Did United Overpromise and Underdeliver on Polaris?

At the end of 2016, United Airlines launched their new premium product, Polaris, with great fanfare. Future projects included multiple Polaris-class lounges, alongside improved in-air amenities. Over 14 months later, much of that never came to fruition – with even more plans being cut from ever coming to life.

Was United Airlines too ambitious in launching their signature Polaris service? In an editorial published by Skift, one writer argues that although the much-needed improvements were exciting, they have so far not lived up to the product’s overall hype.

United announced the launch of Polaris in 2016, with a gala at their newly minted Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) lounge. During the rollout, United executives promised a number of new experiences for the premium flyer, including refreshed in-flight amenities from Saks Fifth Avenue, traveling wine and bloody mary carts in the skies, as well as a brand new food and beverage menu on the ground.

But since announcing the product’s launch, many of the promises have yet to materialize. According to United, only 21 percent of promised aircraft have been fitted with the Polaris seat: 14 new deliveries of United’s 777-300ER and only four 767-300ER airframes. A subsequent investigation by FlyerTalk revealed that some of the routes that were promised Polaris amenities, including those from Hawaii, were not actually receiving them in the premium cabin.

Furthermore, the airline confirmed that the promises of wine flights and bloody mary carts will never come to fruition, as both ideas have been grounded until further notice. Although flyers in the premium cabin can still order custom drinks, the idea of offering a forward cabin-only drink cart turned out to be a stretch too far.

What about the ground experience? Of the promised Polaris lounges, only one remains open: their flagship location at ORD. Three others are still promised, but have not yet come to life.

“On paper, the enterprise probably seemed brilliant, a chance for United to leapfrog its competitors in the United States and abroad,” Brian Summers wrote for Skift in his assessment. “But almost from the beginning, flight attendants complained. They were being asked to do more work, but United didn’t give them more resources.”

The lack of premium resources in Polaris is not the only issue United has faced this year. In January, the Chicago-based airline also admitted to losing $100 million after their rollout of basic economy fares.

[Photo: Joe Cortez]