Aboard a recent United Airlines first class flight, FlyerTalkers reported high-quality duvets from Saks Fifth Avenue were being replaced by “thin throws,” while premium pillows were nowhere to be found. We asked United about the changes and got answers about why the premium experience was anything but.
Frequent United Airlines flyers know what to expect when flying premium cabins on longer flights: comfortable pillows and duvets from Saks Fifth Avenue. But on recent flights, some are claiming those amenities are slowly disappearing.
The first reported instance airlines-mileageplus/1892379-where-s-pillow.html”>came on the forums from FlyerTalker mmack. On a January 31, 2018 flight from Lihue Airport (LIH) in Hawaii to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the flyer booked a first-class ticket for the lay-flat seat, with the comfortable pillow and duvet combination. However, when it came time to board, mmack’s expectations were far from the reality of their experience.
“No pillow, of any size or filling, and a mingy thin…blue ‘throw’ on the seat when we boarded,” mmack wrote. “[The] flight crew were bewildered when I asked why pillows hadn’t been provided.”
Other flyers started chiming in with their own mixed experiences. On a United premium cabin flying from Bogota El Dorado International Airport (BOG) to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), one flyer said they also didn’t receive the upgraded amenities. Meanwhile, another noted on their recent flight from Honolulu International Airport (HNL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), they had not only lay-flat seats, but also the comfortable pillow and duvet.
Did United quietly cut this amenity from their premium cabin? Or are flyers getting the wrong answers from ground crews? We contacted United directly to get to the bottom of the situation – and discovered that in some situations, flyers were getting less than they were expecting.
“We provision all premium cabin seats on redeye-domestic first routes with a pillow and blanket at each seat,” United spokesperson Jonathan Guerin told FlyerTalk. “All other flights are blankets available on request.”
Does that mean that the “thin blue throw” is the new normal on overnight flights from Hawaii to the mainland? Or will it be the full Saks Fifth Avenue kit? According to United, redeye flights from the islands with lay-flat seats should expect the full luxury kit. Before booking, it may be important to check if your flight has the lay-flat seats.
“For Hawaii flights with lie-flat seats, we provision the Saks Fifth Avenue large pillow and duvet,” Guerin told FlyerTalk. “Otherwise it’s the same as domestic first – pillow and blanket at each seat for overnight flights.”
And in the situation of flights to Latin America? Guerin noted that it depends on the flight length. Because the BOG-IAH flight is a “Near Latin” route, flyers would receive the domestic first amenities: the thinner blanket and pilot combination. If you’re on a flight that doesn’t get a blanket, Guerin noted you can always ask the flight crew for additional comfort items.
Our questions and notes to United were provided directly to the airline’s premium cabin teams for review. We were also assured that FlyerTalkers feedback would be shared “with our [United ground] teams as a reminder.”
[Image: United]