Jan 17, 2020, 6:38 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
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
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.
** 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)}
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.
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.
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.
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)}
United Polaris - New Business Class seats & inflight service {Archive}
Jun 22, 2016, 11:00 am
#871
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Jun 22, 2016, 11:10 am
#872
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
A realist would remember that one of the main reasons given for the selection of the Acumen seat is that it can be modified, primarily by adjusting the angles of individual seats, to fit in various cross sections.
Jun 22, 2016, 11:20 am
#873
Join Date: Jan 2005
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But undoubtedly much more complex, expensive airplanes and systems to maintain, with diminishing parts/vendor support around the world owing to the large-scale retirement of the fleet from many carriers over the past 5-7 years.
Jun 22, 2016, 11:25 am
#874
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A pessimist could read this as taking the 777 product and trying to put it into the 787 without modifications.
A realist would remember that one of the main reasons given for the selection of the Acumen seat is that it can be modified, primarily by adjusting the angles of individual seats, to fit in various cross sections.
A realist would remember that one of the main reasons given for the selection of the Acumen seat is that it can be modified, primarily by adjusting the angles of individual seats, to fit in various cross sections.
Jun 22, 2016, 11:27 am
#875
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SEA, WAS, PEK
Programs: UA 3K UGS 3MM
Posts: 2,176
Moreover, its a farce that newer planes = better passenger experience. It's the seat that matters.
Jun 22, 2016, 11:28 am
#876
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
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Posts: 9,454
My guess is the Polaris product, as announced, is optimized for the 777 and will have wider seats and aisles on the A350. I suspect UA will lose one seat abreast for the 787 and two for the 767 vs. the 777/A350.
Last edited by EWR764; Jun 22, 2016 at 11:48 am
Jun 22, 2016, 1:31 pm
#877
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Posts: 1,913
The Unexpected Micro-Revolution Behind United Airlines’ New Business Class Seat
https://skift.com/2016/06/22/the-une...ss-class-seat/
Acumen’s designers figured out how to replace United’s two current business class configurations, which require many passengers to step over seat-mates to reach the aisle – with one that allows easy aisle access for all, and they did so without requiring the airline to remove any seats. According to Acumen, after retrofits, United’s Boeing 777s and Boeing 787s will have exactly as many premium seats as today – in the same space.
United expects to introduce the Polaris seat early next year on its new Boeing 777-300s. It will then spend several years retrofitting some existing Boeing 777s and Boeing 767s with the new seat, as it also adds it to new Boeing 787-10s and Airbus A350s.
Much of space-savings comes from how Acumen oriented the seats. In most cabins, all seats are either oriented on an angle, or they are aligned straight. But Acumen’s design is different. Some seats are angled, while others face forward. This has never been done before, and Acumen’s designers aren’t sure why.
One of the trickiest parts was developing a design that could work on many aircraft, including the Boeing 777, Boeing 767, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. All of the cabins are different width, and other designers have struggled with how to allow airlines to use the same seat on every aircraft. This is part of the reason Delta Air Lines and American Airlines use a completely different seat design on their narrower 767s than on other aircraft.
But Acumen figured it out. Most of United’s wide-bodies will have one seat on each window, with two in the middle. But the 767s will have what is essentially a 1-1-1 configuration.
But Acumen figured it out. Most of United’s wide-bodies will have one seat on each window, with two in the middle. But the 767s will have what is essentially a 1-1-1 configuration.
Jun 22, 2016, 1:35 pm
#878
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
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With every aircraft, we had to slightly tweak some dimensions, like seat width or the dimensions of the seat,” Clucas said.
Jun 22, 2016, 1:48 pm
#879
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Still find it slightly weird that they have a 5 year exclusivity clause but won't have it fleet wide until the exclusivity deal is done in 2021. You would think it would be longer for a few more years atleast.
Jun 22, 2016, 2:18 pm
#880
Join Date: Jun 2006
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I agree, but presumably it would take anyone else nearly that long to roll it out. So United will still have a five-year head start.
Jun 22, 2016, 2:20 pm
#881
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Five years is probably all UA could get in the negotiation. Makes sense in a way: they want exclusivity mostly during the rollout, so someone else can't swoop in and start installing the same product before Polaris is well established.
Jun 22, 2016, 2:46 pm
#882
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: Hilton Diamond, UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 133
Has United said anything about the number of miles required to purchase an award ticket in United Polaris?
Is the working assumption that for now United Polaris will cost as many miles as Business First award tickets, and that United Global First Polaris (before it is phased out) will cost as many miles for award tickets as United Global First?
Is the working assumption that for now United Polaris will cost as many miles as Business First award tickets, and that United Global First Polaris (before it is phased out) will cost as many miles for award tickets as United Global First?
Jun 22, 2016, 3:21 pm
#883
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Jun 22, 2016, 11:33 pm
#885
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You would think United would learn from experience. "United Global First" was a ridiculous name to begin with as just "First" would have done but I get they had to do something to differentiate First from Biz since CO came out with the ubsurd name; "Business First".........but now that biz is going to be called Polaris (which is fine), why not call First, just "first"? Again they are asking for confusion when none should exhist and using to many words to explain a simple concept. First is first. It works for EVERY other airline flying around the world and UA is not exactly known as a trendsetter