Pinkys Up: Afternoon Tea Now Being Served on Virgin Atlantic

Earlier we posted about the rise of British beauty brands in popularity & now it looks like the latest "Downton Abbey Effect" is on Afternoon Tea:

The “Downton Effect” has led to a resurgence for that most quintessentially English past-time Afternoon Tea.

Overseas visitors influenced by TV period dramas such as Downton Abbey are now asking for the same genteel style as soon as they board a plane to Britain.

So great is demand that airline Virgin Atlantic has now decided to bring back the tradition which for centuries was the hallmark of an English gentleman.

Upper Class passengers will even have finger sandwiches, scones and cakes served in their own purpose-made dainty cake stand – just like a scene from the successful TV series.

Janine Doy adds: “Overseas visitors still associate Britain with Old World charm. Our country still has a fantastic reputation for service and gentility.

“Introducing Afternoon Tea onboard our aircraft is also part of our drive to put style back into flying.

“We want our Upper Class passengers to be able to have the same civilized experience as the Queen recently did at Fortnum and Masons, or indeed to be able to imagine that they are a character in Downton Abbey.”

Downton Abbey...making the whole world a happier place :) Sounds fantastic to me!

You can read a review of Virgin Atlantic's Afternoon Tea at Australian Business Traveler.
Read more about the resurgence or Afternoon Tea at the Yorkshire Post.