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United Polaris - New Business Class seats & inflight service {Archive}

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Old Jan 17, 2020, 6:38 pm
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Archive thread -- Active thread is United Polaris - New Business Class seats & inflight service -- 3+ years after Intro

United website - Explore: http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-business-class/p/1
from UA's Facebook stream
Only customers traveling in United Polaris business class or United Polaris Global First on international flights and customers in Star Alliance international first or business class cabins on flights longer than six hours will have access to the United Polaris Lounge.
Official Polaris Lounge Access Rules are here: Polaris Lounge Access Rules

United Polaris Business and Polaris First pax may access the Polaris lounge at connecting airports and their final destination within 24 hours of departure or arrival.

*A international J and F pax may only access the Polaris lounge at the departure airport. For purposes of Polaris lounge access, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, and Guam are excluded from the definition of "international."

Seat Chart.

Press release: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300278706.html

NEW YORK, June 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the aspiration of making weary business travel a relic of the past, United Airlines today unveiled its all-new United Polaris business class, the airline's most significant product transformation in more than a decade, featuring a reimagined, sleep-enhancing, departure-to-landing experience for intercontinental travelers.

Named after the North Star, United Polaris is the shining new star of business class travel that flyers can turn to for a tranquil and restful journey.

"United Polaris will change the game in international business travel with an exceptional level of relaxation and comfort throughout our customers' journeys," said Oscar Munoz, president and CEO of United. "This completely reconceived experience exemplifies the new spirit of United and the innovation, excitement and operational momentum across our airline."

Path-Breaking Design

In setting out to create a transformative business class experience, United chose to outfit its widebody fleet with a custom-designed, exclusive-to-United seat, rather than select an option already in the marketplace. Designed in partnership with Acumen Design Associates and PriestmanGoode and manufactured by Zodiac Seats United Kingdom, each United Polaris seat will offer direct access to the aisle, 180-degree flat-bed recline and up to 6 foot 6 inches of bed space.

Crafted as individual, forward-facing, suite-like pods, each customer's personal suite will feature a "Do Not Disturb" sign, mood lighting, one-touch lumbar support, several storage areas, multiple surfaces for simultaneous working and dining, a 16-inch high-definition entertainment screen and, for seats in the center of the cabin, electronic privacy dividers. Complementing the new seats, United and PriestmanGoode have also conceived an all-new look for the United Polaris cabins.

In rethinking the international business class experience, United conducted more than 12,000 hours of research, and sleep emerged as the single most important priority for international business class travelers. United Polaris' path-breaking design and sleep-enhancing focus was inspired and informed by insights from hundreds of customers and employees, inflight product simulations and more than 100 product evaluations.

Sleep-Enticing Amenities

In addition to the sleep-enticing United Polaris personal suites, several other amenities were designed with our customers' sleep in mind.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, United has worked with leading luxury specialty store Saks Fifth Avenue for custom-designed bedding. All designed to provide the best sleep in the sky, the new bedding collection will feature plush duvets, lightweight day-blankets and a large and small pillow for each United Polaris customer. In addition, mattress cushions will be available upon request.

Slippers will be available on all flights, and customized United Polaris pajamas will be available by request on flights longer than 12 hours**. Flyers will also be able to request a gel-cooled pillow. New amenity kits will feature ergonomically designed eye shades, calming lavender pillow mist and additional products from Soho House & Co.'s Cowshed Spa.

With the introduction of United Polaris, the airline intends to donate tens of thousands of pillows, blankets and other inflight service items to Fisher House Foundation, which United and its employees have long supported.

Elevated Dining Experience

Upon boarding their flight, each United Polaris customer will be welcomed with a pre-departure beverage of his or her choice and gourmet chocolate. While in the air, customers will enjoy regionally influenced in-flight menus updated seasonally, developed in partnership with The Trotter Project and its critically recognized chefs, including Bill Kim of acclaimed Chicago restaurants Urbanbelly, bellyQ and Belly Shack.

The airline will offer an upgraded wine experience, with the highest-quality options curated exclusively by United's Master Sommelier. Inflight service will also include made-to-order signature ice cream sundaes, a dessert cart with a variety of petit dessert options, chocolate truffles and wine flights. On daytime flights longer than eight hours and on all flights longer than 12 hours, hot mid-flight snacks such as lobster macaroni and cheese will be available.

Raising The Bar With United Polaris Business Class Lounges

United will also open an exclusive portfolio of United Polaris business class lounges in nine locations around the world – the only lounge of its kind offered by a U.S. airline to business class customers – that will feature custom-designed chairs, private daybeds, spa-like showers and chef-inspired hot meals served in a boutique restaurant setting so customers can refresh and dine before boarding their planes. Premium sparkling wines and spirits, refreshing snacks and bottled water will also be offered.

The first new United Polaris lounge will open at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Dec. 1, 2016. Lounges in eight other locations – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong and London Heathrow – will follow in 2017.

United Polaris Introduction

United will begin to introduce United Polaris on Dec. 1, 2016, with the new inflight food and beverage experience, new custom bedding from Saks Fifth Avenue, new amenity kits and the new United Polaris lounge in Chicago. The United Polaris business class seat will first take flight in December on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and subsequently on Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, as well as on Boeing 767-300 and 777-200 retrofits.

United Polaris will serve business class customers flying the U.S. airline industry's most global route network, reaching more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries.

More information on the United Polaris business class can be found at united.com/Polaris.

[From [email][email protected] 11/15/2016]
Starting December 1, 2016, United Polaris Business Class service will replace United BusinessFirst service on international flights, and United Polaris Global First service will replace the current United Global First service.

Between 2017 to 2019 eight additional United Polaris lounges will open at EWR, HKG, IAD, IAH, LAX, LHR, NRT and SFO. We do not have the exact opening dates at this time. A scheduling announcement will be forthcoming.
** Flights with pajama service (for both directions)
SFO - ICN, PEK, PVG, HGH, XIV, TPE, AKL, HKG, CTU, SYD, TLV, SIN
EWR - NRT, PEK, DEL, BOM, HKG, PVG
ORD - NRT, PEK PVG, HKG
LAX - PVG, SYD, MEL, SIN
IAD - NRT, PEK
IAH - NRT, SYD
(from United Twitter feed https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CyjFHZLW...jpg&name=large

{Similar Threads:
Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-2018 (wiki) (thread)
Polaris lounge ORD - opened 01 Dec 2016 (wiki) (thread)
SFO Lounge changes? Which will become Polaris? Shower options?(wiki) (thread)
United Polaris-New Business Class seats & inflight service and new Polaris Lounges(wiki) (thread)}


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United Polaris - New Business Class seats & inflight service {Archive}

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Old Oct 1, 2016, 8:38 pm
  #1576  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Originally Posted by AtlLhr
I'm interested in this as well. We are not flying until Sept 2017 to Europe, and we have no idea what to expect.
"No idea what to expect"? You'll have the best of both worlds: you will be in the GF seat and be offered every aspect of the Polaris soft product and lounges.

Given that the Polaris soft product and lounges surpass the current GF soft product, it's win/win. The only downside may be crowding in the Polaris lounge compared to the GFL, but we don't know that yet.
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Old Oct 1, 2016, 8:40 pm
  #1577  
 
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Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767
I suspect those in MUC would suggest that their cuisine is not to be confused with that of their fellow Germans

Frankly, I'm for any-thing that will add variety to the meal service and improve the quality of wine. Of course with UA, every-thing will come to execution. Time will tell, but certainly looks promising from the marketing.
Spaetzle, Currywurst and Chicken Döner Dürum are all I eat in Berlin.

Imagine a half decent lahksa leaving SIN.
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Old Oct 1, 2016, 11:04 pm
  #1578  
 
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Ok, that Ted bear is pretty awesome.

Originally Posted by tuolumne
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Old Oct 1, 2016, 11:35 pm
  #1579  
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Originally Posted by cerealmarketer
More service tidbits here...

  • Each European and Chinese city will have its own menu for flights departing that city
  • Flights ex-US will largely have the same menus
  • Lounges will have both sit down table service from waiter and a hot buffet
  • Wines will have more 'up and coming' selections and FAs being trained on how to explain them
  • 5 instead of 4 main course choices - 5th choice will be salad plus protein option

http://travelskills.com/2016/09/30/d...verage-lounge/

Really why not have inspired menu from the departing US cities too.
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 8:45 am
  #1580  
 
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I have never flown UA internationally but have a flight in GF next summer. Having just seen pictures of the new Polaris seat, will it be superior to the 777 GF seat?
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 8:46 am
  #1581  
 
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Originally Posted by jm62
I have never flown UA internationally but have a flight in GF next summer. Having just seen pictures of the new Polaris seat, will it be superior to the 777 GF seat?
No.
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 12:57 pm
  #1582  
 
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Originally Posted by jm62
I have never flown UA internationally but have a flight in GF next summer. Having just seen pictures of the new Polaris seat, will it be superior to the 777 GF seat?
Nope, if anything the legacy GF seat will be more spacious and comfortable. What it won't be, though, is particularly private. That's one thing Polaris really has going for it. The Polaris dividers are much more elaborate than the ones in GF.
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 1:03 pm
  #1583  
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Traveling through EWR today on way back from Lisbon and GS agent mentioned that they may be putting a new lounge on the upper level (as in international arrivals level) of C3 - apparently there is an unused space there for "transfers" that OTG can't monetize lol....
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 1:38 pm
  #1584  
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Are they going to upgrade the 747s with the Polaris seats eventually?
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 1:55 pm
  #1585  
 
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Originally Posted by wco81
Are they going to upgrade the 747s with the Polaris seats eventually?
No, 747's are on the way out, no new Polaris seats (although I am unsure if they will add Polaris "service" to them?)
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 2:04 pm
  #1586  
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Yeah but it will take years to replace the 747s?

What are they going to do, replace them with 787s?

Are they buying any A350s?

But those new planes won't be deployed until after the decade?
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 2:12 pm
  #1587  
 
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Originally Posted by wco81
Yeah but it will take years to replace the 747s?

What are they going to do, replace them with 787s?

Are they buying any A350s?

But those new planes won't be deployed until after the decade?
The current plan is for all 747-400s to be gone before the end of 2018. There are 14 777-300ERs (77Ws) on order that will begin arriving in January and be on line before the 744s are gone. There are five additional 787-9s and 14 -10s on order too. There are also 35 A350s on order, but there is an unsubstantiated rumor that this will be cancelled and another set of 77Ws will be ordered. United press release.

Last edited by wxguy; Oct 2, 2016 at 2:17 pm
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 2:12 pm
  #1588  
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Originally Posted by wco81
Yeah but it will take years to replace the 747s?

What are they going to do, replace them with 787s?

Are they buying any A350s?

But those new planes won't be deployed until after the decade?
747s will all be gone by the end of 2018.

Replacement will be a mix of 777, 787, A350, and changing frequencies.

Yes, as far as they've made known publicly.

A350 deliveries start in 2018.
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 2:18 pm
  #1589  
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Ah, gonna miss the upper deck of the 747s.
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Old Oct 2, 2016, 7:57 pm
  #1590  
 
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Originally Posted by popoemt
No, 747's are on the way out, no new Polaris seats (although I am unsure if they will add Polaris "service" to them?)
Polaris service is being added to international flying regardless of reconfiguration to new seats.
worldtrav is offline  


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