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 theyve 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 itll 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
Entres
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 entre 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 countrys 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. Whats 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 well 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 Were 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 theyve 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 itll 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
Entres
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 entre 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 countrys 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. Whats 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 well 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 Were 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? ...
#407
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
I think you'll find the hot bites available on your LHR-SFO. I am sure the uptake rate for the hot bites on eastbound redeyes to EU was quite low.
The hot bites were originally contemplated to replace the midflight service on long hauls to Asia and were expanded to longer daylight flights initially. I'd really love to see a BTC option once UA, at long last, rolls out online meal ordering. The hot bites have been most useful to me when I replace one of the entree choices from the menu during the main service (I can only eat so many times on a flight), so I'd be OK with giving that up if I can pick meals I actually want to eat.
The hot bites were originally contemplated to replace the midflight service on long hauls to Asia and were expanded to longer daylight flights initially. I'd really love to see a BTC option once UA, at long last, rolls out online meal ordering. The hot bites have been most useful to me when I replace one of the entree choices from the menu during the main service (I can only eat so many times on a flight), so I'd be OK with giving that up if I can pick meals I actually want to eat.
I can tell you that on all my SFO/LAX-LHR flights last year, the hot bites (and especially the lobster mac and cheese) were extremely popular. On most flights they were all claimed by the end of dinner service. On one flight, I was even told that as a 1K I could not have one, as they were being saved for GS.
Instead of removing these, they should have provisioned more and made a note of them on the menu like they did in the first couple months of Polaris.
#408
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,420
I can tell you that on all my SFO/LAX-LHR flights last year, the hot bites (and especially the lobster mac and cheese) were extremely popular. On most flights they were all claimed by the end of dinner service. On one flight, I was even told that as a 1K I could not have one, as they were being saved for GS.
Instead of removing these, they should have provisioned more and made a note of them on the menu like they did in the first couple months of Polaris.
Instead of removing these, they should have provisioned more and made a note of them on the menu like they did in the first couple months of Polaris.
#409
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: 41,935
We have it now...it's for a special meal, which you may or may not receive depending on whether or not a GS passenger throws a tantrum to take it, or one of the crew decides to eat it.
#410
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,065
Id just be happy with better tasting entrees.
#411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,327
Asked . They looked for the slippers and told me there were none as it was not a pyjama flight. I commented how I had always been able to get them in the past. I use them on the flight as the socks do not cut it in the toilet by the end. Love Asian airlines as they always provide slippers.
#412
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Wandering Aramean is reporting these changes on May 1:
- Pre-flight beverages will be served as pre-poured sparkling wine, orange juice and water offered from a silver tray, with other beverages available upon request
- Mid-flight snacks will no longer be proactively offered; passengers can request them when desired
- The special wine-tasting and Bloody Mary service is disappearing
- Polaris First no longer gets the soup course
#413
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Wandering Aramean is reporting these changes on May 1:
- Pre-flight beverages will be served as pre-poured sparkling wine, orange juice and water offered from a silver tray, with other beverages available upon request
- Mid-flight snacks will no longer be proactively offered; passengers can request them when desired
- The special wine-tasting and Bloody Mary service is disappearing
- Polaris First no longer gets the soup course
How much would it have cost to wait until the new service platform was ready to roll out this enhancement?
#414
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,227
#415
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,327
Sorry, that was somewhat unclear. I was trying to poke fun at the slow rollout (and rollback) of Polaris. But yes, my understanding and experience is that they are to be provided on all Polaris routes. My experience with Polaris is all Asia, though.
#416
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
Wandering Aramean is reporting these changes on May 1:
- Mid-flight snacks will no longer be proactively offered; passengers can request them when desired
Annoying.
#417
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
I thought it was hot snacks like the grilled cheese sandwich and the soup.
#418
I personally like just having everything on a cart in the galley so I can graze at my liking.
#419
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,956
Sounds like some of it is to reduce workload rather than saving money?
I don't remember hot mid-flight food ever been proactively offered - unlike, for examples, airlines like EVA. It is not in the culture.
Slippers were also offered on TPE route prior to Polaris but it took them a while to get the logistics done. Taiwan follows Japan on this front and it is part of the hospitality ritual for guests (and guests take off their outside shoes). What is the custom in the rest of Asia?
The menu is already describing the hot snacks less. Is it disappearing from the menu? The problem is you can smell the food and want it
I don't remember hot mid-flight food ever been proactively offered - unlike, for examples, airlines like EVA. It is not in the culture.
Slippers were also offered on TPE route prior to Polaris but it took them a while to get the logistics done. Taiwan follows Japan on this front and it is part of the hospitality ritual for guests (and guests take off their outside shoes). What is the custom in the rest of Asia?
The menu is already describing the hot snacks less. Is it disappearing from the menu? The problem is you can smell the food and want it
#420
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,327
Sounds like some of it is to reduce workload rather than saving money?
I don't remember hot mid-flight food ever been proactively offered - unlike, for examples, airlines like EVA. It is not in the culture.
Slippers were also offered on TPE route prior to Polaris but it took them a while to get the logistics done. Taiwan follows Japan on this front and it is part of the hospitality ritual for guests (and guests take off their outside shoes). What is the custom in the rest of Asia?
The menu is already describing the hot snacks less. Is it disappearing from the menu? The problem is you can smell the food and want it
I don't remember hot mid-flight food ever been proactively offered - unlike, for examples, airlines like EVA. It is not in the culture.
Slippers were also offered on TPE route prior to Polaris but it took them a while to get the logistics done. Taiwan follows Japan on this front and it is part of the hospitality ritual for guests (and guests take off their outside shoes). What is the custom in the rest of Asia?
The menu is already describing the hot snacks less. Is it disappearing from the menu? The problem is you can smell the food and want it
It is common in many—most?, or at least East—Asian countries to remove shoes in 'indoor' spaces.