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Virgin Atlantic took to the skies for the first time on June 22, 1984 with its inaugural flight between London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The airline is celebrating its 40th birthday throughout the month of June with treats and surprises for passengers.
Ruby is the color associated with 40th anniversaries (Virgin is calling its 40 years in business a birthday) and it also happens to be the color most associated with Virgin Atlantic. To celebrate on the ground, the airline will serve a signature red velvet sponge cake with berries and cream across its Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses. To wash it down, Virgin will offer a special 40th birthday beer exclusively in the London Heathrow Clubhouse and a fruity cocktail named the Maiden Voyager. It’s a modern take on the iconic 1980s Woo Woo cocktail and made with vodka, peach puree, fresh lime, grenadine, egg white, and peach bitters.
The London Heathrow Clubhouse will have a display of Virgin Atlantic’s uniforms from the last four decades. It includes designs from Arabella Pollen, Elizabeth and David Emmanuel, and John Rocha, as well as the current iconic design from Vivienne Westwood (which debuted in 2014).
In the air, the Virgin Redhead will be available in all cabins. It’s complimentary in Upper Class and for purchase in Premium and Economy. The drink features gin, mixed berries, a twist of lemon, and prosecco. This is not just for June, but being added to the inflight menu permanently.
Virgin Atlantic’s Mile High Afternoon Tea is getting a makeover on select flights. In Upper Class, passengers will receive a selection of finger sandwiches, an elderflower & blueberry scone, a lemon and black currant slice of birthday cake, and a raspberry macaron with the airline’s 40th birthday logo. Both Upper Class and Premium Mile High Teas will be served alongside a Virgin Redhead. The raspberry macaroon will also be served in Premium, with a lemon and bergamot polenta mini cake. Economy customers can enjoy a glass of English sparkling wine by The Uncommon with a beetroot swirl mini bagel, warm scone, and lemon drizzle birthday cake topped with Funfetti.
Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Experience Officer at Virgin Atlantic, said:
As we gear up to our Ruby anniversary, we are delighted to celebrate this milestone with our loyal customers, in our Clubhouses and onboard. For four decades, we’ve been there for the moments that matter and are committed to giving our customers the very best experience in the skies. In our 40th year, our spirit is stronger than ever and the things that set us apart will keep us ahead. We look forward to the next 40 years as we continue flying to some of the greatest cities on earth, finding new ways to delight our customers with brilliantly different experiences, delivered by our amazing people.”
Anthony’s Take: Happy Birthday, Virgin Atlantic. This looks like a fun and tasty way to celebrate.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
