Jan 21, 2019, 2:25 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related threads
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
Feb 12, 2019, 5:54 pm
#166
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
Feb 12, 2019, 6:17 pm
#167
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Feb 13, 2019, 10:11 pm
#168
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
It was nice for the 15 minutes or so it lasted, but anyone who expected some of those 'frills' to survive in the long term was only kidding themselves, now that several waves of middle managers looking to cut costs have taken their turns with the red pencil. It's only a matter of time before we start to see cuts to the Polaris Lounge product... if you don't believe that, just wait and see.
The sad thing is, the product is going to continue to degrade, until someone wakes up and realizes, "Hey, our crappy product is actually costing us business again" and product investment is trumpeted with glossy pictures, press releases and a media event. Then, a few months later, the cost-cut cycle simply begins anew...
The sad thing is, the product is going to continue to degrade, until someone wakes up and realizes, "Hey, our crappy product is actually costing us business again" and product investment is trumpeted with glossy pictures, press releases and a media event. Then, a few months later, the cost-cut cycle simply begins anew...
Feb 14, 2019, 12:34 am
#169
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO / LHR
Programs: UA GS 2.2MM / UC / AS Gold 75K / Bonvoy Plat / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,028
Agreed. If anyone feels like throwing back to the old days, look at this early 2000s BF service on CO... what a drastic, drastic difference. AirlineMeals.net - Airline catering * the world's largest website about airline catering, inflight meals and special meals
Today it’s a Lean Cuisine frozen entree and
Feb 14, 2019, 12:40 am
#170
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Except the U.S. air travel market is absolutely booming right now. So this isn't about cutting losses. Someone nailed it earlier, current UA management is only willing to spend on cap ex, not op ex. So plenty of dollars for hard product, while the soft product goes in the toilet.
Feb 14, 2019, 2:13 am
#171
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Houston
Programs: United Premier 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Silver, IHG Gold
Posts: 13
Feb 2019
UA283 SFO-> IAH, aircraft 787-9, Lunch,
but I'm not sure it's United First or Polaris?
UA283 SFO-> IAH, aircraft 787-9, Lunch,
but I'm not sure it's United First or Polaris?
Last edited by phoxay; Feb 14, 2019 at 2:30 am
Feb 14, 2019, 4:09 am
#172
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,505
I had my first post-cut flight last night (IAH-LHR). Other than the pathetic-looking casserole dish (I wish I had read the threads above about the still-served-in-the-bowl spicy chicken), I didn't notice much difference.
Last edited by st530; Feb 17, 2019 at 3:16 pm
Feb 14, 2019, 6:52 am
#173
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
Crazy ... 7 dedicated crew assigned to the 772 J cabin (today it’s 4.5), separate salad, side dishes, decent wines, a choice of crackers, and a decent espresso before landing ...
Today it’s a Lean Cuisine frozen entree and
Feb 14, 2019, 7:47 am
#174
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
I have a photo database of all the meals I had in the past 15 years of flying UA (including PMCO and PMUA), and I don’t believe I have seen anything this bad as the casserole plating of entrees (both quality and quantity) of today.
Feb 14, 2019, 8:30 am
#175
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
I look forward to trying out Delta One and Virgin Atlantic Upper next month on my trip to the UK.
While I'll certainly miss the Polaris lounge, I'll compensate for it at the Clubhouse.
The ridiculous cost cutting at UA has gotten so bad that I truly miss the old BusinessFirst and PS service with the delicious salads, dressings, and generously sized entrees, as opposed to cabbage and mango in a cereal bowl, and cheap meat with processed cheese as an appetizer.
Polaris was marketed as an upgrade, but truthfully, soft-product wise, it was a downgrade.
While I'll certainly miss the Polaris lounge, I'll compensate for it at the Clubhouse.
The ridiculous cost cutting at UA has gotten so bad that I truly miss the old BusinessFirst and PS service with the delicious salads, dressings, and generously sized entrees, as opposed to cabbage and mango in a cereal bowl, and cheap meat with processed cheese as an appetizer.
Polaris was marketed as an upgrade, but truthfully, soft-product wise, it was a downgrade.
Feb 14, 2019, 9:41 am
#176
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Except the U.S. air travel market is absolutely booming right now. So this isn't about cutting losses. Someone nailed it earlier, current UA management is only willing to spend on cap ex, not op ex. So plenty of dollars for hard product, while the soft product goes in the toilet.
1. At the macro level, when demand is strong and competition is limited and the US big-3 get to flex their oligopoly. Any booking away will simply get filled with other customers, so the revenues will remain strong, leading to....
2. At the micro level, when revenues are strong, C suite bonus time can be extra lucrative - if there's a greater than forecast surplus at year end. Cutting opex is the easiest way to pump that cash into the balance sheet, with a good chunk of it going to feed those bonuses for "stretch" and "above and beyond" performance!
I've been on boards where the compensation committee followed just the logic that I'm suggesting lies behind the current cuts.
So our Polaris casserole meals are helping to fuel Oscar and Scott's super sized bonuses this year, and they are going to get quite a big reward unless the global economy tanks suddenly (and this is certainly not out of the question).
Feb 14, 2019, 9:45 am
#177
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,467
I agree that the market is strong now, but I'd suggest that op-ex cuts begin at the peak of the market because:
1. At the macro level, when demand is strong and competition is limited and the US big-3 get to flex their oligopoly. Any booking away will simply get filled with other customers, so the revenues will remain strong, leading to....
2. At the micro level, when revenues are strong, C suite bonus time can be extra lucrative - if there's a greater than forecast surplus at year end. Cutting opex is the easiest way to pump that cash into the balance sheet, with a good chunk of it going to feed those bonuses for "stretch" and "above and beyond" performance!
I've been on boards where the compensation committee followed just the logic that I'm suggesting lies behind the current cuts.
So our Polaris casserole meals are helping to fuel Oscar and Scott's super sized bonuses this year, and they are going to get quite a big reward unless the global economy tanks suddenly (and this is certainly not out of the question).
1. At the macro level, when demand is strong and competition is limited and the US big-3 get to flex their oligopoly. Any booking away will simply get filled with other customers, so the revenues will remain strong, leading to....
2. At the micro level, when revenues are strong, C suite bonus time can be extra lucrative - if there's a greater than forecast surplus at year end. Cutting opex is the easiest way to pump that cash into the balance sheet, with a good chunk of it going to feed those bonuses for "stretch" and "above and beyond" performance!
I've been on boards where the compensation committee followed just the logic that I'm suggesting lies behind the current cuts.
So our Polaris casserole meals are helping to fuel Oscar and Scott's super sized bonuses this year, and they are going to get quite a big reward unless the global economy tanks suddenly (and this is certainly not out of the question).
Feb 14, 2019, 10:21 am
#178
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
Question: Is there any way the service can realistically get worse? I mean, it could go to a domestic-style all-at-once service, with cheesecakes/pies replacing the sundae service, and the small domestic-style salad replacing the salad course, but that wouldn't be competitive. Is there anything UA can further do to decimate the service, while remaining competitive? In other words, have we hit rock bottom here?
Feb 14, 2019, 10:38 am
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,469
I respectfully disagree. The original inception of Polaris was an upgrade, with upgraded meals, additional desserts (petit fours), new crockery, wine flights, and so on. It was only after the initial rollout of Polaris, that UA kept decimating the service, thus where we are today. If UA kept the original, initial Polaris rollout the way it was, then it wouldn't be a downgrade. Unless there's something I'm missing.
Question: Is there any way the service can realistically get worse? I mean, it could go to a domestic-style all-at-once service, with cheesecakes/pies replacing the sundae service, and the small domestic-style salad replacing the salad course, but that wouldn't be competitive. Is there anything UA can further do to decimate the service, while remaining competitive? In other words, have we hit rock bottom here?
Question: Is there any way the service can realistically get worse? I mean, it could go to a domestic-style all-at-once service, with cheesecakes/pies replacing the sundae service, and the small domestic-style salad replacing the salad course, but that wouldn't be competitive. Is there anything UA can further do to decimate the service, while remaining competitive? In other words, have we hit rock bottom here?
Feb 14, 2019, 10:59 am
#180
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
I respectfully disagree. The original inception of Polaris was an upgrade, with upgraded meals, additional desserts (petit fours), new crockery, wine flights, and so on. It was only after the initial rollout of Polaris, that UA kept decimating the service, thus where we are today. If UA kept the original, initial Polaris rollout the way it was, then it wouldn't be a downgrade. Unless there's something I'm missing.
Question: Is there any way the service can realistically get worse? I mean, it could go to a domestic-style all-at-once service, with cheesecakes/pies replacing the sundae service, and the small domestic-style salad replacing the salad course, but that wouldn't be competitive. Is there anything UA can further do to decimate the service, while remaining competitive? In other words, have we hit rock bottom here?
Question: Is there any way the service can realistically get worse? I mean, it could go to a domestic-style all-at-once service, with cheesecakes/pies replacing the sundae service, and the small domestic-style salad replacing the salad course, but that wouldn't be competitive. Is there anything UA can further do to decimate the service, while remaining competitive? In other words, have we hit rock bottom here?
Just a few years ago, they would have a cart with choice of dressings and toppings such as bacon bits, croutons, etc