2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business

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Sep 11, 2018, 1:40 am

#721

qukslvr619

Join Date: May 2006

Location: STL

Programs: UA Platinum, AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 1,429

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

Paid, upgrade, or award, it shouldn't matter. All are entitled to courteous service. Meaning the FA should just take the passenger's first and second choice, and offer a genuine apology if they're not able to offer first choice. There's no reason to in effect say you're a second class passenger, that's just rude.[left]
I've sat next to nonrevs in long-haul J several times and heard the FAs tell them, in effect, that the revenue pax will get first choice. Which is I believe the official policy.

Well its generally understood by nonrevs that rev pax would get first choice. I was just saying that in all the times that I've nonrev'd I never really had an issue where I didn't get my first choice so I was surprised that it would have been an issue on this flight as revenue passenger.

Sep 11, 2018, 6:56 am

#722

TexasAggie02

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: San Antonio, TX

Programs: United GS, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium

Posts: 109

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenpau

Agreed, but in the pictures above you can see the appetizer at the back of the tray on the tray table.

This keeps happening, and quite honestly is the biggest issue I have since the recent catering change with the return of half carts to the aisle and cart service for the salad/appetizer setup. On some flights, the food is basically thrown at you without any consideration of tempo and timing, courses piling up together, followed by complete disappearance of the FAs following the dessert cart. My recent ZRH-SFO, an EWR based crew, was absolutely terrible In this regard, including fighting among flight attendants. A great crew has pacing and timing figured out; a lazy or fighting crew does not.

The catering changes (and gel pillow at every seat), as we here all know, were rolled out to deal with complaints from the AFA union regarding the workload in Polaris with crew staffing reductions. To be honest, the complaints are fair. They are dressed up as “sleep enhancements” for passengers, but it’s actually a big slice into the feel of the Polaris soft product onboard.

Totally fair points and I agree. The level and quality of service and actual food product has gone down greatly in the last 2 years, moreso lately.

For me, about 1/4 international flights are with a good crew - the rest have issues somewhere. Courtesy goes a long way, I write in when I have great service and anything that is particularly bad I let the GS team know as well.

Sep 11, 2018, 12:16 pm

#723

thejaredhuang

Join Date: May 2012

Programs: UA

Posts: 1,098

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerseyCityS

For the first meal, did they really service all 3 courses together? That is HORRIBLE in my opinion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasAggie02

Unless they asked for Express Dining - then perfectly accceptable IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenpau

...

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasAggie02

....

Didn't realize I'd cause such a storm, edited my post to show I did ask for express dining.

Sep 17, 2018, 8:37 pm

#724

fgirard

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: SoCal (ONT), PVD/BOS, JAX, RSW

Programs: AA/US PlatPro & 1.05MM, DL Plat (challenge), UA dirt

Posts: 3,189

On September 5, I flew SIN-LAX, and I do have to say that the offerings were lackluster. They ran out of the hot bites about 1/3 of the way through the flight.

Also, the 2 pieces of squash were the only vegetables on the plate.

Sep 24, 2018, 12:22 am

#725

cesco.g

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 1999

Posts: 11,468

Recently on UA45 ZRH-SFO appetizer was some buffalo mozzarella appetizer - definitely prefer the true protein appetizers.
Other than that food quality & taste was great as always ex-ZRH.
Had again the hot-bites beef stew for pre-arrival service and it was excellent! Macaroons were great as always.
Here a couple of pix:

Sep 24, 2018, 5:24 am

#726

StuckinITH

Join Date: Nov 2012

Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 3,477

Quote:

Originally Posted by cesco.g

I agree with you: I prefer to have salmon, tuna or shrimp as the appetizer.......but not the chicken as I find it disgusting.

What taste was the yellow macaron?

Sep 24, 2018, 7:21 am

#727

BullishGS

Join Date: Jul 2016

Location: West

Programs: UA MP

Posts: 221

Quote:

Originally Posted by cesco.g

And if you were lactose intolerant? I guess the app would be skipped!

Sep 24, 2018, 7:58 am

#728

fumje

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2015

Posts: 11,462

The macarons are pretty good, and I have had both mains and apps that were enjoyable. The salad is consistently a weak spot, though.

tuolumne likes this.

Sep 24, 2018, 4:31 pm

#729

jasonp622

Join Date: Aug 2013

Location: SFO

Programs: UA 1K and MM, Marriot, Hilton

Posts: 804

same mains EWR-ATH in August as SFO-LHR in September, pretty disappointing but enjoying the Polaris lounge dining.

Sep 24, 2018, 10:35 pm

#730

cesco.g

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 1999

Posts: 11,468

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuckinITH

I agree with you: I prefer to have salmon, tuna or shrimp as the appetizer.......but not the chicken as I find it disgusting.

What taste was the yellow macaron?

Fully agree and I enjoy the smoked chicken / duck breast as well.

IIRC, the yellow macaron was apricot. Anyway all out of ZRH taste excellent and I swiftly cleaned them up. Not sure, if they are the "Spruengli Luxembourgerli".

StuckinITH likes this.

Sep 30, 2018, 9:05 am

#731

fivesixseven

Join Date: Nov 2008

Location: AMS

Posts: 899

Not too long ago they changed UA71 (AMS-EWR) to a breakfast flight. It was a lunch flight for as long as I can remember, despite its 9:15 a.m. departure (I even remember sCO having 2 flights a day). Lunch is so much more fun. And it has a much more appealing menu. It is a bit of a pity. AFAIC.

Oct 14, 2018, 6:08 am

#732

riteshshah

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: Auckland, NZ

Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, HHonors Diamond,

Posts: 82

Menu for transpacific flights ex. SFO October?

Hello,

It seems that all transpacific flights out of SFO (or in fact ex. N America) seem to have the same menu given they follow the pattern of lunch/dinner followed by breakfast, irrespective of time of departure.

Does anyone have the menu and wine options for October? I'm flying later in the month SFO-AKL in Polaris and wondering which cycle of the menu to expect, as it seems to go through an all too familiar rotation.

Cheers!

Oct 14, 2018, 11:02 am

#733

greenpau

Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: SFO / LHR

Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond

Posts: 1,028

Quote:

Originally Posted by riteshshah

Does anyone have the menu and wine options for October? I'm flying later in the month SFO-AKL in Polaris and wondering which cycle of the menu to expect, as it seems to go through an all too familiar rotation.

Can't help you with the menu options for October-December yet (someone else can hopefully help), but the wine menu is now the following. These are all a slight upgrade from the last rotation ... they are listening (plus it is the final quarter, with some extra $ to spend). Also good to see some American wines on the list, being a US airline ... :

White wines
Wente Vineyards 2015 Riva Ranch Single Vineyard Chardonnay
Arroyo Seco, Monterey, California

Fournier Père et Fils 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
Loire Valley, France

Red wines
Jean-Luc Colombo 2015 Les Collines de Laure Syrah
Rhone, France

Gundlach Bundschu 2016 Mountain Cuvee Red Wine
Sonoma County, California

There is still a separate wine list for the Polaris First cabin, but on my last 3-cabin flight with a GPU upgrade the wines were the same between business and first:

White wines
Pascal Jolivet 2016 Pouilly-Fume “Les Terres Blanches”
Loire Valley, France

MacRostie Winery and Vineyards 2015 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast, California

Red wines
Bodega Catena Zapata 2013 Angélica Zapata Malbec Alta
Mendoza, Argentina

Château Larose Trintaudon 2015 Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois
Bordeaux, France

Oct 14, 2018, 2:21 pm

#734

riteshshah

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: Auckland, NZ

Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, HHonors Diamond,

Posts: 82

Thanks Greenpau. Yes, hopefully some else has flown Transpac since start of October and can shed light. I realise that what I stated prior is not totally true about all menus being the same as I know Japan flights have a different menu...but presume all other NA-Asia/Oceania flights have the same options.