Don't ever, ever disparage a stinky blue.

Has anyone flown UA 895 from ORD to HKG in Polaris? Looking to get thoughts on that flight. TIA!

My wife and mother-in-law just did that flight back in early Dec. Their impressions largely matched what you're seeing up-thread here. Notably:

* FAs were still figuring out the details, including wine flights, thus service was slower and squirrely. (This may be improving?)

* However the new meal services are being loaded, it's harder for the FAs to present them properly. Food was initially cold, needed to be sent-back -- or, in the case of the mid-flight snack, over-cooked and crunchy.

* The hard product on the pmUA 2-4-2 birds is still degrading, and Polaris didn't do a whole lot to improve the intrinsic issues of uncomfortable and broken seats, lavs, and IFE.

They did love the new Polaris club though -- said that was actually the highlight of their trip.

I am on UA 917 tonight to Auckland - is there a way to find out the timing of the meal service ? I am thinking it's dinner and breakfast.Has anyone flown this since Polaris started ?

Thoughts? It will be like all the other Polaris flights.

Yes, just longer. :D

When they announced Polaris, I immediately equated Polaris to the new seat and nothing else. The service aspect struck me as mostly just marketing hype. You can't 'upgrade' service with the same staff who have little to fear from non-compliance.

Now the new seats will take half a decade probably to really be on all the planes and to be honest, I wonder what the long-term solution here is for the 'smaller' European TATL routes like the Irish flights if there is any. They won't bring the Polaris seat to the 757 and if they go nuclear and replace them with 737s, well that's probably gonna be a 'transcon'-style product rather than a real international long-haul product.

So far less than before
 

Currently on UA917 and wishing for the old service in business. Entrees are lamb chop, turbot, asian fusion chicken soup and portobello and caramelized onion ravioli. I asked if I could have the lobster mac and cheese they listed as a la carte hot bite but they don't have it. It took 3 requests for slippers and 4 for the gel pillow. Lots of bustling flight attendants but they seem confused about what is offered on the flight.

So same seats, no Polaris Lounge, no real improvement in food. Will probably look to AA for my next international trip because my last one with them in May was definitely better than this.

And this was paid business. Add to it the RPU applied multiple times that never got used and my loyalty is fading away- ironically as I will hit 1K for the first and only time.

Why would you take UA over NZ, unless it was markedly cheaper?

Misplaced loyalty.

Only thin Irish route is EWR-SNN on 757, EWR-DUB is now 767 and soon 777. I think the solution for the thin TATL routes are to upgauge them (like most 767 routes) or cancel the routes (like EWR-OSL, -HAM, IAD-MAN, etc.). Otherwise, remaining routes will probably stay 757 for the long future until replacement aircraft can be found. There's not a lot of competition on these thin routes that would warrant UA to bring new seats.

Was sitting in the UC at LAX (T7) this morning and met a very nice young lady that had just arrived from SYD in Polaris Business. She mentioned that she was GS along with approx. 5 other GS on the flight.

She commented on the FA crew and service was horrendous. Very senior (by age) FA crew that acted like any request (pajamas, pillow) was an imposition on their "chatting" time. I guess the GS were collectively upset enough that they all agreed they would send in feedback to customer care.

That's great and all but did you get her number? :D

LOL! Thought did cross my mind but I didn't want to come across as that creepy guy :D

Too late.