Alaska Air has been busy integrating Virgin America’s operations with its own and standardizing its service across its fleet. And part of that change, of course, involves the inflight experience. So expect new menus on your next flight as Alaska Air changes inflight food options to be more West Coast focused.
Up until recently, famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas was responsible for Alaska Air’s inflight menus. And, for the most part, this meant food in bowl form. But I liked the Hawaiian ‘Ono Breakfast bowl of scrambled eggs, miso chicken, and rice bowls served on morning flights out of Honolulu.
They were tasting, decently filling, and at around $7 to $8, priced right. Unfortunately, that old menu is no more. Instead, Alaska Air has introduced a new, more West Coast menu and has seemingly dropped its relationship with Tom Douglas.
New “West Coast” Menu
So what the heck is a “West Coast” menu? Well, I guess it means healthier options and a lot of avocado. Take breakfast, for example. Alaska’s new breakfast lineup includes a new Fresh Start Power Protein Platter and a Croissant Breakfast Sandwich. The Power Protein item is precisely what you’d expect it to be, but that Croissant Sandwich? Aside from the unhealthy croissant and bacon, the sandwich has a hard-boiled egg, greens, and avocado mayo on the side.
For lunch and dinner, you’ll see similar items as well. Again, we have a protein platter, but this one is a Charge Up Protein Platter with slightly different elements. The sandwich is now a Turkey Artichoke Baguette, which includes turkey, cheese, tomatoes, greens, artichoke spread, and, again, the avocado mayo. But, for transcon and Hawaii flights, Alaska is also adding a West Coast Cobb Salad to the menu. That’s right; a salad is their heartiest offering. But at least it sounds good? Mixed greens come filled with rotisserie chicken, grilled asparagus, bacon, avocado, Beecher’s Cheese, grape tomatoes, and a basil lemon vinaigrette.
The only item that isn’t really changing is the Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter. It still comes with Beecher’s Flagship Cheese, Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, Brie, grapes, apples, crackers, and a Seattle Chocolate truffle.
New Prices
Ok, so I lied. The Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter exactly isn’t staying the same. Its contents may have remained the same, but the price of that fruit and cheese platter has jumped $1.00.
Similarly, the main dishes, such as the previously mentioned Hawaiian ‘Ono Breakfast, were $7.00 before.
Now, however, the cheapest item is the Croissant Breakfast Sandwich at $8.50. All other “meal” items come it at $9.50! Ouch! Delta’s for-purchase Main Cabin meals probably offer a better value, in my opinion. Their sandwiches and wraps may cost $10, but they come with a bag of chips and a brownie. However, Alaska’s prices look like a bargain in comparison to JetBlue’s prices. With B6, a Ham & Cheese Croissant will set you back $10, while a Chipotle Turkey Sandwich is an eye-watering $12.
Premium Class
If you bought up to Premium Class, you’re still not going to get a free meal. However, although Alaska did away with the snack box, Premium Class passengers will continue to receive a snack.
During morning flights this will be a KIND Breakfast Protein Bar or Creative Snacks Co. Cranberry Trail Mix. On other flights, it’ll be barkTHINS Dark Chocolate Pretzels with Sea Salt or Back to Nature Crispy Cheddar Crackers. And, of course, alcohol will continue to be free for Premium Class passengers.
First Class
Menus in First Class changed earlier this year and take after Virgin America’s menus more than pre-merger Alaska’s. That means a seasonally driven menu with bolder, edgier flavors and combinations. However, some items like the Protein Platters, are shared between First and Economy passengers.
Picnic Packs
As far as I know, Picnic Packs are, more or less, staying the same. I don’t have photos of the old prices, so I’m not sure if that’s changing, but they’re all priced at $6 now.
“Airbus Fleet”
What’s interesting about the catering change is that on Airbus aircraft, passengers will continue to choose from pre-merger Virgin America menus. Basically, nothing is changing in this regard, which is a little confusing.
You see, originally, when I booked my upcoming HNL to SFO flight, it was going to operate as Alaska 720 using an A320. However, two months ago, the flight changed to AS 710 and a Boeing 737-800. So, Alaska is changing up aircraft and route combos, but food options are dependent on aircraft type and not route? Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
Alaska Air Changes Inflight Food Options, Final Thoughts
I think its unfortunate that Alaska is doing away with the Tom Douglas options in Economy. They may not have been anything special, but I thought the meals were tasty enough and the prices were very reasonable. But, I get it; the pre-merger Virgin fleet isn’t equipped with ovens for Economy. So, as a way of standardizing service more cost-effectively, hot meals in Economy are being eliminated.
And while I’m not happy about the substantial price hikes, I also understand that this kind of food just costs more. Plus, Alaska’s prices are solidly middle of the pack now and aren’t as crazy as JetBlue’s. But would it kill them to offer more variety? Even if it’s just for those that pre-order online; it would be nice to have more than two or three options. Especially when one option is always a Protein Platter.
