2017 Let's Eat - Polaris First & Polaris Business
Jan 14, 2017, 11:59 pm
#62
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They will poach them lightly in the kitchen on the ground and chill them, and the oven on board will finish the process when reheating the food. Certainly more tricky than most dishes but not super complex to do. It is all about process control really.
Jan 15, 2017, 1:24 am
#63
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
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EWR-BOM was very good foodwise. I haven't flown to India on UA since the HKG-DEL days, so it's possible that the food's always been decent on this route.
I had a lamb kofta, with lentils, okra, raita, and rice that was solid (the lamb could have used a bit more spice, but the rest of it was good); and then for breakfast I went for the Indian option and it was surprisingly good, albeit a load of carbs!
Of course, none of it compares to the food I'm eating in India now - but that's to be expected. I said in the other thread that I was really happy with my first Polaris experience, and I can now add that I was happy with the food too.
I had a lamb kofta, with lentils, okra, raita, and rice that was solid (the lamb could have used a bit more spice, but the rest of it was good); and then for breakfast I went for the Indian option and it was surprisingly good, albeit a load of carbs!
Of course, none of it compares to the food I'm eating in India now - but that's to be expected. I said in the other thread that I was really happy with my first Polaris experience, and I can now add that I was happy with the food too.
Jan 15, 2017, 8:13 pm
#64
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HSV
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Posts: 672
Is the fruit and cheese cart a separate course still or now combined with dessert cart and have one or the other?
Jan 15, 2017, 11:17 pm
#65
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: SYD, CBR, BDL
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It's listed with deserts but is presented separately to everyone. However there is no longer a cart for the cheese, it is a pre-plated course brought to you.
Jan 16, 2017, 10:58 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,032
Had a salad with (cold) chicken breast on UA 78 ICN-NRT. It wasn't bad, actually tasty. As always a great crew (CO Mike).
Jan 17, 2017, 11:05 am
#67
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM-SIN-EWR
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Small pre-plated cheese plate is handed to you after they inquire with you if you would be "joining" and if you would like port/drink.
Jan 17, 2017, 12:18 pm
#68
Join Date: May 2006
Location: STL
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Sounds like UA is listening. Want faster food? No problem: So, pre-plated bread joins wrapped crackers, pre-sliced cheese, pre-plated salad, yadda, yadda, yadda. Imagine the possibilities. Why not just put it all on one plastic tray and be done with it?
Judging from the FT feedback so far, take away the teddy bear and duffle bag of linens, and the net result of Polaris so far seems to be...less.
Judging from the FT feedback so far, take away the teddy bear and duffle bag of linens, and the net result of Polaris so far seems to be...less.
Jan 17, 2017, 3:57 pm
#69
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
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Another solid meal from FRA-ORD. Nice to have different options on the menu, though I imagine we'll be bored of them in a few months.
I'm happy with the improvements, and though I don't love the tray service, it has definitely made the meals faster, which I appreciated on this flight as I was able to get a good six hours of sleep afterwards.
I'm happy with the improvements, and though I don't love the tray service, it has definitely made the meals faster, which I appreciated on this flight as I was able to get a good six hours of sleep afterwards.
Jan 17, 2017, 4:06 pm
#70
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The issue is the downgrade from pre-Polaris. Must it always be, "We will give you this, but take away that"?
Jan 17, 2017, 4:27 pm
#71
Join Date: Jul 2013
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I agree. Do they think the ones that are doled out from the cart were sitting in gold lined boxes encrusted with jewels? You want to eat them? Open the package. You want more? Ask for 2 packs. You want something for your next short 45 min hop? Take it with you.
Jan 17, 2017, 4:31 pm
#72
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Also, only one type of cracker now instead of 5 or 6 under the old service.
Overall, I think Polaris is a minor step up, but I do miss some aspects that they downgraded...especially the lack of choice with salad dressing and the bread basket.
It is possible to point out some degradation without overall maligning the new service.
Jan 17, 2017, 4:35 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
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Indeed, and agree that it's a bunch of trade-offs still smacking of some penny-pinching. My TPAC flight yesterday was cancelled due to mx, I got rebooked on BR, and it's a slaughter--so much better in every way than Polaris or pre-Polaris.
Jan 17, 2017, 4:49 pm
#74
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
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would seem logical that there were labor meetings where implementation was discussed that included how long each new "service" would take the FA's to perform.
I'm not going to comment further whether the FA's are at their maximum capacity, workload wise, but it stands to reason that they -through their union- insisted that certain
streamlining had to take place so as not to increase their workload.
This would coincide with the comments in this and the other Polaris threads that some don't see much of an overall difference: where food and amenities are better & but service
not quite as good as exCO used to be, for instance.
If you offer more but with the exact same amount of personnel something has to give. So they streamlined it (food all on the tray, crackers & cheese, etc.). It's this compromise
that leaves the "Polaris-isn't-really-THAT-much-better-than-before" taste in one's mouth.
My „0.02
Added: it could also be possible that there is an introductory phase that we're in right now. I.e. once Polaris is rolled out for a certain period of time (maybe 6 months?)
and the FA's are used to the new product and all its quirks are sorted out, that some of the "old" features will re-emerge. At least that is how I would have gone about it.
Last edited by narvik; Jan 17, 2017 at 4:57 pm Reason: added
Jan 17, 2017, 5:00 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
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Exactly. Although I could also imagine it has to do with time-spent-on-each-passenger. Let me explain: with all the added "features" of Polaris but no additional FAs per flight it
would seem logical that there were labor meetings where implementation was discussed that included how long each new "service" would take the FA's to perform.
I'm not going to comment further whether the FA's are at their maximum capacity, workload wise, but it stands to reason that they -through their union- insisted that certain
streamlining had to take place so as not to increase their workload.
This would coincide with the comments in this and the other Polaris threads that some don't see much of an overall difference: where food and amenities are better & but service
not quite as good as exCO used to be, for instance.
If you offer more but with the exact same amount of personnel something has to give. So they streamlined it (food all on the tray, crackers & cheese, etc.). It's this compromise
that leaves the "Polaris-isn't-really-THAT-much-better-than-before" taste in one's mouth.
My „0.02
Added: it could also be possible that there is an introductory phase that we're in right now. I.e. once Polaris is rolled out for a certain period of time (maybe 6 months?)
and the FA's are used to the new product and all its quirks are sorted out, that some of the "old" features will re-emerge. At least that is how I would have gone about it.
would seem logical that there were labor meetings where implementation was discussed that included how long each new "service" would take the FA's to perform.
I'm not going to comment further whether the FA's are at their maximum capacity, workload wise, but it stands to reason that they -through their union- insisted that certain
streamlining had to take place so as not to increase their workload.
This would coincide with the comments in this and the other Polaris threads that some don't see much of an overall difference: where food and amenities are better & but service
not quite as good as exCO used to be, for instance.
If you offer more but with the exact same amount of personnel something has to give. So they streamlined it (food all on the tray, crackers & cheese, etc.). It's this compromise
that leaves the "Polaris-isn't-really-THAT-much-better-than-before" taste in one's mouth.
My „0.02
Added: it could also be possible that there is an introductory phase that we're in right now. I.e. once Polaris is rolled out for a certain period of time (maybe 6 months?)
and the FA's are used to the new product and all its quirks are sorted out, that some of the "old" features will re-emerge. At least that is how I would have gone about it.
The other constraint is galley space.
The 'add' of the bloody mary cart and dessert tower for example takes away from space for dishes / other service items. Also was told at an event they boarded more wine overall.
The reason the 3 cabin sUA biz class flights had the shorter service vs the sCO birds was galley space in biz. And some of that may have come into play with Polaris broadly.