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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 Nov 29, 2016, 4:56 pm
  #2191  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Originally Posted by trust77
This may be too early to ask, or I can respond when I fly next week, but there are certain sleep amenities only available on Polaris flights over 12 hours (cooling pillow, pyjamas). Is DEN-NRT one of these eligible flights? I know the actual flight time can be under twelve hours, but my itinerary shows flight time at 12H 25M. Can someone confirm?
Whenever United announces an amenity for flights of a certain duration, they use blocked time, not actual flight time. I'd expect pajamas (though I'd also expect provisioning issues in the early days).
villox is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 4:59 pm
  #2192  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Posts: 7,058
Originally Posted by TomA
Is SQ allowing Star Alliance partner passengers into their lounges in SIN? If I recall, you had to use a special Star Alliance lounge they set up for that purpose, but it's been a while since I used it.
There is the SQ Gold Lounge for pax with *G status traveling in Y.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 5:02 pm
  #2193  
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Wow, for people who spend thousands to fly in J overseas, there's a lot of concern about getting pajamas which probably cost a couple of bucks to make.
wco81 is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 5:25 pm
  #2194  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA Premier Gold
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http://travelskills.com/2016/11/29/p...ited-club-sfo/

Info on Polaris and UC changes at SFO
smxflyer is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 5:28 pm
  #2195  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K 1.45MM, Marriott+SPG Plat, Clear, Nexus, Global Entry and MEX Viajero Confiable
Posts: 1,777
Originally Posted by wco81
Wow, for people who spend thousands to fly in J overseas, there's a lot of concern about getting pajamas which probably cost a couple of bucks to make.
Being 6'2 245 with linebacker shoulders I don't even bother with airline pj's. I'm more concerned in getting the gel pillow and the mattress pad.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 5:30 pm
  #2196  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA GS 4MM
Posts: 583
Originally Posted by JVPhoto
There is the SQ Gold Lounge for pax with *G status traveling in Y.
Only if you're flying *A. My wife and I found out the hard way, flying Silkair (SQ subsidiary/partner) to Siem Reap. Turns out that though they're part of SQ, they're not part of *A, so we were turned away. We did somehow survive, though...
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 6:28 pm
  #2197  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Originally Posted by JDT1955
Only if you're flying *A. My wife and I found out the hard way, flying Silkair (SQ subsidiary/partner) to Siem Reap. Turns out that though they're part of SQ, they're not part of *A, so we were turned away. We did somehow survive, though...
Thai Air Smile also doesn't work and they sell that mixed in with the other flights on the Thai Air website.
TomA is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 6:31 pm
  #2198  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Originally Posted by smxflyer
http://travelskills.com/2016/11/29/p...ited-club-sfo/

Info on Polaris and UC changes at SFO
It says:

>The new Polaris lounge will have two levels. It will encompass the existing United Club space (upstairs) plus the footprint of the adjacent existing Singapore Air and Eva Airlines lounges (downstairs). The new United Polaris lounge will welcome these airlines’ passengers under the same entrance requirements for United passengers. (This represents a long-awaited upgrade to Singapore Air’s dated lounge at SFO.)

So.. that explains why the *A folks get access.
TomA is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 7:09 pm
  #2199  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: United 1K, AC 50K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Platinum
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Originally Posted by wco81
Wow, for people who spend thousands to fly in J overseas, there's a lot of concern about getting pajamas which probably cost a couple of bucks to make.
I for one would like to know as I am fliying ORD-PVG in mid-Dec. For overseas flights I either bring a change of comfy clothes to sleep in or use the pjs provided. I don't want to bring extra clothes if I don't have to.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 7:36 pm
  #2200  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
Originally Posted by smxflyer
http://travelskills.com/2016/11/29/p...ited-club-sfo/

Info on Polaris and UC changes at SFO
I love the use of the words "lounge scene." Makes me wonder what Austin Powers type shenanigans I'm missing.
CO DCA is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 8:06 pm
  #2201  
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,969
So, for international Y *G passengers out of SFO who can currently use the SQ lounge and BR Y/PE *G passengers who can use the BR lounge, it would be a "downgrade" as they would be stuck with the regular United Club, right?
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 8:10 pm
  #2202  
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Join Date: May 2007
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Originally Posted by username
So, for international Y *G passengers out of SFO who can currently use the SQ lounge and BR Y/PE passengers who can use the BR lounge, it would be a "downgrade" as they would be stuck with the regular United Club, right?
Yes.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 8:24 pm
  #2203  
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Eh I used the SQ lounge at SFO in July.

It was small compared to UC.

They had some different foods compared to UC but overall it wasn't much to write home about.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 8:49 pm
  #2204  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K MM *G
Posts: 344
Originally Posted by trust77
This may be too early to ask, or I can respond when I fly next week, but there are certain sleep amenities only available on Polaris flights over 12 hours (cooling pillow, pyjamas). Is DEN-NRT one of these eligible flights? I know the actual flight time can be under twelve hours, but my itinerary shows flight time at 12H 25M. Can someone confirm?
If a particular route meets the 12hr cutoff in either direction, the entire route will be stocked with the PJs. Slippers will be on available upon request on all international flights including those to Europe.
SF_DUKE is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2016, 8:49 pm
  #2205  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
Programs: papa card, UA 1K
Posts: 707
For me the polaris lounge product was relevant before UA revamped UA Club; but now I just don't get it. How many people are going to have a full meal before flying J and then have a full meal on board?

I noticed they didn't put a shower into the new LAX club; I guess to distinguish it from Polaris?

Anyway they should take pressure off UA clubs.
ermintrude is offline  


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