Jan 22, 2017, 3:51 pm
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.
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.
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
Polaris In-flight Experiences
Mar 23, 2018, 9:29 am
#1741
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta DM CO PE OZ GE AMTRAK
Posts: 524
I totally agree with FA using overhead bins in the premium cabin as an issue.
I travel mostly for work, and typically have a 22" roller and a backpack to store overhead, and have experienced bin shortage in the premium cabins.
There was one flight last year from PEK to IAD, I was sitting in F, but all F bins were full with FA's shopping bags. I had to store my stuff in row 6 above the crew rest seat 6A (777-200)
Another time on the 777-200, the front cabin of the business section's overhead bins were mostly taken by FA. I was asked to store my bags above row 2 in F. During the flight, FA in F cabin told me to stay in my own cabin and scolded me that I shouldn't store my bags in F class overhead bins. It really p**ed me off. I went to the FA who told me to store my bags in the F cabin an ask her to speak to the F cabin FA. In the end, they removed the FA belongs in C to F and moved my bags to C.
I travel mostly for work, and typically have a 22" roller and a backpack to store overhead, and have experienced bin shortage in the premium cabins.
There was one flight last year from PEK to IAD, I was sitting in F, but all F bins were full with FA's shopping bags. I had to store my stuff in row 6 above the crew rest seat 6A (777-200)
Another time on the 777-200, the front cabin of the business section's overhead bins were mostly taken by FA. I was asked to store my bags above row 2 in F. During the flight, FA in F cabin told me to stay in my own cabin and scolded me that I shouldn't store my bags in F class overhead bins. It really p**ed me off. I went to the FA who told me to store my bags in the F cabin an ask her to speak to the F cabin FA. In the end, they removed the FA belongs in C to F and moved my bags to C.
Mar 23, 2018, 10:03 am
#1742
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
From my observation, premium cabin is the most likely place with bins that are empty at the end of the boarding process. (i.e. premium cabin overhead bin ratio to passenger is so favorable, it has a lot more space for the passenger allocated). Using this logic, it makes sense to have FA put their luggage there. There is a lot more competition for bin space in the back of the cabin.
cabin too, so I guess FA should get the meal choice first.
I guess I should feel honored for getting yelled by UA FA for following another FA’s direction.
An interesting perspective! Thank you!
Last edited by UA_Flyer; Mar 23, 2018 at 10:12 am
Mar 23, 2018, 10:06 am
#1743
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Mar 23, 2018, 10:56 am
#1744
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Beijing, China
Programs: UA Global Services, Marriott Gold
Posts: 101
From my observation, premium cabin is the most likely place with bins that are empty at the end of the boarding process. (i.e. premium cabin overhead bin ratio to passenger is so favorable, it has a lot more space for the passenger allocated). Using this logic, it makes sense to have FA put their luggage there. There is a lot more competition for bin space in the back of the cabin.
Last edited by SAUCflyer; Mar 23, 2018 at 11:04 am
Mar 24, 2018, 5:15 am
#1745
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Just had a wonderful Polaris flight, UA901. Wonderful due to the upbeat attitude of the FAs.
Asked for the gel pillow which I received but no slippers available. No hot bites during the flight just cold snacks. The red wine choices were unfortunate as I like full body red wines and there were no cabernet or shiraz selections available so did not drink any alcohol was a blessing as less ability to dehydrate. The blanket felt flimsy and I got cold but it may be because it was an older blanket (?). Do like the express service and availed myself of it for the flight.
This experience is all soft Polaris product and have not yet been on a Polaris flight with the new hard product, but the cost cutting in the soft product is unfortunate. If I wanted a LCC experience then I will take the Norwegian shuttle.
The people were great for the flight, from the phone agent who helped with the SDC so I would not miss the connection (original connecting flight would have been fine the day before it was late), to wonderful check-in at SAN (as always) to great folks on the desk at the international lounge in SFO and as mentioned at the top of the post wonderful service by the FAs.
However, Polaris is already deterioted before they have even finished the hard product rollout.
Asked for the gel pillow which I received but no slippers available. No hot bites during the flight just cold snacks. The red wine choices were unfortunate as I like full body red wines and there were no cabernet or shiraz selections available so did not drink any alcohol was a blessing as less ability to dehydrate. The blanket felt flimsy and I got cold but it may be because it was an older blanket (?). Do like the express service and availed myself of it for the flight.
This experience is all soft Polaris product and have not yet been on a Polaris flight with the new hard product, but the cost cutting in the soft product is unfortunate. If I wanted a LCC experience then I will take the Norwegian shuttle.
The people were great for the flight, from the phone agent who helped with the SDC so I would not miss the connection (original connecting flight would have been fine the day before it was late), to wonderful check-in at SAN (as always) to great folks on the desk at the international lounge in SFO and as mentioned at the top of the post wonderful service by the FAs.
However, Polaris is already deterioted before they have even finished the hard product rollout.
Mar 25, 2018, 11:01 am
#1746
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,456
It's not that it is deteriorated it's that UA is cutting back on it, The Wine Flight is gone, and I'm sure the Gel Pillows are next many people have stated that Polaris is going back to the old CO Business First service. The roll out of the hard product is taking longer and no new lounges have opened.
Mar 25, 2018, 8:21 pm
#1747
Moderator: United Airlines
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
As more is being learned about May 1, 2018 soft product change, let's focus the discussion on those changes in the existing thread.[Rumor] More Polaris "Enhancements" coming May 1, 2018? ...
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 25, 2018 at 9:25 pm
Mar 28, 2018, 12:34 pm
#1748
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 28
I had a terrible experience recently AKL-SFO. The plane was brand new with the new polaris seats, but service was awful. The FA on my side kept forgetting me. I couldn't help but take it personally.
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her. Maybe she didn't like my asking for gel pillows or fixing the vent? Actually the PDB forgetfulness was before those 2 requests, so that wasn't it.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
(Oh and the sundae was awful too. The butterscotch sauce had huge clumps of gelatinous goo and the ice cream had ice crystals.)
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her. Maybe she didn't like my asking for gel pillows or fixing the vent? Actually the PDB forgetfulness was before those 2 requests, so that wasn't it.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
(Oh and the sundae was awful too. The butterscotch sauce had huge clumps of gelatinous goo and the ice cream had ice crystals.)
Mar 28, 2018, 1:47 pm
#1749
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,464
Gel pillows proactively offered after meal on HND - SFO. I actually had forgotten to ask for one until that point!
Mar 28, 2018, 1:57 pm
#1750
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
I had a terrible experience recently AKL-SFO. The plane was brand new with the new polaris seats, but service was awful. The FA on my side kept forgetting me. I couldn't help but take it personally.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
They are not supposed to be the best. To work long hauls, it goes by how many years they have worked for the airline. So, some are extremely good and some are a disaster. You would think that to be able to work the Polaris section they would get a special training.
Mar 29, 2018, 12:40 am
#1751
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
I had a terrible experience recently AKL-SFO. The plane was brand new with the new polaris seats, but service was awful. The FA on my side kept forgetting me. I couldn't help but take it personally.
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her....
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her....
I am not certain that one complaint will result in any consequence for the FA but if there are enough people who report an issue then hopefully UA can then act or at least reprimand the FA. If you do not report the incident then the FA can continue to act with impunity towards customers the FA takes a dislike to on a flight.
Similarly to you I was not rude to the FA and did not understand her issue with me.
UA did respond to my email telling me they would contact the supervisor of the FA for "retraining ".
Mar 29, 2018, 6:30 am
#1752
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
I had a terrible experience recently AKL-SFO. The plane was brand new with the new polaris seats, but service was awful. The FA on my side kept forgetting me. I couldn't help but take it personally.
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her. Maybe she didn't like my asking for gel pillows or fixing the vent? Actually the PDB forgetfulness was before those 2 requests, so that wasn't it.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
(Oh and the sundae was awful too. The butterscotch sauce had huge clumps of gelatinous goo and the ice cream had ice crystals.)
When I boarded, I asked her for the gel pillow. She brought it right away to my wife and me, but everything after that she treated me like I didn't exist.
Some lowlights:
- The air vent in front of us was pointing at us full blast. Asked FA to fix it. Nothing happened.
- She asked for my PDB and I ordered a coke. I noticed I hadn't received my drink when others were already getting seconds. She had forgotten what I orderes so I had to remind her what my drink was and I eventually got it.
- After takeoff she took drink orders again. I again just ordered a soft drink. Again she forgot me and was serving seconds to others. I waved her down and reminded her about my drink. She went back to the galley (I was third row from the galley) and disappeared for a while. When she emerged again she was giving wine refills to the people in front me. Ignored again even after I reminded her a few minutes earlier. I couldn't get her attention before meal service began so I decided to wait for that since I didn't really need a drink at that moment.
- Meal service, she serves the 4 people in my row in front of me. She serves the person in my row to my left then skips me and serves people behind me. I had to flag her down again.
My wife had no problems with the FA on her side. He was pleasant and also fixed the vent.
Every interaction I had with my FA, I was ignored or forgotten. I don't know if it was bad service or this woman had something against me. I honestly believed that her spitting in my food was a possibility. Just to be clear, these were the only interactions I had with her. Maybe she didn't like my asking for gel pillows or fixing the vent? Actually the PDB forgetfulness was before those 2 requests, so that wasn't it.
If this is supposed to be UA's best, I'd hate to see their worst.
(Oh and the sundae was awful too. The butterscotch sauce had huge clumps of gelatinous goo and the ice cream had ice crystals.)
Mar 29, 2018, 7:34 am
#1753
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: No. California
Programs: UA MP HH LTD
Posts: 2,040
Mar 29, 2018, 8:12 am
#1754
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Mar 29, 2018, 9:59 pm
#1755
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 578
It's disappointing that UA seems to be slowly cutting as much as it can from Polaris. It's bad enough that folks are not guaranteed amenities such as PJs and mattress pads. However, I did observe troubling behavior during a SFO-TPE flight last December. While sitting in e+ during boarding, I noticed at least 2 FAs carrying 2-3 gel pillows each and going to the back (crew rest I presume?), only to return 5 minutes later. There must have been a nice sized pillow fort in the bunks 
I'd be disappointed if I was a paying J customer and was not able to get one.
Has anyone observed anything similar?
I'd be disappointed if I was a paying J customer and was not able to get one. Has anyone observed anything similar?