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
Dec 6, 2016, 3:34 pm
#241
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
Dec 6, 2016, 3:44 pm
#242
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 6
SFO - HKG 869 on 12/2
Flew upper deck on the 747 on the new polaris. Would say that the food is the same old same old, champagne was a little improved. Enjoyed the blankets, pillows, and pajamas but the chair is the same old chair (much prefer AC or NH business class in that respect). Service was better than the last SFO-HND 777 flight I took and seemed FAs were enthusiastic about Polaris. Will fly back on NRT-SFO (747 UD as well). I am not a fan of the new amenity kit, which I think is harder to reuse in the future.
One nice bonus was my GUM-NRT flight I took as well has all the polaris items, sans amenity kit and bear.
Hoping to try out the new seat and lounges in the future.
One nice bonus was my GUM-NRT flight I took as well has all the polaris items, sans amenity kit and bear.
Hoping to try out the new seat and lounges in the future.
Dec 6, 2016, 5:13 pm
#243
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Portland
Programs: UA 1K, AK Gold 75K, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,660
We flew in First on a 747 from Narita to SFO today. Food was OK, bedding a little better. Flight attendants were great, but I don't attribute that to Polaris. The only real difference I noticed was that the wine seemed better and they had tasting sets of 3 wines built into the program. I forgot to ask for PJs.
Dec 6, 2016, 7:04 pm
#244
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NJ
Posts: 107
Flew Ua17 Sunday and got my bear, so I'm happy about that. Wine "tasting" was mentioned but the flight was not explained so I missed that it was an option. They were pouring generously though, so I did try all the new reds. The H3 seemed perfectly acceptable. Soft goods were nice but as some others noted it was kinda "stuff" overload considering the space available. Food was nice, definitely an improvement from my previous experiences. Same BF seat, but I'm looking forward to the new seat with the new service for sure.
Dec 6, 2016, 7:29 pm
#245
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,345
We flew in First on a 747 from Narita to SFO today. Food was OK, bedding a little better. Flight attendants were great, but I don't attribute that to Polaris. The only real difference I noticed was that the wine seemed better and they had tasting sets of 3 wines built into the program. I forgot to ask for PJs.
-RM
Dec 6, 2016, 7:36 pm
#246
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I dont know why UA put so much hype into Polaris so long before it is FULLY implemented. Or at least clarify. I bet alot of people (who dont read FT) will fly BF if think (this is it? I'm never flying UA again!) and never know about the new seats
Dec 6, 2016, 7:42 pm
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,928
Could it be that she slept through it? They do start breakfast rather early...I find not serving breakfast almost unbelievable unless the FA went from seat to seat asking people who were awake if they wanted breakfast.
Dec 6, 2016, 9:42 pm
#248
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,417
Picked up a 789 SFO-IAH and it came with half the Polaris bedding: the big pillow and the fancier (tied, heavy) blanket. The bedding is a huge improvement over the old blankets. No other Polaris of course, since it was domestic, and no bears 
Dec 6, 2016, 11:58 pm
#249
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: NYC, BLR, LHR, SIN and a few others
Programs: UA 1K 1.01 MM
Posts: 1,245
Agreed, have flown it last week, without the new seat it is still a totally sun standard product. They could have roled out all the service stuff and had it down and had the big launch when they had a seat that was not light years behind other airlines. The marketing material about all forward facing / isles access seats is a joke, VS/NZ have had that for a long time....
Dec 7, 2016, 12:28 am
#250
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: You name it
Programs: UAL 1k; Marriott Platinum; Hyatt Diamond;
Posts: 6
Polaris December 5th SFO to NRT
Found the FA to be very friendly. Many more touch points then I have experienced even on this flight in the past.
Food quality is up. Aps, main meal, snack were all much more flavorful, delivered at a better temperature
No offer of the pajamas
No offer of the pillows or bed roll.
Got the bear. Looking forward to seeing how the clubs will evolve.
Overall, good first experience. Looking forward to more upward and onwards.
Food quality is up. Aps, main meal, snack were all much more flavorful, delivered at a better temperature
No offer of the pajamas
No offer of the pillows or bed roll.
Got the bear. Looking forward to seeing how the clubs will evolve.
Overall, good first experience. Looking forward to more upward and onwards.
Dec 7, 2016, 1:03 am
#251
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: WN, AA, UA, DL
Posts: 1,313
With airlines there's no way to roll out everything at once. I'd rather get as much improvement as possible as soon as possible.
Dec 7, 2016, 1:05 am
#252
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Also need to build up the brand too.
Dec 7, 2016, 2:09 am
#253
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Chicago
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 477
Just got off UA 947 IAD-GVA and have to say I wasn't super impressed. Pre-flight service was total chaos - they couldn't even get basics - like drinks. The new plastic glass apparently is flawed as everyone was told to be careful as there have been a number of spills as its a challenge to fit the flute into spike that holds it. Food included a few things that harken back to the old United days (pre merger). There are 2 pillows instead of one and the cover is a little nicer but the filling wasn't that much different. The duvet was new colors but similar to the old one - the blanket was nice but I honestly didn't need it. Overall service would be best described disappointing. People were frequently ignored (the person next to me and I never were once asked if we wanted something to drink or eat despite waking up while still serving breakfast).
Especially since they are still making announcements like "Everyone in BusinessFirst should stow their seats for landing."
Especially since they are still making announcements like "Everyone in BusinessFirst should stow their seats for landing."
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 7, 2016 at 12:43 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Dec 7, 2016, 2:38 am
#254
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,116
Onboard now
Nice spread on arrival to the seat. Service seems a bit off. Half the cabin got pre departure beverage and half did not.
There was confusion over the menu items for entrees on the menu (fairly sure my Asian chicken soup will be some beef thing from the Japanese menu when it comes).
Service overall seams sloppy still.
Nice spread on arrival to the seat. Service seems a bit off. Half the cabin got pre departure beverage and half did not.
There was confusion over the menu items for entrees on the menu (fairly sure my Asian chicken soup will be some beef thing from the Japanese menu when it comes).
Service overall seams sloppy still.
Stuff itself is nice.
Wish they didn't go super "fancy" on the salads. Who actually likes kale?
Pre flight was chaos and the ground crew at Newark is challenging to get the planes ready at a high quality level.
Dec 7, 2016, 3:10 am
#255
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,355
Good improvement
Sometimes I wonder if I am living in an alternate world. Not quite understanding these negative comments regarding Polaris.
Just flew EWR-PEK on sCO plane #3003. Yes, they had to reset the Linux IFE system half way during the flight. Yes, the plane is from 1998 and doesn't have the new Polaris seats yet.
But the soft product is now live, and the FA (at least on my flight) made a GREAT effort to provide excellent service. I enjoyed the new amenities and food service (although to be honest, the 'old' service was also okay too, and totally adequate).
One FA mentioned that this was her first flight this month (i.e. on Polaris) but she did a very fine job.
Service throughout was excellent, and it was great to see, taste and feel what United has invested so much in.
The only thing I did notice that might be considered a negative, is that will all the new self-serve snacks provided during the flight, and the more attentive FAs, I found the cabin a bit more 'active' and less quiet. Before, FAs were hardly seen after the first meal service before the mid-flight snack, and then again absent after mid-flight snack to breakfast service. Now, there seems to be constant activity from FAs and passengers. Summary: get protected against noise and light.
Overall a welcome change. Not overwhelmingly great but decent and much appreciated.
Just flew EWR-PEK on sCO plane #3003. Yes, they had to reset the Linux IFE system half way during the flight. Yes, the plane is from 1998 and doesn't have the new Polaris seats yet.
But the soft product is now live, and the FA (at least on my flight) made a GREAT effort to provide excellent service. I enjoyed the new amenities and food service (although to be honest, the 'old' service was also okay too, and totally adequate).
One FA mentioned that this was her first flight this month (i.e. on Polaris) but she did a very fine job.
Service throughout was excellent, and it was great to see, taste and feel what United has invested so much in.
The only thing I did notice that might be considered a negative, is that will all the new self-serve snacks provided during the flight, and the more attentive FAs, I found the cabin a bit more 'active' and less quiet. Before, FAs were hardly seen after the first meal service before the mid-flight snack, and then again absent after mid-flight snack to breakfast service. Now, there seems to be constant activity from FAs and passengers. Summary: get protected against noise and light.
Overall a welcome change. Not overwhelmingly great but decent and much appreciated.