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 28, 2017, 4:41 pm
#1246
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
IAD-AMS just the other day on 767-400. Crew seemed pretty young for international.
Flying time 7 hours 20 minutes.
I was in the single seat of the 2 x 1 x 2 configuration.
It took 55 minutes for them to get the first drinks out and then it was just a cart with wine, sparking water and regular water. Anything else had to be requested and required a return to the galley.
Flight attendants from the mid galley worked rows 6-8 and those customers had their meals when we were getting our drinks in the rows 1-5 sections. They also seemed quite confused about how to divide up the middle section.
In any case, the meals came out about 1 hour 40 minutes into the flight. The cheese and port course was offered 2 hours into the flight and then I decided to recline and watch a movie. The sundae and alternative dessert selection was offered 2 hours 20 minutes into a flight. The cart looked nice but most people were out or were trying to be by now. This is way too long for a 7 hour 20 minute trans-Atlantic overnight flight.
They then put on all the lights 90 minutes prior to arrival to serve breakfast to those who wanted it. I'd say about 1/3 opted in for it. I'm not sure why this couldn't have been done just with their reading lamps or if the 767-400 has a dim setting. Other airlines seem to manage. It did wake me up and I did see a return of the pre-Polaris southwest omelette with the beans and sweet potatoes.
While I appreciate the effort, there needs to be some refinements.
Flying time 7 hours 20 minutes.
I was in the single seat of the 2 x 1 x 2 configuration.
It took 55 minutes for them to get the first drinks out and then it was just a cart with wine, sparking water and regular water. Anything else had to be requested and required a return to the galley.
Flight attendants from the mid galley worked rows 6-8 and those customers had their meals when we were getting our drinks in the rows 1-5 sections. They also seemed quite confused about how to divide up the middle section.
In any case, the meals came out about 1 hour 40 minutes into the flight. The cheese and port course was offered 2 hours into the flight and then I decided to recline and watch a movie. The sundae and alternative dessert selection was offered 2 hours 20 minutes into a flight. The cart looked nice but most people were out or were trying to be by now. This is way too long for a 7 hour 20 minute trans-Atlantic overnight flight.
They then put on all the lights 90 minutes prior to arrival to serve breakfast to those who wanted it. I'd say about 1/3 opted in for it. I'm not sure why this couldn't have been done just with their reading lamps or if the 767-400 has a dim setting. Other airlines seem to manage. It did wake me up and I did see a return of the pre-Polaris southwest omelette with the beans and sweet potatoes.
While I appreciate the effort, there needs to be some refinements.
Mar 28, 2017, 6:13 pm
#1247
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
It's pretty inconsistent too.
I flew KIX-SFO a few weeks ago on a 777 (right before they switched back to the 787) and not only were there no pre-departure drinks but meal service didn't finish until 2.5 hours into the flight. It was at least 30-40 minutes between appetizer and main course. First drink was offered 45 minutes into the flight. I couldn't understand it.
My return was LAX-NRT. I was offered a pre departure drink with chocolate, I was addressed by name, I was thanked for being 1K and for flying United, drinks were served within 20ish minutes of takeoff, meal service was not rushed but finished within an hour and a half and they were generous with the desserts. It was a fantastic flight.
I'm not asking to go to the moon or anything but I WOULD like some consistency....
I may be flying via LAX more often so I can get better service (and the 787)
I flew KIX-SFO a few weeks ago on a 777 (right before they switched back to the 787) and not only were there no pre-departure drinks but meal service didn't finish until 2.5 hours into the flight. It was at least 30-40 minutes between appetizer and main course. First drink was offered 45 minutes into the flight. I couldn't understand it.
My return was LAX-NRT. I was offered a pre departure drink with chocolate, I was addressed by name, I was thanked for being 1K and for flying United, drinks were served within 20ish minutes of takeoff, meal service was not rushed but finished within an hour and a half and they were generous with the desserts. It was a fantastic flight.
I'm not asking to go to the moon or anything but I WOULD like some consistency....
I may be flying via LAX more often so I can get better service (and the 787)
Mar 28, 2017, 6:35 pm
#1248
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Programs: UA PM, DL PM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 1,293
Bear was on the 3/27 ORD-HGK. Similar to above, first drink was 45 minutes into flight. A good 2+ hours to finish the entire meal service. It's a long flight so not that big a deal but definitely took a long time.
Mar 28, 2017, 8:05 pm
#1249
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DEN/OGG
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 1,482
Despite me having opted out of appetizer, soup, and salat, everything was brought to me. I got my first choice but only after rejecting what they tried to serve.
Overall bad crew attitude.
Mar 28, 2017, 8:40 pm
#1250
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: New York
Posts: 230
Have you spoken to CS or tweeted them? How have they responded?
I also read that you can ask them to give you all the food at once
I also read that you can ask them to give you all the food at once
Last edited by Brian Chen; Mar 28, 2017 at 8:46 pm
Mar 28, 2017, 8:43 pm
#1251
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,010
These meal services seem way too long...I would hope that it speeds up as they open Polaris lounges and less people opt to eat on the plane. Burning through 2 hours on a short TATL redeye hop makes it even more brutal by the time you land...
Mar 29, 2017, 1:17 am
#1252
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,904
What's up with the first beverage cart only having wine, sparking water and water?
Is that normal procedure on evening eastbound trans-Atlantic flights?
I guess they think it seems more elegant than a traditional beverage cart??
Is that normal procedure on evening eastbound trans-Atlantic flights?
I guess they think it seems more elegant than a traditional beverage cart??
Mar 29, 2017, 8:26 am
#1253
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
Meal service definitely wasn't finished long before the 2 hour mark on a recent TATL hop in Polaris. It felt to me like they allowed a lot of time to pass at the beginning of the service and then started speeding up toward the end.
The flight was around 7 hours, by the time I settled down to sleep 2 of those hours had been gone, the 'arrival' service started around 90-100 minutes out. So you really only had about 3h 15 mins or so to sleep. This was a day flight so it's more forgivable but it was pretty sobering to realize that I 'maxed out' on sleeping time and still only got a nap.
The flight was around 7 hours, by the time I settled down to sleep 2 of those hours had been gone, the 'arrival' service started around 90-100 minutes out. So you really only had about 3h 15 mins or so to sleep. This was a day flight so it's more forgivable but it was pretty sobering to realize that I 'maxed out' on sleeping time and still only got a nap.
Mar 29, 2017, 9:04 am
#1254
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 380
Polaris bears loaded ORD-EWR in both first and biz on a sUA 763 this morning
Mar 29, 2017, 11:18 am
#1255
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,506
Polaris bears available in C last night EWR-MXP.
Mar 29, 2017, 11:29 am
#1256
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,168
Bears (and LincolnJKC) currently on 959 LHR-ORD.
Mar 29, 2017, 11:47 am
#1257
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Five more hours until I know if there will be bears in my ORD-MUC flight. My dear wife has been following this thread and expects me to bring a bear to add to the collection that started with the Steiff bear she received when she was born. In the meantime, I'm enjoying for the first time the ORD Polaris lounge before I get to the awful 2-4-2 fake Polaris seating.
Mar 29, 2017, 2:14 pm
#1258
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: 6,956
We might need a dedicated thread for bear sightings. 
Mar 29, 2017, 2:28 pm
#1259
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Well I'll be on UA57 tomorrow evening, so hope the bears last.
But more important for me is that there are no delays because I have 2 hours to connect to a separate flight.
But more important for me is that there are no delays because I have 2 hours to connect to a separate flight.
Mar 30, 2017, 11:34 am
#1260
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 73
SFO-FRA on 3/23 != bears. FRA-SFO 3/27 = bears.
As far as amenities go, the kid thought the mattress pad and memory foam pillow were great - pretty much slept through all FRA-SFO post-meal.
As far as amenities go, the kid thought the mattress pad and memory foam pillow were great - pretty much slept through all FRA-SFO post-meal.