Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

✨ Polaris (& PP) Retrofits: Schedule, ....

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old May 29, 2017, 1:21 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: kirkwoodj
Check the current status of aircraft reconfigured (or delivered) with new Polaris seats: http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/3.

A Polaris Update and Polaris Mod Schedule to indicate the status of specific aircraft are maintained by those that manage the United Airlines Fleet Website.

Except for 773- and 781-operated flights, and those markets selling Premium Plus, Polaris-equipped planes have not been allocated to specific routes. You won't know until approx. 36-48 hours before departure if you'll have a newly reconfigured aircraft, and even then, it may be replaced with a non-retrofitted aircraft.

777-300ER - All 22 aircraft have Polaris (60 seats) and installation of Premium Plus cabins (24 seats) is complete.

767-300ER - As of September 2020, 31 of the 38 aircraft have been reconfigured with the Polaris seats.
- Retrofit is from 3-cabin to 2-cabin with direct-aisle-access seats. No 3-cabin 767s remain in service.
- 76A configuration is 30J/50Y+/134Y, total of 214; fleet to consist of 17 ships (former 3-cabin 767s).
- 76L configuration is 46J/22PE/47Y+/52Y; fleet to consist of 21 ships (18 former 2-cabin 76C and 3 used ships from Hawaiian).

767-400ER - [16 aircraft] None updated yet; modifications put on hold due to Covid-19.

777-200ER - As of September 2020, 46 of the 50 aircraft have been reconfigured with Polaris and Premium Plus seats.
- Configuration is 50 Polaris seats, 32 in the front cabin and 18 in the second cabin (behind 2L/R)
- Configuration is 10 across in economy, with 24 Premium Plus seats, 46 86 E+ seats and 156 E seats, with E+ in front economy cabin plus exit rows and bulkhead at 3L/R, i.e., almost the same as current pmCO planes, except with 4 seats in middle section.
- Seat map (v5) on united.com

787-8, 787-9 - As of November 2022, all 787-8/9 are converted or in mod. No chance of flying old configuration anymore.
- 788 configuration has 28 Polaris seats (20 in front cabin, 8 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).
- 789 configuration has 48 Polaris seats (32 in front cabin, 16 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).

787-10 - 13 787-10s have been delivered in 2020. All come with Polaris and Premium Plus cabins factory-installed. Another 19 should be added by 2024.

FAQ:
Q: Does a Polaris ticket mean the aircraft has the new Polaris seat?

A: No, Polaris is the label UA uses for long haul international business class. It is also the label UA uses for the new seats, so this does create some confusion.
All the 773s and 787-10s are 100% the new seat.
The rest of the long haul fleet in various stages of conversion, see http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/3

Q: How to tell if my aircraft is the new style Polaris seats?
A: If the unassigned business class section is showing orange seats or all the seats are side-by-side or there is a section for 4 adjacent seats in the middle, this is an old style lie-flat aircreaft
If the unassigned bussines class seats are dark blue seats or the all the seats appear to have direct aisle access, then you aircraft is the new Polaris seat.
You can also look at the FT maintained, United Fleet Site and crosscheck the tail number or check thePolaris Update tab

Q: How to tell if my aircraft has the new PremiumPlus (PP) / Premium Economy seats?
A: If the unassigned seats just behind business class are purple seats or the aircraft is 773 or 787-10, then yes. However, the purple color seat will only show on routes where PP is being sold.
Aircraft with PP seats are being used on some routes but are not being sold as PP. In those cases, the seats are considered to be a part of E+. In those cases, an indicator of PP sold as E+ will be if the first few rows of economy, there are just 2 seats on the sides (with the rest of E+ showing 3 seats).

Q: Will the aircraft I see at booking be the same configuration at flight time?
A: Unfortunately with the fleet in transit, aircraft swaps happen. UA tends to use placeholders until 2 days before travel and even after that last minute swaps do happen.

Q: My flight seat map shows 772 with polaris seats is it a retrofit?
A: Possibly. The flight status page shows the most accurate scheduled aircraft. If a 77W is swapped in, it will list the aircraft as 777-300ER. However, if the 772's seatmap shows blue rectangular boxes in the business class cabin instead of orange "pointy rounds", this would indicate that a retrofit aircraft has been swapped.

See also: United Future/Changed Routes w/ Polaris seats

Print Wikipost

✨ Polaris (& PP) Retrofits: Schedule, ....

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 12, 2019, 9:49 pm
  #1891  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, Avis President's Club
Posts: 87
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
14 have been Polarized with 30 Polaris J seats and no PP-- that conversion is finished
17 will be converted to High-J, with 46 Polaris J seats and 18 PP -- 5 done, 3 in the shop
9 unconverted UA 763s presently in service

7 older 763s will be retired and not converted

FT's United Fleet site - Polaris Update
Just curious if there are any projections/predictions on when there will be enough of these complete for ORD-LHR to start selling PP? I am trying to plan a trip in early October and have been waiting to see if there is any movement on this (or perhaps the J inventory excess starts to reflect in the price...).
aphoward13 is offline  
Old Aug 12, 2019, 10:21 pm
  #1892  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,835
Originally Posted by aphoward13
Just curious if there are any projections/predictions on when there will be enough of these complete for ORD-LHR to start selling PP? ....
I would day unlikely by October. UA seems announcing PP route at least a month in advance and rate of new aircraft is 1 or 2 per month. So, probably will be a number of months.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 12:21 am
  #1893  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
Originally Posted by aphoward13
Just curious if there are any projections/predictions on when there will be enough of these complete for ORD-LHR to start selling PP? I am trying to plan a trip in early October and have been waiting to see if there is any movement on this (or perhaps the J inventory excess starts to reflect in the price...).
The eighth Hi J is scheduled to exit HKG on 8/14 (HKG operations permitting). Only one or two more to provide coverage for ORD-LHR full time. October is probably too soon to get a guaranteed Polaris/P+ ship. But not long.
usbusinesstraveller is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 4:06 am
  #1894  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,448
Originally Posted by phkc070408
I thought the 77Gs are only being used TATL because of international equipment being out of service for Polaris upgrades.
It was only one route this summer, EWR-MAD. Last year, they were on EWR-BCN/DUB as well, and a few others from time to time, if I'm not mistaken.
phkc070408 likes this.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 8:52 am
  #1895  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Houston TX
Programs: United Premier 1k, Hertz Presidents Circle, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by EWR764
It was only one route this summer, EWR-MAD. Last year, they were on EWR-BCN/DUB as well, and a few others from time to time, if I'm not mistaken.
that's how I remember it as well. Once retrofits are done, I doubt you will see those on any TATL flights.
phkc070408 likes this.
mike2003242 is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 9:41 am
  #1896  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Keep in mind that UA is expanding the 77G fleet.

They love those things as much as we hate them.
Kacee is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 12:40 pm
  #1897  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
On the 787s, the 787-10s are for shorter routes, not intercontinental like the SFO-MUC flights for instance?

So the new 787-10s would get deployed to transcons and shorter international flights and then the 787-9s would be retrofitted after all the 777, 767s? So 787 Polaris intercontinental flights might be the last to get Polaris seats?
wco81 is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 4:19 pm
  #1898  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA 1K, DL Med, Marriott Plat
Posts: 54
Ua877 sfo-hkg 772

For those familiar with this flight, does UA use 772 with Pratt Whitney, or General Electric? The seat map for this flight shows 1-2-1 config, so I think I'm set for Polaris hard product.
former1k is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 4:23 pm
  #1899  
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Originally Posted by former1k
For those familiar with this flight, does UA use 772 with Pratt Whitney, or General Electric? The seat map for this flight shows 1-2-1 config, so I think I'm set for Polaris hard product.
Blue seats - Polaris hard product.
Orange seats - non-Polaris seats.

Whenever I have taken this particular flight, it has been a 773.
iluv2fly is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 4:32 pm
  #1900  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Houston TX
Programs: United Premier 1k, Hertz Presidents Circle, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by iluv2fly
Blue seats - Polaris hard product.
Orange seats - non-Polaris seats.

Whenever I have taken this particular flight, it has been a 773.
SFO-HKG is always Polaris hard product. They are switching from 1 77W to 2 772s.
narvik likes this.
mike2003242 is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 5:40 pm
  #1901  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Originally Posted by wco81
On the 787s, the 787-10s are for shorter routes, not intercontinental like the SFO-MUC flights for instance?

So the new 787-10s would get deployed to transcons and shorter international flights and then the 787-9s would be retrofitted after all the 777, 767s? So 787 Polaris intercontinental flights might be the last to get Polaris seats?
I think the 764s are the last ones that will get done. I would venture to guess that the first 789s that get done will go to the routes that can support the premium (e.g. SFO-SIN).
PsiFighter37 is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 5:48 pm
  #1902  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,409
Originally Posted by former1k
For those familiar with this flight, does UA use 772 with Pratt Whitney, or General Electric? The seat map for this flight shows 1-2-1 config, so I think I'm set for Polaris hard product.
Both engined 772s are getting Polaris seats, but the presence of the PE cabin means UA will fly a Polaris-equipped frame.
findark is offline  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 7:48 pm
  #1903  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,448
Originally Posted by Kacee
Keep in mind that UA is expanding the 77G fleet.

They love those things as much as we hate them.
I don't think the fleet expansion is to deploy them TATL, though. Reportedly, the goal is to increase payload on ORD-Hawaii and add capacity on EWR-HNL; though it's a material cut to passenger experience on the EWR-HNL route.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 13, 2019, 10:59 pm
  #1904  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,449
Originally Posted by findark
Both engined 772s are getting Polaris seats, but the presence of the PE cabin means UA will fly a Polaris-equipped frame.
Originally Posted by former1k
For those familiar with this flight, does UA use 772 with Pratt Whitney, or General Electric? The seat map for this flight shows 1-2-1 config, so I think I'm set for Polaris hard product.
I'm thinking PW (aka pmUA), but as others said, for sure it will be Polaris. Has UA indicated one way or the other whether they will treat the pmUA/PW and pmCO/GE 772s as one common fleet type once all the conversions are done? I know a handful of routes like EWR-DEL need the slightly extended range/higher MTOW of the pmCO/GE frames, but those routes are relatively few, especially now that EWR-HKG seems to be sticking to a 77W. (Are there others besides EWR-DEL left?)
dkc192 is online now  
Old Aug 14, 2019, 8:14 am
  #1905  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA
Posts: 312
Anyone know how long it takes for UA to complete the mod on a 772? Flying ORD-PVG in early October. They are currently operating about 50% of those flights with the hard Polaris. Hoping it increases closer to 75% by then.
pbartp is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.