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Alaska Airlines
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- AS/ASA
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Anchorage International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Portland International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Year Founded:
- 1932
- Alliance:
- oneworld
- CEO:
- Ben Minicucci
- Country:
- United States
- Region:
- North America
Following an uptick in demand for meat alternatives, Alaska Airlines is expanding its current inflight catering options this summer by offering a brand-new vegan offering across all cabins and adding additional items in its gluten-free and plant-based range.
What’s the deal with airplane food?
The latest addition is a vegan salad developed in partnership with west-coast gourmet salad experts Evergreens. “Soy Meets World” contains a mix of Roasted broccoli, fresh cucumber slices, scallions, pickled carrots, fried tofu, and brown rice, served over a bed of romaine and baby lettuce, topped with roasted cashews, fried onions, and a Tamari Chili-Lime dressing.
“We’re thrilled to offer our guests more healthy and nutritious choices when they fly with us,” noted Traynor-Corey, managing director of guest products.
“We built our menu thoughtfully to offer more plant-based, vegan and gluten-free options, which include a range of fresh, bright flavors inspired by the West Coast and ingredients that are authentically healthy by nature such as roasted broccoli, crisp romaine and baby lettuce greens, quinoa, fresh fruit and more.”
Running through until October, other items on the airline’s seasonal menu includes a “Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich,” with Black Forest ham, sliced cage-free hard-boiled eggs, and baby arugula on a butter croissant with a herb-garlic cheese spread; the “Fresh Start Protein Platter,” a protein-rich breakfast of Black Forest ham, cage-free hard-boiled egg, Beecher’s Flagship cheddar cheese, Beecher’s Marco Polo cheese, fresh grapes and pineapple; and a Chicken & Mango Salsa Wrap with Jamaican jerk-spiced roasted chicken breast, Pepper Jack cheese, mango salsa, baby arugula, and scallion cream cheese.
Two platters have also found their way onto the airline’s menu. The “Signature Fruit & Cheese Platter” offers a mix of regional cheeses and crackers, and the Charcuterie Platter comes alongside a serving of olives, roasted pepper dip, and focaccia.
The four new menu items will be available for premium and economy class passengers on flights over 1,100 miles, while passengers in first class are offered three meal options on flights as short as 550 miles.
Five new snack items have been added to shorter haul flights over 223 miles, including the vegan and gluten-free Mediterranean Tapas Pack, consisting of hummus, roasted corn crackers, olives, almonds, and a bar of dark chocolate.
Meals can be pre-ordered ahead of flying on Alaska Airlines’ website using reservation details, while snack and picnic packs are available for purchase directly on most flights over two hours.
Vegan inflight eats
With more and more people converting to plant-based diets each year, airlines have moved to beef-alternative-up their veggie options and meat alternatives. One carrier seeing frequent praise is Emirates, rated as the top airline for vegan options by plant-based media outlet VegNews. The Emirati flag carrier has noted a sharp rise in demand for plant-based options through 2022, which has since become one of its most requested special food items onboard its flights.
Within the United States, United Airlines recently began a collaboration with Impossible Foods to add new vegan options for inflight and at select Polaris lounges across the continent. Unfortunately for vegan foodies, the “Impossible Meatball Bowl” is currently only available for first-class passengers on domestic flights over 800 miles.
Have you had a chance to try Alaska Airlines’ summer menu items? What other menu options would you like to see onboard your flights? Let us know in the comments.