Aer Lingus brings gourmet food to the sky with the launch of BIA
(PRWEB UK) 17 November 2013 -- Aer Lingus today launched a new onboard menu on short-haul flights which includes a range collaborated with chef and restaurateur Clodagh McKenna. Available from today, Aer Lingus brings gourmet food to the sky with its new menu known as Bia.
The menu, 'Clodagh's Kitchen' for Bia, has a range of fresh lunch and snack options including two delicious treats; a carrot cake muffin and a butter fruit scone, baked fresh daily. The new high quality range offers exceptional value for money and includes the Irish Croque Monsieur known as a 'Cheesy Mister', a Caprese Panini and Chicken Caesar Wrap, all priced at €5.00. For the discerning traveller there is an afternoon tea option, with a finger sandwich selection, consisting of smoked salmon & cream cheese, egg & cress and a ploughman's. Clodagh has developed two signature dishes for the Aer Lingus Bia menu, a pastrami and pickle sandwich and a cheese board featuring Gubbeen Irish farmhouse cheese and Ditty's artisan oat cakes priced at €4.50.
In addition to Clodagh's Kitchen for Bia range, the famous Aer Lingus Irish Breakfast – a customer favourite, remains a firm staple. Specially sourced ingredients from around Ireland include bacon from Co. Tipperary, sausages from Co. Wexford and pudding by Horgans of Co. Cork. This coupled with Dublin bakers McCambridge's, brown bread, makes for a real Irish Breakfast.
Produce for the new menu has been sourced from all over Ireland, with suppliers including Carroll's ham from Co. Offaly, Gubbeen cheese from Co. Cork and Wrights salmon farmed off Clare Island in Co. Mayo, as well as a butter scone made using Kerrygold butter. A new feature of the menu is a "foodie map" which highlights to customers exactly where produce has been sourced.
Aer Lingus sought out the best of Irish for the Bia treats and drinks range and has included the nation's favourite Tayto crisps and Ireland's favourite chocolate bar, Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Broderick's delicious homemade bars and cakes including rocky road and chocolate brick are also being sold. New additions to the drinks menu include a craft beer by Creans Irish Lager, brewed in Dingle, Co. Kerry
A children's snack pack is available. Priced at €4.50, it doubles as a fun colouring book to keep little ones entertained.
Speaking at the launch, Caroline Hanly, Director of Retail at Aer Lingus said: "We're always looking at ways to delight our customers. We designed Bia to offer greater choice and value to our customers with reasonably priced tasty lunch and healthy snack options. Our focus from the outset was on sourcing fresh Irish-grown produce to ensure a quality offering for our customers and in turn supporting Irish businesses. We're really excited to be working with one of Ireland's best loved chefs. We look forward to receiving feedback from our customers".
Commenting at the launch, Clodagh McKenna said, "Having been a frequent flyer from an early age, I have always dreamt of collaborating with Aer Lingus on its menu. Aer Lingus is my favourite airline and I love food so it was such a perfect fit in my mind. Everything we have put on the menu is fresh and tastes delicious. The sourcing of Irish produce was very important for both of us, so that was exciting to develop. Whether the traveller is catching the red eye, going on holidays or returning after a long day's work, we've something for you and I hope the first bite will make you sit back and relax... Up, up and gourmet".
In addition Clodagh is also developing a selection of pre-order meals which will launch for sale on aerlingus.com in the coming weeks.
The menu will change twice yearly, with the second menu due to be introduced in June 2014. This new menu will include some small changes to reflect the seasonal change.
About Aer Lingus:
Aer Lingus was founded by the Irish Government in April 1936 to provide air services to/from Ireland. The first flight, from Dublin to Bristol, took place on May 27th 1936.
Aer Lingus' low-cost, low fares model is centered on maintaining low unit cost, offering one way fares, maintaining effective fleet utilisation and developing the Aer Lingus brand. Consistent with this low-cost model, Aer Lingus' primary distribution channel is its website aerlingus.com where customers can find a number of cheap flight deals, as well as take advantage of the Aer Lingus check in app, purchase travel vouchers and find other cheap flight tickets.
Aer Lingus is well known for providing cheap flights from Britain including routes such as Manchester to Dublin and cheap flights from Birmingham to Dublin.
Aer Lingus provides a cargo transportation service on some of its scheduled passenger routes, including cheap flights to the USA and Europe. Aer Lingus provides mail transportation services between Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Declan Kearney, Aer Lingus, http://www.aerlingus.com, 00 353 86 6172702, [email protected]
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