United Airlines has just revealed to much fanfare in New York, its latest Polaris business class cabins, debuting on the forthcoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. These cabins, designed in part by the esteemed London-based studio PriestmanGoode, set the scene for a progressive evolution of United’s brand, and the first new International Business Class product for the airline since the original Polaris surfaced in 2016.
Now eagle-eyed readers will not that this seat looks familiar, and that’s for good reason. The Elevate (previously Adient Aerospace) ‘Ascent’ seat has been sneaking into the market for a few years, with both Qatar Airways and Hawaiian flying the product on the 787 already. However, it became even more common in the US when American stated it would become the airline’s future long-haul product on the 787, with the first two AA aircraft only starting to fly in the past week or so.
While this highlights a convergence in premium seating solutions among major U.S. carriers (with three airlines now offering it) PriestmanGoode has done a pretty good job in delivering something unique and bespoke for United, which looks like its trying to vie for top spot in the US carriers once again.
At the forefront of this transformation is the introduction of the “Polaris Studio” suites. Positioned at the two bulkhead rows in the business class cabins, these eight exclusive suites offer a 25% increase in space compared to standard Polaris seats. Features include sliding privacy doors, expansive 27-inch 4K OLED screens, wireless charging, and ottomans equipped with seatbelts for guest seating. The suites are adorned with quartzite tables, wool-blend upholstery, and wood-grain finishes, looking to match some of the design language from the existing Polaris aesthetic in the sky and on the ground.
But why opt for these ‘Business Plus’ seats? Passengers in Polaris Studio will receive an array of premium amenities: hoodie-style pyjamas, slippers, noise-canceling headphones by Meridian, and amenity kits featuring Perricone MD skincare products.
Culinary offerings are equally impressive, with an amuse-bouche of Ossetra caviar paired with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne, exclusive pre-order entrée options, and a post-dessert specialty snack box.
Further back, the Polaris Business Class seats (all 56 of them) deliver all-aisle access and more space and storage areas than the existing Polaris seats. Now, interestingly, United has followed both Hawaiian and American’s differing approach by having centre seats in the front of the two business class cabins facing into each other (reverse herringbone) and having the rear cabin having the seats face the aisle meaning there are two different seating styles for pairs in the centre of the cabin.
The rear cabin better for couples and the front cabin more suitable for individual travellers. It will be interesting to see which of the cabins is more popular, and hopefully by limiting the array of seating options, they want fall foul of the Lufthansa Allegris situation.
The new standard United Polaris suites on aircraft with the ‘Elevated interior’ are also upgraded with the addition of sliding doors, a 19-inch 4K OLED touchscreen with Bluetooth, four ways to charge devices including wireless, and digital seat controls. Each United Polaris suite offers all-aisle access, and breathable, wool-blend covered seats.
The famous United Polaris sundae cart also gets an upgrade with a rotation of limited time featured Tillamook ice cream flavours coupled with new toppings that will run throughout the year, alongside the customer favourite staple – classic vanilla bean.
The United Premium Plus seats on aircraft with the Elevated interior also get a major upgrade by adding elements normally reserved for United Polaris customers including soft-touch materials, quartzite cocktail tables and a 16-inch 4K OLED screen.
Customers also will enjoy Bluetooth and three ways to charge their personal devices, including wireless – the first time offered in United Premium Plus. The seats also include a dedicated water bottle and headphone holders, as well as a privacy divider with a built-in reading light – also a first for United Premium Plus.
United Economy Plus and United Economy customers on aircraft with the Elevated interior will all enjoy 13-inch, 4K OLED screens – the largest Economy class screens in the world. These cabins also include Bluetooth connectivity in every seat and six power outlets per row. Bringing in the same refreshed looks and feel from United’s UPP cabin, customers in United Economy will be able to relax thanks to the seat’s cradling seat bottom that moves as the seat reclines.
Considering the aircraft are so premium heavy (with almost 100 seats in Business and Premium economy, United plans to introduce these enhanced cabins on routes with high demand for premium travel, starting with flights from San Francisco to Singapore and London. The airline anticipates having 30 of these upgraded 787-9 aircraft in service by 2027.
Take a look at the Elevate Ascent seat in action on Hawaiian’s 787 here
The Big Picture
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