2 years later: Polaris Hype vs. Actual - Is it worth it?
Dec 17, 2018, 8:25 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, MR Titanium
Posts: 458
Hard product (seat + bedding + better IFE screen + lounges) are much improved when they are available. FAs are still the same, hugely inconsistent, with some who are truly exceptional and others who go out of their way to let you know they don't like their job. But then that's United, consistently inconsistent, offering totally different experiences on the same airline and on even the same route.
Dec 17, 2018, 8:36 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,322
Almost all the points in this thread have been discussed in this thread. I agree with most comments, too.
Dec 17, 2018, 8:56 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
I see that quite differently.
For an airline as big as United to commit to retrofit almost all of its fleet in order to offer us decent, layflat, all aisle access seating in J is astounding, and I believe they did an excellent job so far without too much disruption. It's a mind-boggling task in my estimation.
Kudos to UA and all the staff for the effort to see this through!
Going 10-seat wide in Y on certain planes however seems something directly out of back-pain-hell schemed by the horned one himself. Just saying.
For an airline as big as United to commit to retrofit almost all of its fleet in order to offer us decent, layflat, all aisle access seating in J is astounding, and I believe they did an excellent job so far without too much disruption. It's a mind-boggling task in my estimation.
Kudos to UA and all the staff for the effort to see this through!
Going 10-seat wide in Y on certain planes however seems something directly out of back-pain-hell schemed by the horned one himself. Just saying.
Instead - from the announcement of Polaris - 3 years later (Next July) you still won't have a PL in IAD, and you will still be < 50% of the planes converted.
IF you started converting planes oin July 16 and opened PL in Chicago (soft opening in Dec 16 and announced Polaris in July 17 - my reaction would be completely different
I agree the final end product is nice and worth it, but the hype and advertising at the onset were wildly overblown
Dec 17, 2018, 9:00 am
#34
Suspended
Join Date: May 2018
Location: ord
Programs: UA 1k SPG Platinum
Posts: 365
very very slow rollout however its an amazing seat! the lounges are outstanding. I also never minded the old 787 seats ( I guess they will be around for a long time), the only wish for XMAS is United fixes the meals! OH yuck "beef cheeks" it was disgusting from TPE-SFO.
Dec 17, 2018, 9:05 am
#35
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
But isn't that the case with just about ANY marketing/advertising these days?
I also don't believe that booking a Marriott hotel in an exotic location will have ONE good looking couple occupy the pool area.
Dec 17, 2018, 9:09 am
#36
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: UA/CO GS, PP, MM
Posts: 360
I'm a fan. The Polaris lounges are fantastic. The actual Polaris seat, when you can get it is great. I think they've done a decent job with the hard product roll out but it could be better. Flight attendants vary considerably as noted. Food also varies, in part depending on where its catered. Not a big fan of the mainland China catered food service.
Dec 17, 2018, 9:18 am
#37
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
I am not sleeping with or eating with any couples/wife I don't bring with me....so, I really don't care who else is at the resort. I am sleeping on Polaris seats and eating in the PL and on board though.
Now, if the beaches I will be sleeping on are perfect in the brochure and covered in trash when I get there, that is another story.
Dec 17, 2018, 10:09 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,693
Coworker had their first experience with a Polaris lounge yesterday:
Which pretty well sums up Polaris as implemented: pretty, but undersized and understaffed.
polaris IAH is really pretty but completely filled, people talking on speakerphone, kids running around, babies, strollers in the hallway, crumbs on basically every seat, empty/dirty plates on most tables, no available seats at bar, etc.
the passengers are a big part of the problem but it's understaffed for what they're aiming for
the passengers are a big part of the problem but it's understaffed for what they're aiming for
Dec 17, 2018, 10:12 am
#39
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA 1k 1.75 MM
Posts: 199
In two years, I have experienced the new Polaris seat once and a Polaris lounge once. Both were great, but if I get this product at a rate of less than 10% of my flights - that's not really motivating to pick United for international travel.
The food and wine on my most recent trip to and from NRT were similar to what was offered before Polaris which was not great.
I don't think there has been any noticeable change in the on-board service - sometimes it's very good, sometimes it's pretty bad.
I do like the new pillows and blankets. That is really the only consistent noticeable change for me.
The food and wine on my most recent trip to and from NRT were similar to what was offered before Polaris which was not great.
I don't think there has been any noticeable change in the on-board service - sometimes it's very good, sometimes it's pretty bad.
I do like the new pillows and blankets. That is really the only consistent noticeable change for me.
Dec 17, 2018, 10:15 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,883
Where I am critical is the reversion to cheapness in the food and drink product. If you're going to make Polaris your signature up front product, serving smaller food portions and cheaper wines than were first rolled out just smacks of a low rent mentality. pmUA served decent wine, and pmCO served pretty good food, and instead of the best of both carriers, we get pm-UA quality food and pmCO-quality wine. All to make Wall Street happy. 
Dec 17, 2018, 10:54 am
#41
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,450
Are the portions officially much smaller? I thought it was my imagination. It used to be I had to skip the bread and salad to have room for the large ice cream sundae. On my last AKL-SFO flight the portion of fish was so tiny is was comical. After eating every bite of everything I still wanted a mid-flight snack -- that's not normal for me at all.
Dec 17, 2018, 11:04 am
#42
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Perhaps, but can you give an example of a similar product roll-out that was completed faster than what United is doing with Polaris?
For all the hype of the Delta One Suite, it was announced only a few weeks after Polaris and is currently available on fifteen (15) ships... in other words, 1/3 of United's progress in virtually the same time period.
For all the hype of the Delta One Suite, it was announced only a few weeks after Polaris and is currently available on fifteen (15) ships... in other words, 1/3 of United's progress in virtually the same time period.
Dec 17, 2018, 11:07 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
A couple of years a 1K, with about 10 international flights a year, and I have yet to see a new Polaris seat or Polaris lounge. The food seems a little worse since Polaris. In my view, it is a perfectly adequate business class product if you can get it at a discount. But the original ad campaign definitely overhyped it. Oddly, I have been looking at TATL travel in the first quarter next year, and UA seems way high compared to the competition on the dates I need - like 9K-15K compared to 3K-5K, and little PZ. I'm traveling about the same times I usually do. I see some lower prices here and there, but not when I need. I'm not loyal, just fly a fair amount, so will just buy on another airline. I wonder if UA thinks it can start getting a premium price for Polaris. Not sure that's gonna work.
Dec 17, 2018, 11:11 am
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Posts: 56,450
UA damaged the Polaris brand by over hyping it before the product was widely available. There are tens of thousands of customers out there who now equate "Polaris" with 2-4-2 business class.
It's curious how DL gets a pass on this stuff. Their D1 Suite conversion pace is absolutely glacial. And their 767s, which are the backbone of their international fleet, have an awful hard product.
It's curious how DL gets a pass on this stuff. Their D1 Suite conversion pace is absolutely glacial. And their 767s, which are the backbone of their international fleet, have an awful hard product.
Dec 17, 2018, 11:11 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
I see that quite differently.
For an airline as big as United to commit to retrofit almost all of its fleet in order to offer us decent, layflat, all aisle access seating in J is astounding, and I believe they did an excellent job so far without too much disruption. It's a mind-boggling task in my estimation.
Kudos to UA and all the staff for the effort to see this through!
Going 10-seat wide in Y on certain planes however seems something directly out of back-pain-hell schemed by the horned one himself. Just saying.
For an airline as big as United to commit to retrofit almost all of its fleet in order to offer us decent, layflat, all aisle access seating in J is astounding, and I believe they did an excellent job so far without too much disruption. It's a mind-boggling task in my estimation.
Kudos to UA and all the staff for the effort to see this through!
Going 10-seat wide in Y on certain planes however seems something directly out of back-pain-hell schemed by the horned one himself. Just saying.