BY ANY REASONABLE STANDARD, United Airlines has faced a difficult period in public perception. A series of widely publicized incidents — from a passenger removed from a flight to other high-profile stories — prompted the airline to reassess its corporate culture and customer service priorities.
CEO Oscar Munoz has said the company is rolling out new policies to improve the passenger experience. Beginning this year, employees are being empowered to resolve customer issues in the moment. For example, when a customer must give up a seat so a family can sit together, gate agents and flight attendants can proactively offer compensation such as miles or credits for future travel.
United has also reinstated complimentary snacks on board and introduced expanded meal service on longer routes. The airline is investing in more reliable, broader WiFi coverage across its fleet and shifting some routes from smaller regional jets to larger regional and mainline aircraft to enhance comfort and capacity.
Security checkpoints at Newark Liberty and Chicago O’Hare have been redesigned to create a smoother, more modern screening experience. These changes are part of a broader effort to improve the end-to-end travel journey.
One of the most notable launches for the year is United’s Polaris business class, a redesigned international premium product focused on rest and comfort. Polaris aims to deliver a cohesive experience from lounge through touchdown, with features that prioritize sleep and privacy.
Sleep amenities © UNITED AIRLINES
Jonathan Guerin, senior public relations manager at United, explained that Polaris was developed in response to customer feedback asking for better sleep in the air. The Polaris experience includes dedicated lounges with quiet rest areas and elevated pre-flight dining; a thoughtfully designed personal onboard suite offering greater privacy and convenience; sleep-focused amenities such as Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and spa-quality Cowshed products from Soho House & Co; and reimagined menu options created with chefs from The Trotter Project.
Dessert cart © UNITED AIRLINES
United highlights several firsts within Polaris, including the airline’s position as a U.S. carrier offering dedicated business-class lounges. Transcontinental business-class customers will see upgrades such as lie-flat seats, duvets and hot towel service. Economy Plus passengers on certain routes will receive complimentary hot meals with entrée, dessert and fruit, and complimentary alcoholic beverages.
Mark Krolick, United’s vice president of marketing, expects the upgraded transcontinental service to deliver a level of quality once reserved for long-haul international flights.
Beginning July 1, economy passengers on flights longer than 3.5 hours — and on United flights from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean — can purchase UNO deep-dish pizza for $9.99. The pizza features spinach, garlic and cheese on a deep-dish crust. United’s Bistro on Board menu also offers a protein bowl, breakfast flatbread, Thai-style chicken ciabatta and a tapas box.
United Airlines and United Express operate roughly 4,500 flights daily to 337 airports across five continents, and the carrier continues to expand its route network. Recent international additions include Newark–Buenos Aires and San Francisco–Munich. United has increased service on multiple routes between the continental U.S. and Hawai’i, offering more flights to the islands than other carriers and boosting service from several hubs beginning this winter.
Polaris Lounge day bed © UNITED AIRLINES
New domestic routes announced include Denver–Columbia, Mo.; Denver–San Luis Obispo; Newark–Sacramento; and Houston–Springfield, Mo. Chicago will gain connections to Charlottesville, Champaign/Urbana, Columbia, Reno, Rochester, Minn., and Spokane. San Francisco will add service to Cincinnati, Detroit, Spokane, Santa Rosa and Hartford.
United’s mainline fleet stands at 743 aircraft, including Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners. At the 2017 Paris Air Show, United converted 100 of its Boeing 737 MAX orders to the larger 737 MAX 10, making it the largest single 737 MAX 10 customer. Deliveries for those aircraft are planned to begin in the late 2020s. Other fleet updates include new first-class seats and seat power on Airbus A320 family aircraft, slimline seats being installed in 737 Next Generation cabins to increase economy capacity, and split scimitar winglets added to 737-800s.
United plans to retire its fleet of 17 Boeing 747-400s and is refreshing Boeing 757-300 cabins with new first-class seats, slimline economy seats and updated décor. The Boeing 767-300ER three-class configuration is expected to receive the United Polaris hard product, and United will introduce additional Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring the new Polaris business class later in the year. As the North American launch customer for the 787-10, United also expects to begin receiving that model in the coming years.
Travel can be stressful, and personal items are sometimes misplaced. In one example, a passenger left a cellphone in the seatback pocket after chatting with a fellow traveler. The plane had already turned and departed, leaving the owner worried the phone was lost.
The following day, United’s Lost and Found in Houston contacted the owner after a crew member turned in the phone. Customer service representative Kathy Witt tracked the owner using their frequent flyer profile and arranged the phone’s return. This kind of attentive service is not always publicized, but it reflects the positive actions of many frontline employees.
Employees like Kathy Witt demonstrate how individual care and attention can improve the travel experience. Witt emphasizes that listening to customers and respecting differences are essential to progress and that the airline’s goal should be continual improvement. “We expect nothing less than to be the best airline in the country if we follow these basic guidelines,” she said.
Looking ahead, United aims to be a people’s choice airline that consistently pursues excellence. For Witt and others who focus on service, setbacks are learning opportunities that help the carrier move forward.