Originally Posted by
UAL250
I've about had it with this airline. I've been a strong supporter of United, and think most of the people that work there are good people who want to create a pleasant experience, but this is getting ridiculous. The Polaris experience, when first rolled out, looked promising. A year in and we've seen it is not promising at all. The lounge situation is a disaster, the cutbacks in the air are already there, and the planes won't have the new seats fully for a long time.
Just recently reached 1MM. Might be time for me to switch over to AA with a status match. Tried defending this airline a long time, but the Dao disaster, the cutbacks, the failures of rolling out Polaris are becoming too much. Live in DC area so UA always gave me the best options, also think *A is the best alliance out there. But AA is looking like a real possibility for me soon.
End rant.
It's no rant, these are all very valid points - what it comes down to is Polaris has been a horrible disaster - terrible rollout, no product consistency, almost immediate cutbacks that continue through today, domestic F catering has now been cratered, and the bottom line appears they just don't feel any need or desire to compete - this entire airline's culture today, managed from the top down, appears to scream "why bother?"
Yes, the Polaris seat is a vast improvement, but look what it replaced! Now it's just barely on-par with seats from other airlines - Air Canada's 787 is similar, BR's now long-in-the-tooth RL seat is similar, the new Delta seat is potentially even better - there is just nothing to differentiate Polaris from any other airline's 2018 business product, and with the cutbacks, it falls behind products that have been out for years. On ANA, I can ask for an endless number of hot and cold snacks mid-flight - it's been that way for years - and I will get them served with a bow and a smile. What do I get on Polaris? Fighting for a pillow and mattress pad that is already waiting for me at my ANA or BR seat? Fishing through the same pile of un-eaten desserts, cheese plates, potato chips and raisins that most other airlines wouldn't dare set out in their galleys mid-flight?
Like you, I want United to succeed - but it appears as if every time there is a moment of hope, a spark of progress, they hire some moron (ie, Kirby this time around) who throws a bucket of water on the plan, turns the place into a miserable train-wreck, ruins the product for everyone, then finally bails with a multi-million dollar parachute.