Old Jan 22, 2017, 3:51 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: wilp888
Sleep-Enticing Amenities

In addition to the sleep-enticing United Polaris personal suites, several other amenities were designed with our customers' sleep in mind.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, United has worked with leading luxury specialty store Saks Fifth Avenue for custom-designed bedding. All designed to provide the best sleep in the sky, the new bedding collection will feature plush duvets, lightweight day-blankets and a large and small pillow for each United Polaris customer. In addition, mattress cushions will be available upon request.

Slippers will be available on all flights, and customized United Polaris pajamas will be available by request on flights longer than 12 hours*. Flyers will also be able to request a gel-cooled pillow. New amenity kits will feature ergonomically designed eye shades, calming lavender pillow mist and additional products from Soho House & Co.'s Cowshed Spa.

With the introduction of United Polaris, the airline intends to donate tens of thousands of pillows, blankets and other inflight service items to Fisher House Foundation, which United and its employees have long supported.
*Flights with pajama service (for both directions)
SFO - ICN, PEK, PVG, HGH, XIV, TPE, AKL, HKG, CTU, SYD, TLV, SIN
EWR - NRT, PEK, DEL, BOM, HKG, PVG
ORD - NRT, PEK PVG, HKG
LAX - PVG, SYD, MEL, SIN
IAD - NRT, PEK
IAH - NRT, SYD
(from United Twitter feed https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyjFHZLW...jpg&name=large

Trip reports with photos:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...l#post27799060
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Polaris In-flight Experiences

Old Mar 21, 2018, 9:29 am
  #1711  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
Really great Polaris experience FRA - IAH. I asked for the amenities I wanted (gel pillow and slippers) and received them promptly and with excitement. Asked for the wine flight, and it was presented properly - indeed the f/a made a concerted effort to ask me which was my favorite (using the actual names of the wines he'd served) and engage with me. The service was warm and as efficient as possible. The service manager was present all the time making sure things went smoothly. My IAD - AMS flight out was also good - though I got the "I have to find them" answer about the gel pillow. While I know it's a YMMV issue, I've noticed a substantial decrease in Polaris based eye-rolling from the f/as over the last 5 months.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 9:38 am
  #1712  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Originally Posted by Kacee
I couldn't see the cart, I was in an odd numbered L seat on the 77W. All I know I was never offered anything but ice cream.

There was a very sparse selection in the galley later in the flight.

My guess is they're provisioning less of them, so the FAs don't offer because they're afraid they'll run out.
On my flight from PEK last Saturday, the FAs on both sides offered the dessert bites (which included the macarons) and then after the dinner service there were about ten macarons left in the galley so I had one more: a coffee one that was delicious.

Since the menu says "After your entree, enjoy any of the following" and it mentions "sweet treats" and, below that, it says: "Please ask your flight attendant for today's selections" you should have asked. I'm sure the FA would not have denied you a sweet treat or two.

BA is the one airline that I have flown frequently that if I asked for the cheese assortment, they were not giving the dessert. But I could always ask for it later if there were still available at the end of the dessert service.

On that same flight from PEK, it's the first time that we were served two PDBs (and the flight departed on time) and, after the whole cabin was offered the cheese assortment with the Port, the FAs came back with a tray of Port glasses so passengers could have a second one if desired. But the Port is more watery that the one they used to serve on USAirways Envoy Class. That one was really good and served by FAs that did not know that Port is not served in a red wine size glass filled to the brim.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 12:37 pm
  #1713  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
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Posts: 5,257
Originally Posted by Kacee
I couldn't see the cart, I was in an odd numbered L seat on the 77W. All I know I was never offered anything but ice cream.

There was a very sparse selection in the galley later in the flight.

My guess is they're provisioning less of them, so the FAs don't offer because they're afraid they'll run out.
I always pick an odd A/L seat as well. I see it on the cart. Seeing that I've always see it left over later in the flight I always thought they had an excess. But maybe that excess is directly from not offering it.

This just goes with the mattress pad, gel pillow, slippers, pj's. More hidden benefits you have to ask for.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 1:20 pm
  #1714  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Originally Posted by eng3
....

This just goes with the mattress pad, gel pillow, slippers, pj's. More hidden benefits you have to ask for.
Soon, it will become like a speakeasy in Polaris. You'll have to know the password to get to the really good stuff!
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 2:50 pm
  #1715  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Originally Posted by transportprof
Soon, it will become like a speakeasy in Polaris. You'll have to know the password to get to the really good stuff!
What's important is that those of us in the know keep asking, or they'll eliminate them!
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 2:51 pm
  #1716  
TA
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
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Originally Posted by transportprof
Soon, it will become like a speakeasy in Polaris. You'll have to know the password to get to the really good stuff!
That is the problem that I thought UA had learned its lesson about, and why they stopped having upgrades based on domestic certificates, upgrade requests required, etc. Enough high paying fliers were unaware of the contortions you had to do to get the not-clearly-stated benefits that they were registering unhappiness with the fares paid vs. benefits received. While in the meantime, those who happened to be in the know would request and succeed disproportionately.

Seems like they're losing focus again with having to ask for benefits they said would be there.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 2:56 pm
  #1717  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,953
Originally Posted by TA
That is the problem that I thought UA had learned its lesson about, and why they stopped having upgrades based on domestic certificates, upgrade requests required, etc. Enough high paying fliers were unaware of the contortions you had to do to get the not-clearly-stated benefits that they were registering unhappiness with the fares paid vs. benefits received. While in the meantime, those who happened to be in the know would request and succeed disproportionately.

Seems like they're losing focus again with having to ask for benefits they said would be there.
I would say that the goals were/are not the same. In the former, I think that the goal was to reward in proportion to spend. In the latter, I think that the goal is to cut costs.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 3:50 pm
  #1718  
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I have not really flown UA much this year.

I noted from a few recent posts that slippers need to be asked? Is this the current practice? I thought it has always been given.

A few comments from reading some of the recent posts:

1. Please try the fishn chips on Aussie to US flight. It is the hot bite entry, and it has been delicious.

2. When ask if you want ice cream, please dont be shy and also ask for the sweets. Dont wait to be offered. It is not Oliver Twist canteen or Senfield Soup Kitchen. Dont be afraid to ask.

3. Dont take UA FA attitude personally. They treat everyone the same not only just bad to you.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 4:14 pm
  #1719  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
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I had to ask for slippers on flights to NZ and Australia, but not on flights to China. This is just my data points in the past two months.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 4:32 pm
  #1720  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,068
Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
I have not really flown UA much this year.

I noted from a few recent posts that slippers need to be asked? Is this the current practice? I thought it has always been given.

A few comments from reading some of the recent posts:

1. Please try the fishn chips on Aussie to US flight. It is the hot bite entry, and it has been delicious.

2. When ask if you want ice cream, please dont be shy and also ask for the sweets. Dont wait to be offered. It is not Oliver Twist canteen or Senfield Soup Kitchen. Dont be afraid to ask.

3. Dont take UA FA attitude personally. They treat everyone the same not only just bad to you.
Totally agree with 2 and 3. If you want something, ask for it politely. Getting upset because you weren't offered is counterproductive to your own enjoyment of the flight.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 5:17 pm
  #1721  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Posts: 2,498
Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
I have not really flown UA much this year.

I noted from a few recent posts that slippers need to be asked? Is this the current practice? I thought it has always been given.
Based on my experience, slippers are usually in seat for all East Asia flights, including SIN. Everywhere else you have to request, including some of the longer flights to Australia/India.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 5:37 pm
  #1722  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Originally Posted by villox
What's important is that those of us in the know keep asking, or they'll eliminate them!
My wife and I do our part of the work. We ask for everything. We were just surprised that the other passengers in the small Polaris Business cabin on the 772 did not say to the FAs: "I want what they are having".

Originally Posted by Kmxu
I had to ask for slippers on flights to NZ and Australia, but not on flights to China. This is just my data points in the past two months.
I have never flown to Australia and New Zealand but as your experience they are provided at the seat when boarding a flight to or from China. But, then, in every hotel I have stayed in China they have slippers in the room, and I do stay in local hotels (not the big American chains). In Europe, I only get slippers in the hotel when I'm upgraded to the Executive Club in Hiltons.

Originally Posted by physioprof
Totally agree with 2 and 3. If you want something, ask for it politely. Getting upset because you weren't offered is counterproductive to your own enjoyment of the flight.
I would say that I'm surprised that passengers who are are 1K and so obviously fly a lot on United and must have a job with responsibility do not feel right about requesting (politely) what they want.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 7:13 pm
  #1723  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: SYD, CBR, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, VA Platinum
Posts: 1,191
Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
I have not really flown UA much this year.

I noted from a few recent posts that slippers need to be asked? Is this the current practice? I thought it has always been given.

A few comments from reading some of the recent posts:

1. Please try the fishn chips on Aussie to US flight. It is the hot bite entry, and it has been delicious.

2. When ask if you want ice cream, please dont be shy and also ask for the sweets. Dont wait to be offered. It is not Oliver Twist canteen or Senfield Soup Kitchen. Dont be afraid to ask.

3. Dont take UA FA attitude personally. They treat everyone the same not only just bad to you.
When Polaris first launched and the pajama flights were identified, there was a chart for flight attendants regarding amenities. The slippers were to be at every seat for Asia flights (Japan, China, Korea, Singapore), and available on request for all other long haul Polaris flights (stocked at 60%)
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 8:00 pm
  #1724  
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Posts: 56,300
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
Since the menu says "After your entree, enjoy any of the following" and it mentions "sweet treats" and, below that, it says: "Please ask your flight attendant for today's selections" you should have asked. I'm sure the FA would not have denied you a sweet treat or two.
I'm really not down with this whole "beg your FA for the published Polaris benefits" thing.

When they first started with the additional desserts, they were prominently displayed on the cart. I guess UA concluded this was a mistake (just like the wine flights and the drinks cart) because it encouraged passengers to actually partake.

Originally Posted by physioprof
If you want something, ask for it politely. Getting upset because you weren't offered is counterproductive to your own enjoyment of the flight.
"Upset" is an unnecessarily strong word. Disappointed by the retreat on published benefits would be more accurate.

And while I will hunt down an FA for pyjamas and mattress pad, I'm really not into chasing them down the aisle for an extra dessert.
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Old Mar 21, 2018, 9:00 pm
  #1725  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,257
Maybe they are treating it like the GS/1K free BoB item/ Drink. They don't offer it and its not advertised on board. You have have read the website to know abou tit and you just have to know to ask for it.
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