of finely ground pepper.

·     The new Upper Class cabin will be launched on Virgin Atlantic’s new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, due for delivery later in the spring as part of a $2.2bn aircraft investment programme.

·     To book at flight with Virgin Atlantic, log onto ww.virginatlantic.com or call 2789100

About Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic is one of the world's leading long-haul airlines, with daily flights from Nairobi to London and then onwards to New York which is served by Newark International Airport, Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Miami from London Heathrow; and to Las Vegas, Kingston, Barbados, Antigua and Orlando from London Gatwick. The airline has 38 aircrafts in its fleet and flies to over 30 destinations worldwide out of London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester Airports.

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