The Polaris Cutbacks Begin .... one less pillow
 

H/t Brian Sumers:


Is -anyone- surprised by this? Frankly, I am shocked it took this long for United to start chipping away at the product! BOHICA...

Why do you assume this is a cost-cutting exercise? It's been mentioned over and over again that there may simply be too many items (pillows specifically provisioned).

Cost cutting is, and always has been, irresistible to airline management, especially when the business cycle starts heading the wrong way.

The mattress pad issue seems to be a self-fulfilling prophesy: if nobody knows they are available, nobody will ask for them, if nobody asks for them, we don't need to stock them...

Today's proof that UA (and other carriers) are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

Well we are getting 2 pillows, not 3 now. But, sure write 2 to 1.

FWIW I haven't asked for the mattress pad on any flights. The seats are soft enough as it is, I was fine in the 77W which is a bit firmer. In fact I just double up the duvet and sleep on that as the normal blanket is fine for me to cover up with.

Ah, a strike to the Polaris Pillow Fort. :)

The mattress pads don't see a lot of use, in my experience. I agree that publicizing their availability would change this a bit, but as long as enough remain to satisfy those who request them, I'm OK with this.

The decadence of having two pillows was fun, but in reality, one is probably sufficient. This is especially true if you request the gel pillow. Currently, you end up with three pillows, and it is a bit of an exercise to find a place for all of them.

Hopefully, this isn't a sign of additional cutbacks to come.

I did comment on my first Polaris soft product flight (787 6D) that there was a lot of crap with no where to put it. The new 77W seat seemed a bit better with the footwell, side ledge on the window, table top, etc.

I don't know about you, but when I flew Polaris in January of this year I felt overwhelmed at the amount of pillows, blankets etc. on my seat. In order to sit comfortably, you're forced to place all these items on top and below the footrest, which negates the point of getting Polaris class in the first place as you cannot stretch your legs. When I slept I only used the larger pillow and one blanket. Here are some photos I took from this trip.

I personally don't mind doing away with one or two items and if someone feels a need for a second smaller pillow, just have them request it.

Considering the bedding was designed for the new seats that are on few flights, not surprising. Wonder if the photos in the ads will change.

I recently flew FRA-SFO in C. (Amazingly GPU cleared).

There is way too much bedding provided. The small pillow is useless. The smaller blanket is useless (and its very scratchy).

The new duvet is sublime however.

I applaud this move. There's literally no where to put all of the bedding they you are provided. Nobody around me asked for the memory foam pillow or the mattress pad.

Seems it would be easy to let customers know what extra amenities are available using part of the space on the food menu.

Makes more sense to have people ask for extras if they want it rather than piling it all onto the seat and assuming every pax wants that much bedding. Most pax won't need any of these items until after meal service anyway.

The pillows contributed to much better sleep for me. I can see how one can be overwhelmed with the pillows and blankets in the sUA J seat, but it's workable in the sCO J seat. As I've said before I place the big blanket upright in the tower, the smaller blanket in the cubbie right below the television, the smaller pillow as a headrest/lumbar support, and the big pillow to the side. Really don't think it's fair for UA to begin cutting a new product that is not even one year old yet. This is disappointing to me. You're doing this all wrong, UA!

After the Polaris lounges get rolled out in EWR and IAD wonder if we'll get feedback that says Pax want a shorter meal service onboard, and cut it to a one tray affair on the overnights to Europe.

Personally would be disappointed - I prefer the choice - but can see how a good number of people would be pleased by it based on comments here and they would spin it as a focus of the product on 'sleep'.

>Late Departures
>Short Overnight Sectors
>Excessive Waste

Decisions which are sometimes guided by common sense and Customer preference.