Delta is resuming 3-course meals, with ice cream sundaes, in business class
The days of being served a one-course meal in international business class are coming to an end.
Delta Air Lines is restoring its "normal," pre-pandemic catering offering to its signature long-haul Delta One experience beginning on Tuesday, March 15, a carrier spokesperson confirmed to TPG.
Once the revamped service concept is rolled out, those seated in the pointy end of the plane will enjoy an expanded selection of pre-departure beverages, including sparkling wine, orange juice and beer. In fact, the airline touts that customers can create a mimosa by combining the OJ and sparkling wine.
After takeoff, the meal service will consist of three courses. A round of drinks will be served alongside "cocktail bites," which will be delivered just before your appetizer. Then, you'll get a pick of entrees, followed by dessert.
As part of the move, Delta is bringing back its signature dessert service, which includes a choice of plated options, like a cake or brownie, or a create-your-own ice cream sundae bar.
Delta will present the meal options on a digital menu that's accessible via a QR code.
At the outset, the Atlanta-based carrier is rolling out the revamped service to the Delta One cabin on long-haul flights. Hopefully, it'll soon expand the offerings to its premium transcontinental routes between New York and Boston and both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The news of Delta restoring pre-pandemic service levels in long-haul business class comes as the airline is once again offering plated, hot meals in domestic first-class cabins on select flights.
Related: Behind the scenes of how Delta's inflight meals are prepared
While the hot food rollout began on March 1 with domestic flights longer than 1,500 miles, the airline isn't committing to a firm timeline of when it'll be completed. The latest plan calls for first-class passengers on routes 900 miles and longer to enjoy hot food options onboard by the end of April 2022.
As for long-haul service, Delta is playing catch-up with one of its biggest competitors. American Airlines has been serving multi-course meals since last year in its international business-class cabin. This includes separate courses for the appetizer, entree and dessert.
Meanwhile, United Airlines is still serving the entire Polaris meal service on one tray. This includes an entree, salad, bread and mixed nuts, along with a sealed, single-serve ice cream cup for dessert.
Recent reports have suggested that United is piloting a revamped business-class service flow, but no details have been announced publicly.
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