Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Word is out on another site (not my post) regarding a company memo about the May 1 "enhancements".
Some key points:
- Return of the salad/appetizer cart, although I suspect it's just going to be the meal cart with a fancy cover, to reduce the number of galley trips with hand-run trays
- Beverage carts coming back to the aisle (similar to DL and the former 3-cabin sUA business class service) with branded cart covers
- Soup is gone in Polaris First (so no more differentiation; the product isn't expected to last the full year, anyway)
- Wine tasting arches are gone
- No bloody mary carts (already announced)
- Hot bites will stay
- Bread refills to be offered (return of the bread basket?)
- Pre-departure chocolates returned to the pre-arrival tray
In many ways, this is going to look like the former three-cabin BusinessFirst service with nicer linens and serviceware. Overall, not the sweeping change (or depth of cuts) I was expecting. No word on provisioning of the other items (gel pillows, mattress pads, slippers, PJs, etc.)
POLARIS SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When do the service updates go into effect?
A: The service updates are effective May 1, 2018, on all long-haul international flights.
2. Why are we making changes to our United Polaris® service?
A: Customers have positively received our United Polaris lounge, and this year we are opening more United Polaris lounges beginning this summer in San Francisco, Houston and New York/Newark and in the fall, Los Angeles. As we continue to add more lounges, we want to take into account the feedback that customers have given us — they’ve emphasized their desire to rest and relax during their journey, especially onboard. The updates to the service flow will allow us to continue providing a premium product with high-quality food, wine, amenities and more, but it’ll be delivered in a more efficient way.
3. What is the new international United Polaris meal service flow?
A: The meal service flow for both first and business class will be the same:
Pre-departure
• Pre-poured sparkling wine, orange juice and water offered from a silver tray, with other beverages available upon request.
Main meal service
• Hot towels
• Linen placement
• Pre-meal beverage cart
• Appetizer and salad cart
• Bread and beverage refills
• Entrées
• Bread and beverage refills
• Dessert and pre-plated cheese cart
• Individual water bottles with hang tags
Mid-flight service (when applicable)
• Display mid-flight snacks on console, self-service unit, fold-down trays or galley countertop.
• Heat and serve hot on-demand items (when applicable) upon customer request.
Pre-arrival service
• Hot towels
• Pre-arrival tray setup with entrée and choice of beverage
• Breads and pastries
4. Will we be able to offer other pre-departure beverages?
A: Yes, upon customer request fulfill other pre-departure beverages in accordance with each departure country’s pre-departure liquor procedures. Refer to the Flight Attendant Policies and Procedures Manual to determine if you are allowed to open beverage carts/carriers that contain alcohol on the ground.
5. Is there still a chocolate offered during pre-departure?
A: Pre-departure chocolates/dessert will be catered on the pre-arrival tray instead for customers to enjoy during or after their flight.
6. What’s changing with the Bloody Mary and wine specialty beverage carts?
A: Wines and Bloody Marys will continue to be available upon request, but the dedicated cart service will change. This was a common flight attendant suggestion for improvement. A new branded cart cover is being sourced to improve presentation in the aisle and will be available shortly after launch.
7. Can we still offer wine tastings?
A: Absolutely. Although the wine arches with the 3 tastings will not be boarded, we can continue to honor customers’ requests to sample select wines.
8. What about the United Polaris first class soup and salad course?
A: The salad and appetizer will be delivered at the same time on a tray setup, instead of having a soup course.
9. What about the turndown service?
A: We will continue to offer the turndown service upon request.
10. Will Express Dining continue to be offered?
A: Yes, Express Dining will continue to be offered and can be requested and delivered at any point during the flight.
11. Will we continue to offer the mini desserts and fruit and cheese?
A: The mini desserts will continue to be offered from the three-tier cart with the signature ice cream service. In addition, pre-plated cheese will be added to the dessert cart. To make room for the fruit and cheese on the dessert cart, the specialty tea box will be removed from the cart, although specialty teas will continue to be available from the galley.
12. Are there any updates to the mid-flight and pre-arrival services?
A: There will be a few updates to both the mid-flight and pre-arrival service.
Mid-flight service (when available) – While we’ll no longer have formal presentation of mid-flight snacks, snack provisioning levels will remain the same and will continue to be displayed near the galley as is done today. Hang tags advising the customers that mid-flight snacks are available will be added to the individual bottle waters distributed after the main meal service. Hot snack items, when available, will also be delivered upon request.
Pre-arrival service – We’re removing tray table linens to reduce trips through the aisle. The tray itself will continue to have a linen liner. The pre-departure chocolate/dessert will be catered on the pre-arrival tray for customers to enjoy during or after the flight.
13. Will there be any new service items introduced to support the new United Polaris service?
A: Yes, there are a few new elements that will be introduced, including:
Cart covers – Similar to some of our competitors, branded cart covers for both the half and full carts will be boarded for use in the aisle on both the beverage and meal tray carts. Cart covers will be available shortly after launch.
Hang tags – To be placed on individual bottle waters at the end of the main meal service to advise customers that mid-flight snacks are available.
14. Will we be changing the domestic meal service procedures to align with the new United Polaris service (e.g. pre-poured pre-departure beverages)?
A: We will continue listening to the feedback of our customers and our flight attendants and will adjust our processes where necessary to deliver the best service for our customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When do the service updates go into effect?
A: The service updates are effective May 1, 2018, on all long-haul international flights.
2. Why are we making changes to our United Polaris® service?
A: Customers have positively received our United Polaris lounge, and this year we are opening more United Polaris lounges beginning this summer in San Francisco, Houston and New York/Newark and in the fall, Los Angeles. As we continue to add more lounges, we want to take into account the feedback that customers have given us — they’ve emphasized their desire to rest and relax during their journey, especially onboard. The updates to the service flow will allow us to continue providing a premium product with high-quality food, wine, amenities and more, but it’ll be delivered in a more efficient way.
3. What is the new international United Polaris meal service flow?
A: The meal service flow for both first and business class will be the same:
Pre-departure
• Pre-poured sparkling wine, orange juice and water offered from a silver tray, with other beverages available upon request.
Main meal service
• Hot towels
• Linen placement
• Pre-meal beverage cart
• Appetizer and salad cart
• Bread and beverage refills
• Entrées
• Bread and beverage refills
• Dessert and pre-plated cheese cart
• Individual water bottles with hang tags
Mid-flight service (when applicable)
• Display mid-flight snacks on console, self-service unit, fold-down trays or galley countertop.
• Heat and serve hot on-demand items (when applicable) upon customer request.
Pre-arrival service
• Hot towels
• Pre-arrival tray setup with entrée and choice of beverage
• Breads and pastries
4. Will we be able to offer other pre-departure beverages?
A: Yes, upon customer request fulfill other pre-departure beverages in accordance with each departure country’s pre-departure liquor procedures. Refer to the Flight Attendant Policies and Procedures Manual to determine if you are allowed to open beverage carts/carriers that contain alcohol on the ground.
5. Is there still a chocolate offered during pre-departure?
A: Pre-departure chocolates/dessert will be catered on the pre-arrival tray instead for customers to enjoy during or after their flight.
6. What’s changing with the Bloody Mary and wine specialty beverage carts?
A: Wines and Bloody Marys will continue to be available upon request, but the dedicated cart service will change. This was a common flight attendant suggestion for improvement. A new branded cart cover is being sourced to improve presentation in the aisle and will be available shortly after launch.
7. Can we still offer wine tastings?
A: Absolutely. Although the wine arches with the 3 tastings will not be boarded, we can continue to honor customers’ requests to sample select wines.
8. What about the United Polaris first class soup and salad course?
A: The salad and appetizer will be delivered at the same time on a tray setup, instead of having a soup course.
9. What about the turndown service?
A: We will continue to offer the turndown service upon request.
10. Will Express Dining continue to be offered?
A: Yes, Express Dining will continue to be offered and can be requested and delivered at any point during the flight.
11. Will we continue to offer the mini desserts and fruit and cheese?
A: The mini desserts will continue to be offered from the three-tier cart with the signature ice cream service. In addition, pre-plated cheese will be added to the dessert cart. To make room for the fruit and cheese on the dessert cart, the specialty tea box will be removed from the cart, although specialty teas will continue to be available from the galley.
12. Are there any updates to the mid-flight and pre-arrival services?
A: There will be a few updates to both the mid-flight and pre-arrival service.
Mid-flight service (when available) – While we’ll no longer have formal presentation of mid-flight snacks, snack provisioning levels will remain the same and will continue to be displayed near the galley as is done today. Hang tags advising the customers that mid-flight snacks are available will be added to the individual bottle waters distributed after the main meal service. Hot snack items, when available, will also be delivered upon request.
Pre-arrival service – We’re removing tray table linens to reduce trips through the aisle. The tray itself will continue to have a linen liner. The pre-departure chocolate/dessert will be catered on the pre-arrival tray for customers to enjoy during or after the flight.
13. Will there be any new service items introduced to support the new United Polaris service?
A: Yes, there are a few new elements that will be introduced, including:
Cart covers – Similar to some of our competitors, branded cart covers for both the half and full carts will be boarded for use in the aisle on both the beverage and meal tray carts. Cart covers will be available shortly after launch.
Hang tags – To be placed on individual bottle waters at the end of the main meal service to advise customers that mid-flight snacks are available.
14. Will we be changing the domestic meal service procedures to align with the new United Polaris service (e.g. pre-poured pre-departure beverages)?
A: We will continue listening to the feedback of our customers and our flight attendants and will adjust our processes where necessary to deliver the best service for our customers.
- Return of the salad/appetizer cart, although I suspect it's just going to be the meal cart with a fancy cover, to reduce the number of galley trips with hand-run trays
- Beverage carts coming back to the aisle (similar to DL and the former 3-cabin sUA business class service) with branded cart covers
- Soup is gone in Polaris First (so no more differentiation; the product isn't expected to last the full year, anyway)
- Wine tasting arches are gone
- No bloody mary carts (already announced)
- Hot bites will stay
- Bread refills to be offered (return of the bread basket?)
- Pre-departure chocolates returned to the pre-arrival tray
In many ways, this is going to look like the former three-cabin BusinessFirst service with nicer linens and serviceware. Overall, not the sweeping change (or depth of cuts) I was expecting. No word on provisioning of the other items (gel pillows, mattress pads, slippers, PJs, etc.)
[Rumor] More Polaris "Enhancements" coming May 1, 2018? ...
#256
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
Was on TPAC going west bound and the changes from September seem to be:
1 - a piece of chocolate instead of a real dessert (for 1 of the 3 choices)
2 - white cheese instead of American cheese for the mid-flight grilled cheese sandwich
3 - omelet prior to landing was the cheap domestic F kind - the international kind was better
I don't drink so no idea about alcohol.
Menu is a lot more simplified (less paper) - just food, no more "Polaris User Guide".
747 tin kit which was cool.
1 - a piece of chocolate instead of a real dessert (for 1 of the 3 choices)
2 - white cheese instead of American cheese for the mid-flight grilled cheese sandwich
3 - omelet prior to landing was the cheap domestic F kind - the international kind was better
I don't drink so no idea about alcohol.
Menu is a lot more simplified (less paper) - just food, no more "Polaris User Guide".
747 tin kit which was cool.
#258
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,565
Then again, this is the same group that didn't test freshpoo in a real environment. Because after all, coffee brewed at sea level tastes the same in a pressurized metal tube at 38000 feet, right?
#259
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,268
Whether they cherry pick convenient "customer claims" or delta downgrades something or a video goes viral or they're trying to compete with spirit. Whether it actually helps their bottom line (in the short term or long term) or they lose in the long term doesn't seem to have any affect.
#260
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,195
So, no one at UA said, "hey, let's test this in a real actual airplane. We could use employees as passengers." No one thought to do that?
Then again, this is the same group that didn't test freshpoo in a real environment. Because after all, coffee brewed at sea level tastes the same in a pressurized metal tube at 38000 feet, right?
Then again, this is the same group that didn't test freshpoo in a real environment. Because after all, coffee brewed at sea level tastes the same in a pressurized metal tube at 38000 feet, right?
So, if UA actually cared, they would have a standardized mockup center with narrow body and wide body seating and aisle layouts, functioning equipment, and run training in the mockups along with tests to make sure product releases and updates don't result in a fiasco that needs further tuning after it's presented to customers in the field.
#261
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
So, no one at UA said, "hey, let's test this in a real actual airplane. We could use employees as passengers." No one thought to do that?
Then again, this is the same group that didn't test freshpoo in a real environment. Because after all, coffee brewed at sea level tastes the same in a pressurized metal tube at 38000 feet, right?
Then again, this is the same group that didn't test freshpoo in a real environment. Because after all, coffee brewed at sea level tastes the same in a pressurized metal tube at 38000 feet, right?
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/uni...aris-test-run/
#262
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
So, if UA actually cared, they would have a standardized mockup center with narrow body and wide body seating and aisle layouts, functioning equipment, and run training in the mockups along with tests to make sure product releases and updates don't result in a fiasco that needs further tuning after it's presented to customers in the field.
#263
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,195
From the reported experiences here, it doesn't seem as if they are using them....or using them correctly. It's serving a meal, not putting a man on Mars - it really shouldn't be this difficult to figure out what works and what doesn't.
Of course there is the chance that UA inflight service leadership is just making decisions in a vacuum without acknowledging or assessing real life impacts - I've worked with someone in the past who liked to run around and insist that people should do things in a certain way, without actually having any hands-on experience themselves. It was highly obnoxious and that could be part of the problem here.
Of course there is the chance that UA inflight service leadership is just making decisions in a vacuum without acknowledging or assessing real life impacts - I've worked with someone in the past who liked to run around and insist that people should do things in a certain way, without actually having any hands-on experience themselves. It was highly obnoxious and that could be part of the problem here.
#264
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
I flew LAX-SYD a few days ago in Polaris. The printed menu was physically smaller, but had the usual choices, including hot bites. The wine list only listed 2 whites and 2 reds, but the wine trolley had the usual 3+3, including a Riesling.
#265
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Programs: UA, AA, WN; HH, MR, IHG
Posts: 7,054
My biggest disappointment is no more teddy bears.
Flew Polaris (soft-product, 789) DEN-NRT and NRT-DEN a couple of weeks ago. As someone who is usually in the back, I found it quite comfortable, and very worth the price of my mother's GPUs. Service was speedy and friendly on both flights. I opted for the Japanese Dining service both ways, and was satisfied with the food. Didn't notice if there were any Hot Bites ... there were cold sandwiches and various snacks on a cart in the galley for mid-flight, but I didn't ask about anything else. Sundaes were in a paper bowl, though my standards are low enough that this doesn't bother me. The seats did seem a bit worn (creaky), but I was infinitely more comfortable than I would have been in the back, especially since both flights were almost completely full.
Sad that there were no teddy bears for my kids, but whatchagonnado. At least they liked the 747 commemorative amenity kits.
Heading to TLV in April with the family and trying to decide how much I might want to try for biz. Unfortunately there are no Saver Biz tix on UA metal at this time, not that I even have the miles to cover four such tickets. So, will probably end up in E+, sadly. (But, saver E+ is probably better than paid, since ticket prices are really high, and it's not even high season!)
Flew Polaris (soft-product, 789) DEN-NRT and NRT-DEN a couple of weeks ago. As someone who is usually in the back, I found it quite comfortable, and very worth the price of my mother's GPUs. Service was speedy and friendly on both flights. I opted for the Japanese Dining service both ways, and was satisfied with the food. Didn't notice if there were any Hot Bites ... there were cold sandwiches and various snacks on a cart in the galley for mid-flight, but I didn't ask about anything else. Sundaes were in a paper bowl, though my standards are low enough that this doesn't bother me. The seats did seem a bit worn (creaky), but I was infinitely more comfortable than I would have been in the back, especially since both flights were almost completely full.
Sad that there were no teddy bears for my kids, but whatchagonnado. At least they liked the 747 commemorative amenity kits.
Heading to TLV in April with the family and trying to decide how much I might want to try for biz. Unfortunately there are no Saver Biz tix on UA metal at this time, not that I even have the miles to cover four such tickets. So, will probably end up in E+, sadly. (But, saver E+ is probably better than paid, since ticket prices are really high, and it's not even high season!)
#266
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,565
Of course there is the chance that UA inflight service leadership is just making decisions in a vacuum without acknowledging or assessing real life impacts - I've worked with someone in the past who liked to run around and insist that people should do things in a certain way, without actually having any hands-on experience themselves. It was highly obnoxious and that could be part of the problem here.
#267
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,268
They absolutely did exactly what you suggested.
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/uni...aris-test-run/
I know they did a test run(s) of the old pmua or pmco with invited customers. I friend of mine did it, he said it was on a 767 and it just stayed at the gate. I thought that was a great way to get feedback from actual customers.
My question would be if they then did this with polaris, like a "soft opening"
I know they did have several "events" where you could come see the seats. I assume they took feedback.
#268
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1MM, MP 1K, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 462
A test run with employees is different than customers/frequent fliers.
I know they did a test run(s) of the old pmua or pmco with invited customers. I friend of mine did it, he said it was on a 767 and it just stayed at the gate. I thought that was a great way to get feedback from actual customers.
My question would be if they then did this with polaris, like a "soft opening"
I know they did have several "events" where you could come see the seats. I assume they took feedback.
I know they did a test run(s) of the old pmua or pmco with invited customers. I friend of mine did it, he said it was on a 767 and it just stayed at the gate. I thought that was a great way to get feedback from actual customers.
My question would be if they then did this with polaris, like a "soft opening"
I know they did have several "events" where you could come see the seats. I assume they took feedback.
#269
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,158
#270
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,692