Skift Travel News Blog

Emirates is set to introduce a selection of new vegan dishes onboard its aircraft and at lounges later this year, due to a 40% increase in customer demand for plant-based meals. 

The carrier saw over 450,000 plant-based meals served onboard in 2023 – an increase from 280,000 in 2022 – with the biggest increase in vegan meal consumption seen in Economy Class.

The new additions to the menu will join more than 300 vegan recipes that are already available in rotation across 140 destinations, and will feature a selection of options from well-known global brands including Beyond Meat, Pantai and Linnolat, amongst others.

Qatar Airways is introducing a range of new onboard menu items that have been sourced from organic farms in Qatar, in celebration of EXPO 2023 taking place in Doha.

Expo 2023 Doha, which is running through March 2024, celebrates the theme of ‘Green Desert, Better Environment,’ and aims to promote sustainable innovations.

As part of the new food and drink offering, passengers flying Business Class will now be greeted with bespoke beverages curated by food expert Ghanim Al Sulaiti – one of the founders of Qatar’s first entirely plant-based café – and will have access to an exclusive à la carte menu, featuring meals made from organic ingredients sourced from Safwa, a Qatari farm.

Continuing the horticultural theme, the inflight entertainment on Qatar Airways flights will also receive an update, providing passengers with the opportunity to watch a range of gardening-related shows, including Martha Knows Best, Homegrown, Vegetable Garden and more.

The new food and beverage offerings are available for passengers traveling from Doha until March 2024.

Conceived by Mark and Jonnie Houston, in collaboration with Mitchell Hochberg of Lightstone, Level 8 is a multi-layered hospitality concept spread across 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space at the Moxy & AC Hotel Downtown LA.

The new concept encompasses eight distinct maze-like destinations that offer a range of dining, drinking and entertainment experiences.

As you can see from the video above, Level 8 is very design-focused, with a number of themed rooms that have taken inspiration from global experiences, that according to a release, are all ‘held together by their link to Downtown LA’.

The Level 8 experience is told through the eyes of its fictional founder, ‘Mr. Wanderlust’, and boasts a range of experiential elements including a 40-foot harp, a speakeasy which is entered through a waterfall, a rotating carousel bar, and a space that has been modeled on a 19th-century cathedral. 

You can see the full list of spaces on offer below:

• Mr. Wanderlust: A lively piano bar and jazz lounge
• Lucky Mizu by Chef Hisae Stuck: An experience inspired by the Japanese art of cooking with water.
• Maison Kasai by Chef Joshua Gil:  A French-Teppanyaki experience.
• Qué Bárbaro by Chef Ray Garcia: A South American live fire grill.
• Golden Hour: A rooftop pool deck.
• The Brown Sheep: A food truck serving Mexican street food. 
• Mother of Pearl: An al fresco oyster and ceviche bar.
• Sinners y Santos: A bar modeled around a 19th-century cathedral.

More information on Level 8 can be found here.

JetBlue is set to become the first major U.S. airline to sell non-alcoholic beer during domestic flights thanks to a new partnership with Athletic Brewing Company. 

From May 2023, JetBlue flyers will be able to purchase Athletic Brewing’s non-alcoholic offering ‘Upside Dawn’ at 35,000 feet, aligning with JetBlue’s continued commitment to provide customers with ‘high-quality, delicious food and beverage offerings for diverse palates’.

The non-alcoholic drinks market is booming, with the IWSR reporting that the no/low alcohol product market surpassed a value of $11billion in 2022. Furthermore, a study from NCSolutions showed that one in three Americans are trying to consume less alcohol in 2023, so JetBlue is right on time with this new offering.

“In our continued effort to provide customers with an onboard experience customized to their needs and preferences, JetBlue is proud to be the first major U.S. airline to serve non-alcoholic beer,” said Mariya Stoyanova, director of product development, JetBlue.

“We’re thrilled to partner with industry leader Athletic Brewing to offer our customers the refreshing, balanced taste of a classic craft Golden without the alcohol.”

At the 2023 Skift IDEA Awards, we are looking to highlight the projects that are defining the future of aviation, airlines, and the traveler experience.

If you have an exciting initiative that deserves to be celebrated, head over to the Skift IDEA Awards and start your application today.