On Wednesday, Delta Airlines announced on its official news website that the company is introducing a new plant-based inflight menu with products from Impossible Foods, Black Sheep Foods, and locally grown vegetables. The carrier also reported an update on its inflight content which will now include Instacart and Peloton features.
This decision comes as part of the company’s mission to promote wellness on its travels. Kristen Manion Taylor, Senior Vice-President of Delta’s In-Flight Service said: “Not only are plant-based meats like Impossible™ Burger delicious to eat, but they’re also often better for the environment, using far less land and water to produce.”
The alliance with the plant-based food companies will allow the company to offer new exotic meals, like plant-based lamb meatballs or impossible burgers, along with the reintroduction of their regular hot meals.
The airline clarified that this option will be available only for selected flights of 900 miles or greater, and for Delta One and First Class customers.
The majority of their international routes should now include a plant-based menu alternative, and within the United States long-distance destinations between Atlanta or New York and cities like Los Angeles, Denver, or Seattle, will also start offering a plant-based menu.
The New Plant-Based Menu
Delta did not publish a list of flights that will offer the new plant-based menu but did provide a list of dishes and the availability on certain locations. These are the new meals that Delta One and First Class travelers will get to taste:
- Impossible Burger: The green chili-spiced burger with caramelized onions, manchego cheese, and brioche bread will be available in 900 miles or greater selected flights.
- Black Sheep Foods Lamb Meatballs: These plant-based meatballs will be served with spinach rice and feta on selected flights departing from San Francisco.
- Impossible Meatballs: The recipe created by Impossible Food will be served with tomato sauce, risotto, pesto, spinach, and roasted tomatoes on selected flights departing from New York (from John F. Kennedy and La Guardia airports).
- Cauliflower cakes: Made with riced cauliflower, rapini, and parmesan, served with pesto orzo, roasted tomatoes, and hazelnuts. This option will be available on certain flights departing from Seattle.
- Warm seasonal Vegetable Plate: featuring fresh broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, red onions, and cherry tomatoes, served with couscous in 900 miles or greater selected flights.
Besides the plant-based dishes, Delta also started incorporating hot meals again for long-haul flights. Delta One customers can expect chef-curated meals, more beverages —like mimosas—, and more dessert options during international and transoceanic flights starting on March 15.
Delta’s Wellness Mission
During the past few weeks, Delta Airlines has been announcing new flight routes to exciting destinations like Hawaii and European cities. But the carrier’s most recent service optimizations have been towards eco-friendly strategies and wellbeing.
Delta Airlines’ partnership with Instacart will allow customers to do groceries during flights and also earn Skymiles. Users living in the United States can link their Skymiles and Instacart accounts and accumulate 1 mile per every $1 spent. Those with Instacart Express Membership can earn up to 1.5 miles per dollar.
Peloton’s feature, on the other hand, will offer Delta’s customers meditation and stretching classes as part of their inflight entertainment, to watch on seatback screens during flights. The content includes videos of 5 to 20 minutes.
Another partner is Kater’s Real Food bars, and now the carrier will provide organic and nutrient-packed snacks in all cabins.
Delta’s Chief Health Officer, Dr. Henry Ting, explained the company’s decision to include all the new products and features: “We’ve taken a careful approach to ensure each customer feels taken care of during their journey on Delta because connecting the world also means caring for those in it – and helping them feel their best no matter where they are.”
