2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
May 18, 2018, 5:32 pm
#391
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: SYD, CBR, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, VA Platinum
Posts: 1,195
Per the May 1 changes, the previous PDB chocolates have been replaced with a pre-landing sweet. This was from feedback that chocolate had no business being served with champagne (or sparkling wine). Instead the sweet is now supposed to be served pre-landing. Ex-US it’s the new cookie. Return to US it’s the 2-truffle chocolate box. But I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be served WITH breakfast. It should be given out just before landing.
And regarding the “economy” salad dressing now being served. This is new standard after feedback was overwhelmingly against the olive oil/balsamic bottles that were standard from Polaris launch until now. I personally quite liked the oil/balsamic blend, and the bottles were a bit classier. But with so many complaints I can’t fault them for changing it up.
And regarding the “economy” salad dressing now being served. This is new standard after feedback was overwhelmingly against the olive oil/balsamic bottles that were standard from Polaris launch until now. I personally quite liked the oil/balsamic blend, and the bottles were a bit classier. But with so many complaints I can’t fault them for changing it up.
May 18, 2018, 5:38 pm
#392
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,990
Per the May 1 changes, the previous PDB chocolates have been replaced with a pre-landing sweet. This was from feedback that chocolate had no business being served with champagne (or sparkling wine). Instead the sweet is now supposed to be served pre-landing. Ex-US it’s the new cookie. Return to US it’s the 2-truffle chocolate box. But I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be served WITH breakfast. It should be given out just before landing.
And regarding the “economy” salad dressing now being served. This is new standard after feedback was overwhelmingly against the olive oil/balsamic bottles that were standard from Polaris launch until now. I personally quite liked the oil/balsamic blend, and the bottles were a bit classier. But with so many complaints I can’t fault them for changing it up.
And regarding the “economy” salad dressing now being served. This is new standard after feedback was overwhelmingly against the olive oil/balsamic bottles that were standard from Polaris launch until now. I personally quite liked the oil/balsamic blend, and the bottles were a bit classier. But with so many complaints I can’t fault them for changing it up.
May 19, 2018, 7:00 am
#393
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,306
Black and White for A Change
Perhaps it is because I am flying Transoceanic every week (one more tomorrow) for work since the middle of April, and the jetlag (and work) is getting to me. When I boarded PEK-IAD flight two days ago, I was just mentally tired. I flew this exact same route last week and I am seeing the same crew just weeks ago. By the time, I see the same menu, I was not in the right frame of mind, and everything seems colorless.
For color photos and menu of what I had on the last week's flight, see link below:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29732367-post367.html
For color photos and menu of what I had on the last week's flight, see link below:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29732367-post367.html
Last edited by UA_Flyer; May 20, 2018 at 4:20 am
May 19, 2018, 8:11 am
#394
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,677
I'm pleased that the have Arnott's crackers on a non-Australia flight ^
May 19, 2018, 12:51 pm
#395
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Perhaps it is because I am flying Transoceanic every week between (one more tomorrow) for work since the middle of April, and the jetlag (and work) is getting to me. When I boarded PEK-IAD flight two days ago, I was just mentally tired. I flew this exact same route last week and I am seeing the same crew just weeks ago. By the time, I see the same menu, I was not in the right frame of mind, and everything seems colorless.
May 19, 2018, 5:51 pm
#396
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,220
Perhaps but monotony is a feature of many jobs and exhaustion is a feature of monotonous shift work. It's an essential requirement of people in those roles to cope with such. But customers are a different matter - they should not be left feeling that the cabin crew are exhausted and too bored to look after them - whether in Business or Economy.
May 19, 2018, 6:59 pm
#397
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion; IHG Platinum; Marriott Gold; Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,071
Perhaps but monotony is a feature of many jobs and exhaustion is a feature of monotonous shift work. It's an essential requirement of people in those roles to cope with such. But customers are a different matter - they should not be left feeling that the cabin crew are exhausted and too bored to look after them - whether in Business or Economy.
Frankly, being "bored" with flying Polaris too often is not a problem with which I can relate. It is one I would like to emulate.
May 19, 2018, 8:50 pm
#398
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,463
Tuesday May 15, 2018. ORD-MUC. Polaris Business.
Champagne was Alfred Gratien Brut. Never heard of it but it was good. Maybe only one bottle was available for Polaris Business but maybe that's a story for the thread about the Service in Polaris.
No PDB chocolates. I remember that United said that now they would give the chocolates at landing but it did not happen. Do they think that the cookie with breakfast replaces the chocolates? Both FAs in my and my wife's areas insisted that we take the cookies with us after we finished our breakfast. We don't eat cookies at that time.
The appetizer was tuna with wasabi. It was good.
The stupid dressing for the salad in our flight was something that they would serve in Economy: some ginger-sesame dressing. Because of that I did not eat my salad and my wife only ate the mango pieces. I was in row 10, my wife was in row 6 so it's not like we discussed not eating the salad. At home we usually eat our salads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I ordered the shortribs. It was not good so only ate one third of it. I should have ordered the spicy chicken. My wife said it was good but only ate half of it due to the messiness. When serving it, the FA pointed that she had put a spoon on the tray but it was a dessert size spoon. Should have been a soup size spoon. The FA in my area offered to bring me another dish.
I like the breads offered in a basket for us to choose. The FAs came back with the basket.
The cheese tray was good. Even with no communication between us (due to the distance), we both ate the blue cheese and the parmesan (first time we had parmesan cheese as one of the cheeses on United) and did not even try the third cheese.
In the snacks left in the galley, there were Biscoff cookies. First time that I see them on United. These were the cookies we were getting in the USAirways Clubs and planes.
Champagne was Alfred Gratien Brut. Never heard of it but it was good. Maybe only one bottle was available for Polaris Business but maybe that's a story for the thread about the Service in Polaris.
No PDB chocolates. I remember that United said that now they would give the chocolates at landing but it did not happen. Do they think that the cookie with breakfast replaces the chocolates? Both FAs in my and my wife's areas insisted that we take the cookies with us after we finished our breakfast. We don't eat cookies at that time.
The appetizer was tuna with wasabi. It was good.
The stupid dressing for the salad in our flight was something that they would serve in Economy: some ginger-sesame dressing. Because of that I did not eat my salad and my wife only ate the mango pieces. I was in row 10, my wife was in row 6 so it's not like we discussed not eating the salad. At home we usually eat our salads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I ordered the shortribs. It was not good so only ate one third of it. I should have ordered the spicy chicken. My wife said it was good but only ate half of it due to the messiness. When serving it, the FA pointed that she had put a spoon on the tray but it was a dessert size spoon. Should have been a soup size spoon. The FA in my area offered to bring me another dish.
I like the breads offered in a basket for us to choose. The FAs came back with the basket.
The cheese tray was good. Even with no communication between us (due to the distance), we both ate the blue cheese and the parmesan (first time we had parmesan cheese as one of the cheeses on United) and did not even try the third cheese.
In the snacks left in the galley, there were Biscoff cookies. First time that I see them on United. These were the cookies we were getting in the USAirways Clubs and planes.
Actually I am surprised that the FA offered you another dish, as I understand there are no extras catered. I guess you passed? Do you recall what it was?
May 19, 2018, 9:16 pm
#399
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
SFO-ICN UA 892 May 11, 2018
Main meal
Arrival meal
The tuna in the appetizer was soggy. I had the seared turbot for the main, which was good, nothing spectacular. Bread was served from a basket, with the usual pitiful garlic bread. For the arrival meal, I decided to skip breakfast at 2 PM Korean time/10 PM PDT and had the noodle soup with chicken, which was good but would have been much better if it had been hotter.
Service during the meal times was OK, but the FA's disappeared afterward, never to be seen around the cabins, so nothing was picked up.
May 20, 2018, 12:21 am
#400
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,447
Perhaps but monotony is a feature of many jobs and exhaustion is a feature of monotonous shift work. It's an essential requirement of people in those roles to cope with such. But customers are a different matter - they should not be left feeling that the cabin crew are exhausted and too bored to look after them - whether in Business or Economy.
May 21, 2018, 3:20 am
#401
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
The FAs in Business were exceptional. The one working in my area addressed me by my last name during the entire flight. First time it happens to me on UA (it was more often like that when I was Chairman's Preferred on USAirways). According to my wife who chatted for a few minutes with the FAs in the galley, she had worked for UA for 36 years (the other two had 47 and 30 years working for United). They all seemed very happy.
When the FA told me that there was no more Champagne, she served me the little left over. Then she told me not to drink it because she would bring me a glass from Polaris First. And she did that.
May 22, 2018, 8:41 am
#402
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 47
I saw upthread that the menus change up about every three months. Does that mean the menus will change on June 1 or does it usually occur later in the month?
May 22, 2018, 8:47 am
#404
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
The full menu was like the one posted by 1kBill except that it was seared beef short rib, not the Korean style. I don't recall if the FA specified what choices I had at that point but I did pass. The flight was supposed to be full in Polaris Business but in the end 4 passengers misconnected so they would have loaded the food for a full flight. In addition, two passengers in Row 6 did not have dinner. Maybe I should have asked for the spicy chicken as I usually like it. Also, maybe for a change, UA should change the spicy chicken to spicy shrimp.
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May 22, 2018, 9:04 am
#405
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
I know, but I remember eating a very good shrimp curry in Club World on BA and an even more delicious lobster on top of pasta in Envoy Class on USAirways (or maybe it was called USAir at that time). It's good that at most I do only 5 international long-haul trips per year as I can see that it could quickly become boring. The do change the Champagne, sometimes not for the better (and sometimes they make it difficult to see the House producing it but I always ask to see the label).
