United Polaris Cabin to Feature Sleeping Cubicles
Joe Cortez February 27, 2017
New first and business class products to feature private cubes for passengers
Borrowing a page from other international carriers, United Airlines is adding a little extra privacy for future flyers in the Polaris class. Fox News received a preview of the new seats, currently flying aboard the Chicago-based carrier’s first Boeing 777-300ER, named “The New Spirit of United.”
After a gala debut in December 2016, United began planning for the launch of the Polaris experience across their fleet. The 777, first delivered to the airline at the beginning of 2017, is the first to feature the reconfigured cabin, complete with lay-flat seating.
In both first-class and business-class, United Polaris will feature lay-flat seating for passenger comfort. In addition, the premium cabin seats will offer aisle access from every seat, with some offering cubicles for extra privacy during flight. As previously reported, all of the seats will feature amenities from Saks Fifth Avenue to help travelers feel more at home during the flight.
Although the current Polaris equipped 777-300ER is flying across the United States, the first of 14 future aircraft will soon focus on flying international routes currently being served by the retiring Boeing 747 fleet. The “New Spirit of United” will be introduced to international service on March 25, 2017, when it will begin flying between the west coast and Hong Kong.
The move is one of many the airline has undertaken in order to improve the customer experience aboard their aircraft. Earlier in February, United announced a massive project with IBM and Apple to give flight attendants more information for passengers about connections and services while in flight.
[Photo: United Airlines]
@zyxlsy - There is no first class on the new Polaris planes. UA has announced they are phasing out all international first class. @dkracing - Not sure about being managed by consultants, but agree 100% with your sentiment - UA is far behind and going farther behind. UA will be rolling out a quasi 2-4-2 (granted with all isle access) at the same time DL will be rolling out 1-2-1 enclosed suites. (QR will be doing the same.) Meanwhile, AA has a very good 1-2-1 hard product on the 777-300ER and the 787-900. (Hopefully retrofitting the crappy new 777-200/787-800 seats.) The Polaris lounge seems nice, but AA will beat them by opening up the FL/FCL to all business class passengers. UA seems to be always trying to catch up, but always 4-5 years behind.
It would seem UA is still being managed by consultants and their finance teams. Polaris seems to be maximizing aircraft space yet offers minimal comfort upgrades. Compared to other carriers UA is still woefully behind. How does catching up to what other carriers implemented years ago qualify to their senior management as "good"? Have they flown any other major international carrier in the last decade at which point they would have seen their new configuration a long time ago? Another reason this former long time 1K flyer will never go back.
No, there has been first class on pmUA 777s. Don't know whether they'll continue that on 777s for Polaris.
Ummm... there's no first class on UA 777-300ER. Only business class.