It is rare to see soft product enhancement during the pandemic, particularly in economy class, but United Airlines is trialing pillows which appear to be a genuine upgrade.
April 16, 2021 UPDATE: United will add this pillow to all its flights to/from Frankfurt (FRA) effective April 28, 2021 on U.S. departures and April 29th on Frankfurt departures. That includes:
- Chicago (ORD)
- Denver (DEN)
- Houston (IAH)
- Newark (EWR)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Washington (IAD)
March 4, 2021 UPDATE: Due to overwhelming positive feedback from customers and flight attendants, United will offer this pillow on its India routes starting immediately.
- Newark (EWR) ⇄ New Delhi (EWR)
- Newark (EWR) ⇄ Mumbai (BOM)
- San Francisco (SFO) ⇄New Delhi (DEL)
- Chicago (ORD) ⇄ New Delhi (DEL)
New Multi-Use Pillows In United Airlines Economy Class
Earlier this month, United debuted new pillows in economy class on its flights to Israel. Available on flights between San Francisco/Newark and Tel Aviv, the new pillows are are being tested before potentially expanding to other routes.
The new pilots are “multi-use” and can be used as a:
- Standard pillow
- Neck pillow
- Lumbar support (when folded in half)
Whether United ditches these pillows or expands them to more international flights will depend upon feedback from flight attendants and passengers.
The pillows bear the United logo and as well as the phrase “Sleep. Travel. Repeat.” That will likely make them collector’s items and prime targets for onboard pilfering.
Unlike some of the premium bedding amenities in Polaris business class, these pillows will be provisioned at 100%, so you won’t have to worry about asking for a pillow: it should be right on your seat as you board.
CONCLUSION
It’s nice to see an upgrade in the midst of all the cutbacks. Based on the pictures above, these may save us the need to bring our own neck pillows when traveling in longhaul economy class.
And if United can find the budget to upgrade pillows, hopefully it will soon find the budget to restore meal service to pre-pandemic levels!
Traveling to Tel Aviv soon on United? Please report back if you experience the new pillow!
EY used these pillows in Y back in 2015 when I flew them ORDJNB. They’re a definite improvement over standard airplane pillows. I hope UA expands these to all long haul flights.
Anecdotally do people have an idea how much is united charging to upgrade to premium plus or pollaris from economy last minute? I see transatlantic flights with many empty seats in polaris.
Had a cousin who travelled on EWR-DEL-EWR flight and he was given Polaris upgrade option for $700 per leg. He booked his ticket only couple of days in advance and he paid $1400 for roundtrip.
Stop! That’s too much innovation for economy class.
Hahaha
UNITED rising
I was told now all economy passengers are allowed to use First/Business class toilets in UA flights. Another reason to fly Basic Economy in UA 😀
@Matthew
Semi-hilarious (and meaning-changing) typo in the third para:
“The new pilots are “multi-use” and can be used…”; perhaps you mean “pillows.” One could only hope that pilots are good for multiple uses/flights.
I cannot wait to lay my head down on a pillow that was just used by another passenger. Oh wait, I don’t fly United. 🙂
The linings are replaced after each flight.
You do know pillows get taken off and refreshed between flights, right?
C’mon Matthew!!! Have you seen them being replaced? Airlines are operating like buses where once you unload passengers you load new ones and leave. There is no way and time to replace hundreds of pillowcases. It goes against any improvement in operational efficiency.
Are they though?
Santastico, I have seen them being replaced. A large group of cleaners swarm the aircraft and remove/replace them very quickly.
I loved mine. I kept it and use it on my lounge chair. I was looking to find where I can get another one!
In July 2022, on a flight from FRA to IAD, these neck pillows were provided on economy seats.
On my recent flight from IAD to FRA in February 2023, while boarding I could see that these pillows were left on economy premium seats only.
I asked a flight attendant and he gave me one while saying that pillows are provided to economy premium class but not economy.
But on my return flight from LHR to IAD, pillows were provided to all economy passengers.
That was a miscatering incident (for lack of a better word). Those pillows are standard in economy class as well.