Glass found in the ice cream, so no sundaes in Business. [Some Back: 2 June 2017]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: MileagePlus GS
Posts: 362
Glass found in the ice cream, so no sundaes in Business. [Some Back: 2 June 2017]
Just finished an AMS-ORD trip in Polaris Business and was told that the sundaes are temporarily not available due to glass breakage issues with the serving globes. According to our flight attendant, the new globe serving bowls were cracking and left shards of glass in the ice cream therefore the sundae sevice was removed. In its place however was the economy class ice cream in paper cups with no toppings. Anyone else experiment this?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,426
Yes - I have. I passed on the ice cream but thought it looked just like the whY ice cream and wondered how anyone thought a paper cup of ice cream (vs. ice cream in a bowl) fit in with the ther dessert items being served.
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: AMS
Posts: 899
Just finished an AMS-ORD trip in Polaris Business and was told that the sundaes are temporarily not available due to glass breakage issues with the serving globes. According to our flight attendant, the new globe serving bowls were cracking and left shards of glass in the ice cream therefore the sundae sevice was removed. In its place however was the economy class ice cream in paper cups with no toppings. Anyone else experiment this?
#4
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 449
We found glass in the ice cream, so no sundaes in business class until we fix this.
Was on United 33 NRT-LAX, 4/17 in Business Class (won't call it Polaris until they actually have Polaris seats in the cabin).
Flight was fine, service was extra-nice. But sadly they did not serve ice-cream sundaes, as they have for many years on this route. Instead they served vanilla ice-cream from pre-packaged cups (some Japanese brand, don't remember the name), and no toppings to go with it. Also offered a group of delicious petite-fours (both Japanese and Western Style) as well.
When I inquired with the FA why the Ice Cream Sundae's were not being served, she said that they discovered glass in one of the Vanilla Ice Cream Containers, and not wanting to risk anything, they discontinued serving it until they had assurances it was safe again to serve.
Anybody else experience this?
Flight was fine, service was extra-nice. But sadly they did not serve ice-cream sundaes, as they have for many years on this route. Instead they served vanilla ice-cream from pre-packaged cups (some Japanese brand, don't remember the name), and no toppings to go with it. Also offered a group of delicious petite-fours (both Japanese and Western Style) as well.
When I inquired with the FA why the Ice Cream Sundae's were not being served, she said that they discovered glass in one of the Vanilla Ice Cream Containers, and not wanting to risk anything, they discontinued serving it until they had assurances it was safe again to serve.
Anybody else experience this?
#5
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: SYD, CBR, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, VA Platinum
Posts: 1,198
There have been multiple reports in the Let's Eat and Polaris threads. Sundae service has been pulled from all flights until issue resolved
#6
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: San Fransisco, CA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 172
If they're serving pre-packaged ice cream, I don't see why they couldn't continue doing the sundae service in compostable cardboard bowls. Wouldn't that be preferable?
#7
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 449
I'm not sure the if glass was from the bowl, but from the ice cream itself. The FA made it sound like the problem was from the Ice Cream maker. I could have been mistaken though.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,426
I had heard that the new ice cream bowls were cracking, likely due to the extreme cold involved. The ice cream UA served in the past was pre-portioned int glass bowls and then kept cool with dry ice. The new bowls were not as heavy as the old ones. Between the extreme cold and the bouncing around during the trip from the catering facility to the plane there is plenty of opportunity for bumps and bounces - and therefore breakage.
#9
Join Date: May 2006
Location: STL
Programs: UA Platinum, AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,429
I figured it was only a matter of time until they would run into an issue with the bowls. The design was awesome, but I'm sure after repeated use, washing, packing, transport, etc, they would be prone to some sort of breakage. Hopefully they will come up with some solution that isn't just the standard boring sundae bowls; incidentally those sundae bowls came about because they were using the standard BusinessFirst glasses which were breaking because of the same issue.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: STL
Posts: 1,546
Damn, flying J for the first time 2 weeks from today and was looking forward to the sundae the most.
Okay, not really, I'm more looking forward to the lie-flat bed and legroom, but the sundae was nice too
Okay, not really, I'm more looking forward to the lie-flat bed and legroom, but the sundae was nice too
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
Far better to be safe rather than sorry.
#12
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: United MileagePlus - Premier Gold, Star Alliance Gold, World of Hyatt Explorist, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 141
Was on United 33 NRT-LAX, 4/17 in Business Class (won't call it Polaris until they actually have Polaris seats in the cabin).
Flight was fine, service was extra-nice. But sadly they did not serve ice-cream sundaes, as they have for many years on this route. Instead they served vanilla ice-cream from pre-packaged cups (some Japanese brand, don't remember the name), and no toppings to go with it. Also offered a group of delicious petite-fours (both Japanese and Western Style) as well.
When I inquired with the FA why the Ice Cream Sundae's were not being served, she said that they discovered glass in one of the Vanilla Ice Cream Containers, and not wanting to risk anything, they discontinued serving it until they had assurances it was safe again to serve.
Anybody else experience this?
Flight was fine, service was extra-nice. But sadly they did not serve ice-cream sundaes, as they have for many years on this route. Instead they served vanilla ice-cream from pre-packaged cups (some Japanese brand, don't remember the name), and no toppings to go with it. Also offered a group of delicious petite-fours (both Japanese and Western Style) as well.
When I inquired with the FA why the Ice Cream Sundae's were not being served, she said that they discovered glass in one of the Vanilla Ice Cream Containers, and not wanting to risk anything, they discontinued serving it until they had assurances it was safe again to serve.
Anybody else experience this?
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
Oh wow my GF is going to be bummed on Friday. The sundae is the only UA food she likes.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: United MileagePlus - Premier Gold, Star Alliance Gold, World of Hyatt Explorist, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 141
I figured it was only a matter of time until they would run into an issue with the bowls. The design was awesome, but I'm sure after repeated use, washing, packing, transport, etc, they would be prone to some sort of breakage. Hopefully they will come up with some solution that isn't just the standard boring sundae bowls; incidentally those sundae bowls came about because they were using the standard BusinessFirst glasses which were breaking because of the same issue.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
It seems like it should be possible to transport/store the ice cream in single-serving disposable packaging and stock bowls the same way other glassware is done. I imagine that is a bit more prep-intensive for the FA's, though.