The ever-resourceful Brian Sumers shares United’s chart laying out exactly which amenities are provisioned on what routes in both business class and economy — and in what quantities.
Every flight, every seat in United’s long haul business class gets a pillow and duvet. Nearly every flight gets a blanket at the seat as well. (The additional small pillow has been removed from Polaris.)
Mattress pads, cooling gel pillows, and slippers are available to passengers ‘on request’ on nearly all flights, and provisioned at 60% of the cabin — except that slippers are placed at every seat on Asia flights. Pajamas are available on the longest flights but are also on request and provisioned to 60% of the cabin.
I suggest requesting mattress pads, gel pillows, and pajamas early in flight just in case other passengers have the same idea.
In economy while pillow and blanket are provided at each seat, ear buds are available on request and provisioned for 75% of the cabin.
Here’s the chart:
(Click to enlarge)
I’m booked a Polaris seat for September, EWR-ATH and back. I was seeing so many ads for Polaris that I actually booked it. Now I see that not only do I not get an actual Polaris plane with Polaris seats, but because my flights are 11 hours and 11 hours 50 minutes, I don’t even get the pjs.
People say, come on, you still get the wine! But I don’t drink! And the club? Nope. No Polaris Club in Newark yet. So really, it’s just a 767 with a nice pillow and the Polaris duvet I got on my Hawaii flight.
I was a sucker, that’s for sure. I could’ve flown much cheaper for other BC seats. And I’m guessing that the cute Polaris stuffed bear didn’t even last a year?
I feel pretty silly. Why did I think that UA would deliver what was advertised? Gotta check the fine print.
@Jen I feel the same way. I booked my flight back in January. Going next month EWR – CDG. No lounge, no seats, and no bear. Many premature promises are not delivered by United.
Guys: United never promised the new seat on every fight on day one! Reconfiguring the fleet takes time!
They did promise the soft product and they are delivering on that!!
Will my kids flying TATL in business next month at least get bears?
United is walking a fine line on consumer deception, as the average consumer assumes that “Polaris” means the “Polaris” seats, amenities, service, and lounges marketed by United. “Business class” is a generic term across many airlines and one that means a lot of things, so variations in business class don’t seem deceptive. Polaris is marketed as its own specially thing. Rebranding old business class as “Polaris” is very misleading.
Jack: It has also proved to be a disaster because United’s Polaris rollout is already behind schedule.
Until the most recent delays, United was already claiming that a “majority” (their choice of words) of its fleet wouldn’t have the new seats until at least 2021.
Now, the lounges are delayed.
United should have sped up its installation of new seats and lounges.
But in reality, United failed miserably when it didn’t put better seats into its 787.
Inquiring minds want to know if United Airlines provisions toilet paper at four sheets per passenger? On my last flight, the toilet paper roll was empty. Fortunately, Hemispheres, United’s inflight magazine was available at every seat.
I wonder if these provisions apply to Polaris First Class on the flights that still offers F … would be pretty angry if I paid for F and didn’t get a mattress pad and the cooling gel pillow.
My wife, son, and I flew Polaris First (old seats) ORD – NRT in May. No pajamas on board either way and wrong amenity kit on the outbound. I half-jokingly told my wife to message them on Twitter (she had planned on using the pajamas, which should have been available on the 12+ hour flight). She chatted with someone who got our details and about a week later a care package showed up, with pajamas, another amenity kit, a model Dreamliner, and the bear.
Just trying to figure out what exactly to expect!! My daughter, 1year old (15month) old baby are flying to Sierra Leone Africa in just a few days….what exactly do we get!??