Elements of the meal service in United Airlines Polaris business class are gradually moving back to a pre-pandemic model, with a big step scheduled for next month including multi-course service on all routes and refreshed menus.
United Airlines Will Expand “Upgraded” Meal Service To All Longhaul Routes In Polaris Business Class
United Airlines has lagged behind American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in terms of restoring onboard dining to pre-pandemic norms, particularly in Polaris, United’s longhaul business class. While United’s competitors have reintroduced elaborate multi-course meals, United has continued to offer single-tray service on most flights.
In fact, in recent months that dessert has deteriorated such that even the pre-packaged ice cream has been replaced by small chocolate bars and in some cases nothing at all.
Nothing says premium like a Kit Kat bar…
The quality of the main courses also appears to have deteriorated.
It’s hard to mess up pasta, but somehow where there is a will there is a way…
In February, United began testing a new three-step service flow on select London and Frankfurt routes, eventually expanding it to all Frankfurt routes, India and Israel routes, and also the new Washington – Amman route. That includes:
- Step 1 – Pre-meal beverage/cocktail snack/lay table linen
- via cart
- Step 2 – Main meal tray with plated entrée
- hand-delivered
- no casserole dishes
- Step 3 – Dessert
- hand-delivered
Starting last month, refreshed, regionally-inspired menu options were introduced on India and Israel flights. Desserts on these trial routes include a pre-dressed ice cream sundae, cheese plate, and a pastry or cake.
Beginning In June, United Airlines will expand its three-step service model systemwide in Polaris class. A United spokesperson confirmed to Live and Let’s Fly “all long-haul international flights will feature new three-step service in Polaris cabin effective June 1, 2022.”
Additionally, we can soon expect refreshed menus on most flights. United further shared, “We are designing new, regionally-inspired menus for our system, and they will all feature the new three-step service.”
Frequent flyers of United will know that main course menu options have not changed for years, going back even before the pandemic. Offering an alternative to short ribs, fish, or pasta will be a welcome move.
United offers a great seat, comfortable bedding, an expansive IFE library, and increasingly reliable internet. Oddly, its meal service has lagged so far behind, but is now catching up.
CONCLUSION
United is recognizing the importance of meal service in creating a premium experience that will leave passengers satisfied. While few will book a flight for the meal, meal service can leave a lasting impression, either positive or negative, that impacts customer satisfaction and longterm loyalty.
Finally about time. Now let’s bring back the regular meal service on short haul domestic flights, I think we’re all sick of the “Italian ragu”,
In other words, the 2019 long haul hawaii service
Amirite???? Polaris to Hawaii meals are the ABSOLUTE WORST garbage. Disgusting. At the very minimum, serve your burgers in FC? How hard can that be?
What about the Pratt and Whit 777s?
What about them? They should start returning in an ad-hoc basis within the next week.
Did United not yet roll out the new menu on SFO TLV? Just did the return and the menu options were a far cry from the fresh, tasty-sounding choices you wrote about in March…
That’s too bad – yes, menu will varied like on TLV routes.
Are they bringing back the ice cream sundae cart? That’s what really separated them from others. You can press through a dodgy meal because the ice cream sundae was always reliable
No ice cream sundae cart. “Pre-topped” ice cream will be available.
Your top photo should be updated to reflect that so that it does not cause confusion.
These ice cream sundaes look much like my picture. You don’t get to pick the topping any more, but it is still like a sundae.
Enough with an ice cream sundae anyway! That sad sundae has been so overused for year. Do you really think I want something creamy after sipping red wine, or a scotch. Let’s get with some lovely pastry, or cheese plate, or ANYTHING another than ice cream! Lord, put it to bed.
Will this enhanced service apply to premium transcontinental routes in Polaris?
No, only longhaul flights.
This service is still a cutback from pre-pandemic while AA and DL are largely back to normal. I applaud service improvements but this still isn’t at the level of United’s direct competition.
Agreed. But it’s incremental progress that is desperately needed.
What ever happened to the hot towel service, printed menus and wine and liquor too? No appetizers or warm nuts service? And what happened to the grey Saks fleece they used to offer? That’s gone too!! Man, United sucks big time!! Even AA has a much better soft product now, without so much hype and excuses!
“What ever happened to the hot towel service, printed menus and wine and liquor too?”
Kinda wild to think that 30 years ago you would get these things in Economy on transatlantic flights.
I’ve always wondered what the history of the warm nuts is? I didn’t know this was a thing until I started flying business/first about 15 years ago.
It seemed an odd tradition. Nowhere else does one get presented with an unrequested ramekin of hot mixed nuts as if that were a totally normal thing to give to someone. And yet now it is entrenched as a basic right of business class travel that was stripped from us in the pandemic.
Soon I’m taking my kids on their first transatlantic flight business class. I hope they’ll get a good dessert out of it. One of them is allergic to tree nuts, and she hates having the allergy. I think she will be upset to see her sister scoff down the hot nut ramekin. I’m trying to think of something to bring along as a substitute surprise. I’m thinking cracker jack.
Lol! I get your point haha! Well, first world problems I guess? Anyways, have a great trip you guys and maybe try bringing some cheese’ crackers, I believe they’re called. They were pretty popular in their heyday.
How about fligh from Dallas to Brazil or Chicago to Brazil. When this company will start with tthis service on business class.
You mean Houston to Brazil? We should see improved meals on those routes too.
DON’T LET ANYONE FOOL YOU WITH NICE TITLES.
THIS ALL SERVICE WAS DESIGNED IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THE AISLE POSITION WHOICH MKAES THE GALLEY FA “GO OUT”TO THE AISLE
NO CART PREP
NO PROPPER APPATIZER(IT’S STILL ONLY SALAD)
NO SUNDAE CART
ITS JUST PURE COST CUTTING
WHICH AT THE END LEADS TO LESS ATTENTIVE SERVICE
Yes, it is still several steps back from the pre-pandemic service flow, but onboard food/drink is at least moving in the right direction.
My flight last September in Polaris to Munich had appalling food service , no pre departure drink offered-was asked what type drink I would like WITH my meal. Tray arrives drink entire meal including ice cream in a cup. What do you think the ice cream was like as a dessert at the end of my meal??? Traveling again in September 2022 praying for improved service and food
Honestly why does anyone fly business class on any US based airline internationally…there are so many better options.
Just got off UA863 SFO-SYD. 14 hours nonstop. Sad, sad, sad Polaris product.
Very senior staff worked the first meal, disappeared, and then magically appeared 75 minutes before landing to serve breakfast. Catering was awful. Food was almost inedible. No menus. The F/A showed me her iPhone screen with photos of the dinner options. No second pass of drinks. Dessert was frozen lemon sorbet in a carboard cup with a plastic spoon.
The self-serve mid-flight snack selection was water, chips, one type of cookie, and a hard-as-a-rock bun with a single slice of pink something. No butter.
I’ve been a 1K for 25 years. June 1 can’t come soon enough.
Oh man! I’ll be taking that flight in early June, and used miles to upgrade to Polaris.
I’m really hoping service will be restored on my flight in time…
Based on past experience with UA rolling out Polaris, I will believe it when I see it.
I am a 1K, but based largely on domestic F. My next international flights are KLM, AF, AF, BA, AF and SN (which is *A), all in business class, almost all for work, and am looking forward to the experience. I would have bought UA if there were any PlusPoints upgrades or if it were the cheapest, but I will not pay the highest price for the worst soft product. I don’t hate UA – it is just overpriced for what it is. And frankly, nothing in the description of the UA improvements June 1 leads me to believe that even if they happen, will raise the quality of their soft product to the level of those other airlines. And others may disagree, but at this point, as an average size person, all the hard products are pretty much the same to me.
Heard it from a little birdie this news aye 😉
My last 8 Or 9 flights in Polaris class were pathetic. When the served a single tray with melted ice cream carton, soup and main course and never returned except to collect the scraps was typical. I really was concerned that United had forgotten who pays the most and therefore wants real service. United really is mostly a follower, not a leader, and then a slow follower. We are probably the problem, as many of us are locked into their airline for the most part. They know we have few choices even tho they tell us on every flight “we know you have choices”….
Who cares?
Moronic United makes you drag way out to mosquito-infested, Noo Joizey to deal with all the goombahs. In a two-state fare zone.
NO New Yorker in their right mind would consider United in Newark when we have Delta and American right here!
Who cares?
Moronic United makes you drag way out to mosquito-infested, Noo Joizey to deal with all the goombahs. In a two-state fare zone.
NO New Yorker in their right mind would consider United in Newark when we have Delta and American right here!
I personally find excess food unhealthy in general and sitting down in an airplane makes it even more uncomfortable.
Flew Polaris from Rome to IAD yesterday. No improvement from what’s been mentioned. Horrific food served by attendants trying their best. Coach level quality at best. Completely unacceptable.
Flew Polaris in June, first SFO-FRA, then ZRH-SFO. Hard product (seat, video) is very good, though on my plane my seat was ripped, the carpet was ripped and frayed. The soft product though is abysmal. Some of the food was literally not cutable or chewable (chicken). Surly flight attendants, who are also frustrated that the service level in Polaris pales so badly in comparison to other airlines. “Snack” is a passed around basket of chips – there was only one bag of chips by the time they got to me, and the FA just tossed it onto my tray. Freezer burned ice cream desert. A muffin dumped on the tray upside down, still in its airtight plastic seal. Perfunctory, single drink service. No menus – the FA passed around his crumbled photocopy of FA instructions which showed the menu choices – classy! I’ve complained to United, and they credited me back a few thousand miles – a token gesture, pretty much like the Polaris service.
Yes, I pretty much had the same experience from NY to Singapore via San Francisco. Seat was good but that was the only thing that was. I had heard that the Polaris service was back to pre-pandemic quality. It was clearly not. Poor quality food served all at once and a crew that really didn’t show any interest. I was under the impression that on long haul routes (SFO-Sin) there were double crews. I woke up in the middle of the 18 hour flight and thought I would be able to get something to eat. When I finally found a FA he pointed to the galley and said I could help myself to some sandwiches that were wrapped in cellophane. Beyond disappointing! I’m also tired of hearing the same speech about how service is our passion but safety is first. Hello, we all know that line! I ended up flying home from Jakarta through Doha on Qatar. I had flown them before and was impressed and this time I was ecstatic. United does have some great airfares but as the expression says. You get what you pay for. So, if service and food is not what you care about by all means fly United. Just bring your own pillow.
Until they train, they’re sunk. Not much to do, while on board, but “place a try”. Really embarrassing for the people at the top…
Can anyone say training? Like serving three day training?
Even during those Bankruptcy years, the choice of menu, served on a crisp linen-lined table, set with United Cutlery including airline-sized Crystal, served from the cart as “your choice(s)”, plated using a fork-and-spoon technique, standard to most International liveries, followed with golden Port, grapes, cheese and apples. Preceded with a staff, trained in the art of entertainment along with Safety standards, who are well-groomed, dressed impeccably in business best, presenting their host and hostess acumen they were purportedly hired for. The aircraft, properly staffed to show a customer ratio that is proportionate to the Company’s importance of passenger service and retention, is spotless and offers the correct environment to its inhabitants. If we want this type of service, on a regular basis once again, we need to entertain Emirates, non-stop, SFO/LAX-JFK and points between.