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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 17, 2016, 7:27 am
  #1711  
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Originally Posted by BigBossman
According to UA folks at the IAD Polaris event the 777-300s will have air vents. I asked specifically about them and was even told that was an $800K/plane option that UA chose.
Good for them. I actively avoid planes without vents as I need moving air when in an aluminum (or carbon fiber) tube.
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 9:39 am
  #1712  
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Spotted it ORD today. Recommended does not necessarily mean onboard. And this assumes the Crew will be trained beyond "today I have, um, red or white."
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 10:36 am
  #1713  
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Originally Posted by BigBossman
According to UA folks at the IAD Polaris event the 777-300s will have air vents. I asked specifically about them and was even told that was an $800K/plane option that UA chose.
Wow! A breeze of air does make the journey tollerable instead of being at the mercy of the thermostate dial. Very keen to try Polaris but i guess AMS will be one of the last upgraded routes as usual.

Whoever deciced that will get a hug from me now that i won't suffer from hotflashes
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 5:40 pm
  #1714  
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Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
That employee was misinformed. There will be no F cabin on the 767s however the new Polaris Business cabin will be 30 seats in 1x1x1 configuration.
Thanks for the clarification, JOSECONLSCREW ! That's still good-ish news, except (as someone else pointed out) for couples traveling together. I suppose they think the ottoman for dual dining at the same table will be sufficient.
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 5:42 pm
  #1715  
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Originally Posted by milepig
Attachment 20130

Spotted it ORD today. Recommended does not necessarily mean onboard. And this assumes the Crew will be trained beyond "today I have, um, red or white."
"I have the French Burgundy or the Sauvignon Blanc". Thank you. Tells me very little unless I can see the bottles. Likewise "I have the Shiraz or the Malbec".
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 6:04 pm
  #1716  
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Originally Posted by 1P
Thanks for the clarification, JOSECONLSCREW ! That's still good-ish news, except (as someone else pointed out) for couples traveling together. I suppose they think the ottoman for dual dining at the same table will be sufficient.
You can't use an ottoman for dual dining when you use a footwell like UA has chosen.
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 6:12 pm
  #1717  
 
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Originally Posted by 1P
Thanks for the clarification, JOSECONLSCREW ! That's still good-ish news, except (as someone else pointed out) for couples traveling together. I suppose they think the ottoman for dual dining at the same table will be sufficient.
The 777 center seats will actually be pretty good for couples traveling together, definitely better in this respect than a pure reverse herringbone where pax are somewhat secluded from each other.
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 7:23 pm
  #1718  
 
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Originally Posted by BigBossman
According to UA folks at the IAD Polaris event the 777-300s will have air vents. I asked specifically about them and was even told that was an $800K/plane option that UA chose.
Did they get the protective coating and undercoat?
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Old Oct 17, 2016, 7:33 pm
  #1719  
 
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Originally Posted by 1P
"I have the French Burgundy or the Sauvignon Blanc". Thank you. Tells me very little unless I can see the bottles. Likewise "I have the Shiraz or the Malbec".
Well, it does tell you a heck of a lot more than "red or white." Though I do agree that the proper way to serve wine is to first prominently display the bottle in such a way that the label is clearly visible. (And give someone like me enough time to put my readers on. )
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 3:54 am
  #1720  
 
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Originally Posted by BigBossman
According to UA folks at the IAD Polaris event the 777-300s will have air vents. I asked specifically about them and was even told that was an $800K/plane option that UA chose.
Thanks a ton. Glad to hear.
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 4:29 am
  #1721  
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Originally Posted by 1P
"I have the French Burgundy or the Sauvignon Blanc". Thank you. Tells me very little unless I can see the bottles. Likewise "I have the Shiraz or the Malbec".
Originally Posted by 1kBill
Well, it does tell you a heck of a lot more than "red or white." Though I do agree that the proper way to serve wine is to first prominently display the bottle in such a way that the label is clearly visible. (And give someone like me enough time to put my readers on. )
I can't recall anyone talking about it...Will Polaris service mean an actual, printed wine list will once again be provided? To me, that is the biggest failure currently.

If the wine list is printed (and actually matches what is on board), the onus for every flight attendant to serve as sommelier in flight is quite reduced.
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 5:11 am
  #1722  
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Originally Posted by goodeats21
I can't recall anyone talking about it...Will Polaris service mean an actual, printed wine list will once again be provided? To me, that is the biggest failure currently.

If the wine list is printed (and actually matches what is on board), the onus for every flight attendant to serve as sommelier in flight is quite reduced.
Other airlines provide a wine list and then serve the wines on the list. Why can't United do the same?
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 5:48 am
  #1723  
 
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Originally Posted by halls120
Other airlines provide a wine list and then serve the wines on the list. Why can't United do the same?
It will starting Dec 1.

There's a new 'beverage' insert to the menu spotted on Polaris test flight photos.
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 6:24 am
  #1724  
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Originally Posted by halls120
Other airlines provide a wine list and then serve the wines on the list. Why can't United do the same?
That has been my question for quite some time now. Hoping it happens when Polaris rolls out.

Originally Posted by cerealmarketer
It will starting Dec 1.

There's a new 'beverage' insert to the menu spotted on Polaris test flight photos.
That is a good sign, but wondering if one of our FA friends can confirm. Or maybe someone asked specifically at one of the shows?
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 7:26 am
  #1725  
 
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Originally Posted by 1kBill
Well, it does tell you a heck of a lot more than "red or white." Though I do agree that the proper way to serve wine is to first prominently display the bottle in such a way that the label is clearly visible. (And give someone like me enough time to put my readers on. )
I'm not going to say that I have the most sophisticated wine palate, but honestly, with the swill that's been served, the FA's description of 'red or white' was a bit more helpful than 'pinot noir or malbec' since both were pretty bad. I usually just went with Dewars to avoid the unpleasantness Hopefully those menu inserts match the actual offerings!
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