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Home  >  News • United Airlines  >  United Airlines Will Restore Hot Towels To Premium Cabins
NewsUnited Airlines

United Airlines Will Restore Hot Towels To Premium Cabins

Matthew Klint Posted onNovember 10, 2022November 10, 2022 22 Comments

United Airlines will bring back hot towels on select premium cabin flights starting next month. It’s a small addition, but an important one and another small step toward the full return of the pre-pandemic soft product.

Hot Towels Return To United Airlines

There are few things more refreshing on an airplane than a hot towel before a meal service or after waking up from a nap.

Since March 2020, United has suspended the use of hot towels, blaming the pandemic. Over a year after American and months after Delta restored hot towels service, the carrier will bring back hot towel service on select transcontinental and long-haul flights starting on December 1, 2022, including:

  • All International flights in the United Polaris cabin prior to the:
    • Main meal service
    • Pre-arrival service
  • All premium transcontinental flights in the United First/Business cabin prior to the:
    • Main meal service

Practically, that means all flights to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America as well as flights between Newark and Los Angeles / San Francisco.

There is something about hot towels and flying in premium cabins that bring a smile to my face. I tend to sleep well on planes and I love waking up from a long slumber to the refreshing feel of a hot towel on my face.

(And yes, I am one of those passengers who will wipe down his tray table after wiping his face. Faux pax?)

United tells flights flight attendants the “hot towels will not be scented,” however, “a new sachet is in production, which is similar to a scent currently available in the United Clubs, and will be boarded next year.”

CONCLUSION

It’s nice to see hot towels come back (and yes, they should have come back months earlier). Hopefully, they will soon return to all premium cabin flights with meal service, just like before the pandemic. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to offer an elevated in-flight product.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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22 Comments

  1. Gravelly Point Guy Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 9:50 am

    Agreed!

  2. Adam Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 10:20 am

    Haha yes I used to do that too – wipe down the tray post face use but in hindsight that’s also pretty unsanitary so always bring wipes now and wipe down all the “high touch” surfaces – beyond the single wipe UA provides. My seatmate(s) must think I’m quite neurotic.

  3. styleonthegothurston Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 10:38 am

    What would be even better was for United to overhaul its premium catering. It is downright disgusting.

  4. Derek Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 10:41 am

    Are the long Hawaii flights also going to receive hot towel service?

  5. Stuart Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 10:59 am

    I would gladly sacrifice a hot towel for catering that was actually respectable. Or more than just barely edible. I mean, who is the genius that came up with the pre-landing (horrid) Cheeseburger paired with a muffin in intl J? Yes, because when I think of a cheeseburger I instantly think of a muffin on the side. Honestly, it seems like some teenager living in his parent’s basement designed the UA food offerings.

  6. William Robert Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 11:47 am

    There’s no excuse not to bring back every single pre pandemic service aspect if they are bring pre pandemic status requirements

    • Timothy Reply
      November 11, 2022 at 2:53 pm

      Exactly! Couldn’t agree more.

  7. derek Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 11:59 am

    You just wipe the table? I try to get maximum use of the towel, wiping the armrest, table and much more. It does risk spread, though. If there is fecal material only on one area, it will be spread everywhere

  8. ECH Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 12:24 pm

    Hot towels that are made with plane water? Gotta pass. Healthline: “Testing found the presence of microorganisms in the water, including the total coliform bacteria. Their presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing pathogens could be there as well.” Conde Nast Traveler: “The tap water on both major and regional U.S. carriers was found to be contaminated with varying levels of E. coli and coliform, according to the newly released 2019 Airline Water Study”

    • William Robert Reply
      November 10, 2022 at 12:31 pm

      Heat kills E. Coli. So the question is, how hot are the hot towels?

    • Maryland Reply
      November 10, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      Wouldn’t the steam temperature kill off most of the pathogens? I really enjoy the hot towels. And after washing hands I use a disinfecting wipe. It’s always felt safer & use the wipe to open the door.

  9. ed lewis Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 1:15 pm

    Drip Drip Drip…..the rate of restoration should be embarrassing to the C suite folks at ual.

  10. Jerry Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 3:41 pm

    I truly do not understand why people are served hot towels on planes. It isn’t like you’re ever given one anywhere else in the world. You don’t greet your spouse at the front door with a hot towel when they come home from work. They’ve been back on AA, even on domestic routes, for a long time, and I always decline. I guess I just don’t see the purpose of being served a hot towel on a domestic flight departing Phoenix in July. A cold towel might be nice.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      November 10, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      I’ve been to dinner parties with hot towels!

      • Maryland Reply
        November 10, 2022 at 7:01 pm

        Yes. Japan has a tradition. And much more useful than the finger bowls at extremely formal western dinners

    • Yolo Reply
      November 11, 2022 at 9:27 pm

      Tell me you’re poor without telling me you’re poor.

  11. T- Reply
    November 10, 2022 at 4:20 pm

    Some responders are germ phobic to extreme. There are “germs” everywhere. Keeping one’s immune system healthy is the answer. One needs germ exposure for immunity. So, the hot towel post face washing is used to wipe down my area if needed otherwise a wipe for the table is perfectly fine.

    • Maryland Reply
      November 10, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      Yes I am perhaps more careful than most because I need be. However I have seen things in the lav that looked like a crime scene. And the hold water could be disgusting, you cannot be certain.

    • Yolo Reply
      November 11, 2022 at 9:31 pm

      Imagine thinking everyone else is a germophobe as you wipe down your seat area.

  12. Tony W Reply
    November 11, 2022 at 2:38 am

    All this for a bug we knew already in February 2020 didn’t spread on surfaces. Science!

  13. John Reply
    November 11, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    What about Hawaii!? And yes, they should focus on catering first. If I have to eat the chicken zatar one more time…why is there only one pair of options in domestic first?? Chicken pesto or fake meatball have been my only options every flight since they brought back food in first. It’s pretty inexcusable at this point.

  14. Lo Reply
    November 12, 2022 at 12:34 pm

    Spreading your skin cells, dirt, and face germs on your tray table? If you think that’s cool, then keep doing it. As a 37 year International Flight Attendan, I find it disguting.

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