Thank you for all the views and comments on this one. I really appreciate it. Ironically if I had made the video just 2 seconds longer it would have generated much more revenue because YT would have inserted mid-roll ads. I'm not revenue driven but it does raise the question - is this video getting good views because it is shorter? And does video length influence your decision to watch a video or not? Let me know your thoughts.
I mean, with your content - duration doesn't matter. I think your opinions are fairly unbiased, so I tend to watch your videos irrespective of the duration. I speak from the point of view of an Avgeek. Duration might influence one time watchers I'd say. Hope this helps!
Length of your videos doesn’t determine if I watch it or not, but it does help me decide when. Quality of your videos and information deserves my attention and I prefer not to be interrupted while doing so. I understand why the ads are needed, I just wish YT wouldn’t automatically place them mid sentence of someone talking.
Length is a big factor in my view or not decisions. Of course if a topic is one of high interest I view regardless. But for less important subjects, seeing 2+ minutes moves me away.
There is such a thing as too long relative to the topic. A few seconds or a couple of minutes won't discourage me. I think 10-12 minutes is adequate to review a flight and departure-arrival lounges. Anything longer is wasting time.
For me, the length of a video depends on the subject matter. If I'm watching a debate, I'm happy when it's over an hour. With travel-related videos, I'm good for about 12 - 14 minutes, but not much more than that. From a business 'marketing' perspective, based on your content, I would say keep your videos entertaining, concise and to to the point. This is especially important when discussing topics like flying business class; a subject geared towards people who do not sit around all day watching videos. Their time is "valuable". Also, if you are building a following, it might be best to have as few commercial interruptions as possible so you can have a smoother quicker path to critical mass.
Bring in the states I agree it's always impressive how much clean and clear info is provided during boarding. It's only outmatched by people's ability to ignore or miss them.
@@davidcole333 I am thinking of carrying just a backpack as my only carryon item and no more roller luggage so that I won’t have to worry about and compete for overhead bin space. I can leisurely board only when my group is called. My backpack can be tucked under the seat in front of me. 🤔✈️✈️✈️
Dennis, your review of the United Airlines Polaris flight to London was thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable. You have a knack for capturing the essence of the travel experience, presenting both the highs and lows with honesty and insight. Your dedication to sharing your journey helps viewers make informed decisions about their future travels. Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive and engaging review. Looking forward to your future adventures!
Expat Aussie here who has been flying united LAX/SFO-SYD for 3 decades. They have been a fantastic airline for reliably getting upgrades and have a decent hard product, but their soft product has been weak for as long as I can remember and seems to be getting worse. The Polaris lounges were amongst the best in the U.S. when they first opened but are now overcrowded. My last trip through ORD, there was a 2 hour wait list in the lounge to even get a table in the restaurant... Keep up the great work Dennis!
I mean, if airlines like United and Delta continue to fly 30 year old 767s on important transatlantic routes, they should not complain about competition from the Middle East (though they don't directly compete on these routes)
As long as they refit them it should be fine. I like the idea of not wasting more energy building a new aircraft if the current one is still serviceable. Alas, at Prestwick Airport they dismantled for parts a number of 787 aircraft that were approaching their 10 year inspection. That to me seemed like a huge waste.
@@johnsim3722 these are fairly new in terms of their seats. Older airplanes, as Dennis felt them as well, affect your in flight experience in terms of just how fresh you feel. Might sound minor, but is quite a lot when you are paying the premium for a business class fare. If I had a choice to fly cross Atlantic or even long haul, I would always avoid the 767 - would pick the airline that has a 777/787/350/380. And yes, agree on the 787 dismantling, that is a waste for sure
Agree. I've flown DL's refitted 767. It's okay but it's louder and less comfortable than their A330-900 or any of Virgin's flights. When going to London I bias toward Virgin for that reason even though their IFE is worse.
@@mkkm945 exactly. I’m based in Dublin and a Skyteam flyer. I tend to fly reverse to AMS or CDG and then fly AF/KLM to the US, instead of flying an old DL 763 over to JFK
The arrivals lounge is a totally inspired idea, we used it for 5 hours whilst waiting for our connection . I wish wish other airlines did this, as another 5 hour wait looms at LHR from Singapore airlines ! I liked Polaris, it was comfy which to me is the most important, decent service and I enjoyed the entertainment, and did sleep. Thanks for the review.
Emirates claims to do it. But I remember the Malpensa arrivals lounge being a shitty espresso machine and a chair. My Emirates host did graciously press the button on the espresso machine for me,
@@mabamabamI would venture that it’s probably the standard in Milan for most carriers’ shared lounges. With 1 daily flight, Emirates is not have an arrivals lounge in Milan like it has in DXB and other major airports on long haul routes. What - for 20 people?
British Airways has both arrivals lounges and transfer lounges at LHR. If you are transiting there on a One World partner, which Singapore Airlines is, you can use the lounges. All of the arrivals lounges I know are beyond border control for arriving passengers. Transiting passengers have their own lounges, which are not available to arriving passengers. That’s been my experience any way.
Great review as always Dennis. This what I come to hear about United over the past 15 or so years, inconsistent. I don't fly them and that is because I have never been given a reason too. This review of inflight food service continues to reinforce that notion. Thanks!
Dreaming of MH satay, that made me laugh. The food looked pretty crook but the arrivals lounge would be sweet, especially early mornings. Nice vid as always Dennis
Interesting flight, Dennis. I agree that an 'arrival ' lounge is an inspired innovation, especially for an early morning arrival in a destination. Just shows that you know what's what to make travel better ( no copy rights ) Cheers 😂
Yes, years ago I still remember the old DC-10s and the L-1011s flying to Europe. They were great aircraft. So since then I have flown on the 767 many times. I still love those older aircraft.😅❤
Yea, the lounges used to be a nice respite from the crowds in the airport, but now they are almost as full as the airport. The food onboard looked dismal, but the arrival shower and breakfast with ironed shirt was a nice touch.
@@stevesmitherman2981 Still going strong though. Been with Delta and United on them. Solid experiences on both. Much better than being crammed in a 9 abreast 787 or 10 abreast 777
Dennis, I just found your channel and really enjoy your reviews..! Part of the excitement of international travel is the actual plane, it's look, feel, and luxury feel. I fly international yearly and always checkout the different flight times and equipment used. As much as it costs, I would avoid 30 year old aircraft always and look for the A380's, A350-1000's, 787's or 777's. That meal looked really inferior... I would like to see your review of the Emirates Business class! Continue the excellent work!
As always Dennis great flight review. Seems like you needed to pack a meal in the lounge in Newark before you boarded the flight with that sad offering you got on the plane. Well at least you got a good arrival lounge when you arrived. Cheers to your next good flight!
I think that most of the US airlines have gotten cheap and charge an arm and a leg for it! We try and use other airlines when flying to other countries. Your videos are concise and without all the other vloggers fluff. Appreciate it! Aloha Dennis from Hawai'i!
BA was the best airlines I ever flown! Always just coach but still the best food ,beverage and service! The 747 was the best and its replacement doesn’t even come close to! The big B.A. sadly missed!
Having flown “Polaris” a few times I find them underwhelming - all that’s good is the bedding !! That’s it - the rest of it is like Walmart In The Sky- great video though
Very nice review. You are correct that many frequent fliers choose to eat their meals in the Polaris lounge where the food and drinks are better than on board, then try to go to sleep almost immediately once at altitude.
I noticed that after I had my ears washed/ sucked out I had much reduced issues with cabin pressure. And I always watch your videos, regardless of length. 🙂
I've flown UA polaris many times and never encountered bad food. I think it is such a short flight that people want to maximize the sleep on the east coast to europe sector. Also, the lounge availability on arrivals helps to maximize the sleep where passengers can eat and shower on arrival like you did.
I never thought of what access to the lounge on arrival is really for. Didn't dawn on me that it's for flights that land early and hotel check in wouldn't be until after lunch. Good one!! Definitely going to do it next time I find myself in a situation like that and there is the option to use the lounge.
Thanks for your great review! I flew Polaris in the opposite direction last year. I went from LHR to IAD. I visited LHR’s United Club, then an 8 hour Transatlantic flight, then a visit to the IAD Polaris Lounge upon arrival. IAD is the newest of the Polaris Lounges, opened in 2021. The flight was all right, but the lounge experience was outstanding. I’m glad I was able to end with the lounge.
You are WAY braver than I am! No way in hell would I go across open water in a 30 yr. Plane. United should be embarrassed by this. I flew a lot to ATL to London, and they fed you all the way I’m a sleeper on night flights and always eat before boarding. So I can sleep all the way to 🎉🎉🎉🎉😊
A lounge at arrivals after a long flight is almost more important than before departure: especially morning arrivals when one usually has to go to work or like you said, the hotel won't be ready. Now all airlines need to do this!
Dream about Malaysian Airlines sate 😊😊😊 yes the best 👍👍👍 Hi Dennis from Malaysia 🇲🇾 Haven't been here for quite some times alteady. Here's to a great flight
I flew on a 767 to Hawaii 10 years ago and it was an old plane. Unbelievable they are flying these transatlantic. I’d fly JetBlue over any of the other US carriers. They absolutely put their best product on the transatlantic routes.
United doesn’t put its best aircraft on the EWR-LHR milk-run. Those are used for much longer flights than 6-7 hours, like United’s transpacific flights from its US hubs.
Thanks for this video! I flew. United Polaris on the 777 from Honolulu to Houston and it was very disappointing, especially considering how the service was hyped by United. The food was bland as well as the crew. I have more friendly crews flying coach on other routes!
United Polaris is still one of my favourites, my first International solo trip, and first time up front of the plane was on United Polaris so it has a special place in my heart. In the past 12-18 months I've tried UA, SQ, QR, ANA, TG and QF in business - Q-Suite takes the crown, and ANA on the bottom for me (maybe it was a one off poor experience?).
As a frequent traveler who travels a lot between the US and Spain, I try to avoid United whenever possible. My biggest complaint with them is their in-flight staff. Because it's all based on seniority, you end up getting a lot of older grumpy flight attendants who are not only sick and tired of their jobs, but also, don't really give a shit about their customers. I know this is a generalization, but it's pretty accurate. Also, their Polaris lounges are almost always overcrowded and, it's not unusual to find many of them closed so you have to go to another terminal. After flying with them for about 30 years, I finally got fed up.
In all the years I’ve lived in the US, I don’t remember ever flying United. It’s too bad that their food quality fell short of your expectations, when everything else seemed great. I generally travel Miami to LHR on Virgin and their food is pretty good in Premium Economy. A British expat watching in Florida.
Thanks. We are waitlisted on a flight from SFO to Buenos Aires through Houston for Polaris. My 81 year old body could use a good lie flat sleep on this long flight. You can’t take those air miles with you! 😂 Fingers crossed.
Thank you for the video. It is surprising what you get for the money you pay for Business class across the pond. I flew throughout the 90's while working for a major carrier, with some excellent food and wine choices that left you almost too full to finish one of those sundaes. Funny how they have kept that on the menu after all of these years. But seeing and hearing you describe the food on this flight was surprising. Another thing I noticed was when you were first showing your seat area, the in-flight magazine looked like it was dug out of a trash bin and put in the seat pocket. I wouldn't touch the magazines in coach as they were in even worse shape than shown here. But to see this in Business on their Polaris flight was another surprise.
Great video. Just wondering, what type of camera did you use to record your video? It was very high quality. The way you recorded your video is very stable, did you use any sticky mount or just by hand? And what software app did you use to edit your youtube video and is it free to use? I am currently learning on how to record and edit my travel videos. Any advice is very much appreciated
We enjoyed the Polaris Lounge in Newark with the excellent foods and shower. We also had a wonderful meal on our flight to Dublin in September 2019. It would be sad if he on-board food has slipped.
To me, the introduction of the lie-flat seat was a total game changer. Before that, even in First Class, I could never really fall asleep. I would describe it as dozing or about 80% asleep. Arriving after a long 6+ hour flight, I frequently felt a bit groggy and then hit by massive jet lag later. With the lie-flat and good noise-cancelling headphones I bring, I can sleep on my side - as I do at home - and I am deep asleep. So much so, that when I wake up, I am a bit disoriented. Am I at home in bed? Last year, I flew literally around the world - circumnavigating from SF - Paris - Dubai - HK - SF. With 8 hour, 10 hour, and 11 hour flights, it was a breeze. I just came back from a CDG - SF 11 hour flight. I slept for 6 hours straight, had dinner, watched two movies and was home. I can always quibble about service and food from one airline to another, but let's stand back and marvel at where airline travel is now. It's come along way, but, in some ways, it's come full circle. In the 40's and 50's, long-distance flights offered full beds like old sleeping cars in trains. But now, we get there a Hell of a lot faster. www.cntraveller.in/story/sleeper-class-when-airplanes-had-bunk-beds-just-like-trains/
The NYLON service concept was driven by the fact business cabin demand is heavily skewed towards corporate regulars (btw on corporate discounts!). They want a good, but not overly fancy meal in the club, maximum sleep on the plane, then a shower and light breakfast in the arrivals lounge. My last time (a month or so ago) flight time was 5h:15min, which during Jan-Mar is not uncommon, and there was only 45 minutes between the end of our dinner service and breakfast! With a choice of eat or sleep, people take sleep. Those North East to the British Isles flights are a wholly different animal to most transatlantic routes.
If you're flying United, doesn't matter the route, if it's shorter than 10 hours you're gonna get a crap plane, with or without Polaris, and the bare minimum service. I will however say that on flights over 10 hours, the planes are usually newer, the service is better, they all have Polaris, and the food is surprisingly decent. The USA also doesn't have a Flag Carrier, because the government does not own any airlines or shares in any airline unlike most nations. What was once unofficially called our Flag Carrier was Pan Am, which when dissolved, specific regions and routes went to different airlines and through a series of further mergers and acquisitions some airlines got the better routes that Pan Am had. United really excels in the Pacific market, especially to Asia and California, which surprise were Pan Am routes. American got the Latin American routes which are known as their most profitable, are some of the original Pan Am. Nearly every carrier, especially Pan Am flew the NYC/London market, so it's kind of a toss up really. I'd say that your better off flying the actual flag carrier of the nation you're travelling to or from that isn't the US ones. British, Virgin are both better. Like I said, to/from Asia, United is great, though if you want to elevate that experience, fly on the codeshare of ANA but booked through United Operated by ANA. BY FAR better than United.
Very good & honest review. If you got that dreadful looking meal in Polaris, I'd hate to see what the economy psgrs had to eat. It's a sad state of affairs. Cheers & subscribed. Peter.
A usual feature of the 767 is a squawk 7700 followed by a diversion due to a failure of some sort. I think that they market it as a mystery destination (Shannon, Reykjavik, etc) layover flight.
Flying from Vietnam to UK I snack on board and eat at the hubs of Qatar or Emirate's though the laters offerings the last time in Dubai was not so good.
Reminds me that while United has improved some of the small things they do--and hopefully stopped dragging passengers off the plane--there is that remaining sense of contrived luxury; the feeling they would rather not provide the amenities and smiles, if they didn't have to do it to compete with other carriers where service is more...shall we say...heartfelt.
You order dinner in the lounge and have full breakfast at Arrivals Lounge London: thanks for the advice on this, London is known for this "unknown service," that most airports don't offer.
I always go BA on the London-Washington DC route, but United was half the price a couple of weeks ago, so I thought why not. The food was inedible. Never again.
I've done 4 Polaris flights in the past year. The food was very consistent. Consistently bad, though. Looked a bit spiffy, but completely lacking in taste. I agree -- eat before boarding.
That sounds really disappointing for such an expensive airfare. No wonder people eat in the louge. I would, too. I would just save my money and get a good hotel room with good restaurants. I'm sure I would still have money left over. Thanks for your video!
Dennis there is a better option between between Newark and London it's British Airways and if resumed VS 1/2 for the UK based airlines they beat UA. In the case when there is competition between United Airlines and the European carriers from EWR some of the Mileage Plus members would rather fly the European carriers.
I just came back from Argentina in Copa Airlines' Max 9 lie flat business class. Nice seats, but their food was even worse than what United gave you. Salad that belonged in a museum, a rice & beef dish (only meal option) which appeared to have salt as its main ingredient and a crew that was more difficult to find than Waldo. Their "flagship" lounge in Panama was also very disappointing. You should fly with Copa. It will make you feel a bit better about United.
With all the issues going on with United’s maintenance at the moment.. a 30 year old 767 would be the last of their aircraft I’d be getting on… In fact the whole of United’s fleet needs to be grounded and the FAA needs to thoroughly go through the maintenance records for each aircraft..
Denis, take it from me, Sinutab medication is great for keeping ear pain at bay. Take 2 4 hours before you fly and every 4 hours after that until you land. I don’t fly without them
I just did this route on 3/24/2024 and i took the morning flight leaving EWR at 9h30am and they served diner on departure with breakfast as your 2nd meal before landing in LHR…totally off. Crew was embarassed as they said it was due to the daylight saving time and only 4hrs time difference between UK and US at that time. Make no sense but stop guessing why United do things like that, as they have become worse and worse with food service recently. And those 767…definitely need to replace them.
Great review, Dennis. We just flew United Polaris EWR-ZRH and was not impressed by the seating configuration at all. Compared to other carriers' business class product, it seems like United had put an extra row (or two) in the cabin. Very tight. I was almost side-by-side with the passenger behind me when the seat was flat. Not something I would seek out in the future.
Food and United.... Ha! I have just done Syd-LAS via LAX and LAS to SYD via SFO (sadly in whY) On the outbound journey, dinner was served "Chicken or Pasta". When I asked what the chicken dish was, and what the pasta dish was, I was informed "well, one is chicken, and one is pasta" - silly me for asking. Tne chicken ended up being a dry chicken breast in a creamy sauce with veg. They could have told me this before I played "United Dinner Dish Lottery" It was largely tasteless.
Ever since the merger with Continental, the frequent flyer perks on United have been way overcrowded. Not very impressed with United's response to this problem. Generally boarding areas in major hubs are way too tight to board with any measure of comfort but that is not UA specific. I took this short hop to LHR once in 2019 and it is efficient but tough on the body. In addition, the free workout one gets from crossing the terminal on arrival is a pain. So, I decided that it was not worth repeating. IMO, the 9:30am departure from Dulles to LHR is much better but everyone will have their preference. I just wish that UA would offer that time of day for departure to some other European destinations
And at 2:00 Dennis realised he messed up and should have grabbed a roady. The seats looked functional, but also looked like they were more a coffin than a comfy seat for 7hrs.
As a 1K and someone who travels on multiple airlines… Polaris is the best lounge network in the world and Newark is the worst one of them all haha so try another city.
I’d much rather be flying on the older type Boeing aircraft like the 767 you were on, rather than the newer type like.,the Boeing 737 max which has continuous safety issues. Enjoyed your United flight review, awesome✈️👍
Thank you for all the views and comments on this one. I really appreciate it. Ironically if I had made the video just 2 seconds longer it would have generated much more revenue because YT would have inserted mid-roll ads. I'm not revenue driven but it does raise the question - is this video getting good views because it is shorter? And does video length influence your decision to watch a video or not? Let me know your thoughts.
I mean, with your content - duration doesn't matter. I think your opinions are fairly unbiased, so I tend to watch your videos irrespective of the duration. I speak from the point of view of an Avgeek. Duration might influence one time watchers I'd say. Hope this helps!
Length of your videos doesn’t determine if I watch it or not, but it does help me decide when.
Quality of your videos and information deserves my attention and I prefer not to be interrupted while doing so.
I understand why the ads are needed, I just wish YT wouldn’t automatically place them mid sentence of someone talking.
Length is a big factor in my view or not decisions. Of course if a topic is one of high interest I view regardless. But for less important subjects, seeing 2+ minutes moves me away.
There is such a thing as too long relative to the topic. A few seconds or a couple of minutes won't discourage me. I think 10-12 minutes is adequate to review a flight and departure-arrival lounges. Anything longer is wasting time.
For me, the length of a video depends on the subject matter. If I'm watching a debate, I'm happy when it's over an hour. With travel-related videos, I'm good for about 12 - 14 minutes, but not much more than that. From a business 'marketing' perspective, based on your content, I would say keep your videos entertaining, concise and to to the point. This is especially important when discussing topics like flying business class; a subject geared towards people who do not sit around all day watching videos. Their time is "valuable". Also, if you are building a following, it might be best to have as few commercial interruptions as possible so you can have a smoother quicker path to critical mass.
Bring in the states I agree it's always impressive how much clean and clear info is provided during boarding. It's only outmatched by people's ability to ignore or miss them.
This is so true! We love to crowd the boarding lanes even though group 1 is boarding and the majority of us are in group 4 and 5. 🙂
@@davidcole333 I am thinking of carrying just a backpack as my only carryon item and no more roller luggage so that I won’t have to worry about and compete for overhead bin space. I can leisurely board only when my group is called. My backpack can be tucked under the seat in front of me. 🤔✈️✈️✈️
Dennis, your review of the United Airlines Polaris flight to London was thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable. You have a knack for capturing the essence of the travel experience, presenting both the highs and lows with honesty and insight. Your dedication to sharing your journey helps viewers make informed decisions about their future travels. Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive and engaging review. Looking forward to your future adventures!
Agreed! You should have over 500k+ subscribers, one of the best in the sky. It's a shame you can't do these reviews full time.
Is that you Chat-GPT?
Expat Aussie here who has been flying united LAX/SFO-SYD for 3 decades. They have been a fantastic airline for reliably getting upgrades and have a decent hard product, but their soft product has been weak for as long as I can remember and seems to be getting worse. The Polaris lounges were amongst the best in the U.S. when they first opened but are now overcrowded. My last trip through ORD, there was a 2 hour wait list in the lounge to even get a table in the restaurant... Keep up the great work Dennis!
I mean, if airlines like United and Delta continue to fly 30 year old 767s on important transatlantic routes, they should not complain about competition from the Middle East (though they don't directly compete on these routes)
As long as they refit them it should be fine. I like the idea of not wasting more energy building a new aircraft if the current one is still serviceable. Alas, at Prestwick Airport they dismantled for parts a number of 787 aircraft that were approaching their 10 year inspection. That to me seemed like a huge waste.
@@johnsim3722 these are fairly new in terms of their seats. Older airplanes, as Dennis felt them as well, affect your in flight experience in terms of just how fresh you feel. Might sound minor, but is quite a lot when you are paying the premium for a business class fare. If I had a choice to fly cross Atlantic or even long haul, I would always avoid the 767 - would pick the airline that has a 777/787/350/380. And yes, agree on the 787 dismantling, that is a waste for sure
Agree. I've flown DL's refitted 767. It's okay but it's louder and less comfortable than their A330-900 or any of Virgin's flights. When going to London I bias toward Virgin for that reason even though their IFE is worse.
@@mkkm945 exactly. I’m based in Dublin and a Skyteam flyer. I tend to fly reverse to AMS or CDG and then fly AF/KLM to the US, instead of flying an old DL 763 over to JFK
Comment literally makes 0 sense. Emirates business on a 777W is inferior to this “30 year old 763ER.
Another great video! Your channel was the first flight review channel I watched! Now I watch them on a daily basis! Thank you Dennis!
I first saw the title before the airline and immediately guessed the airline. You are spot on 😂
@5:10 Dennis mate, you never fail to crack me up...love it
BA has a very useful arrival lounge at LHR Terminal 5, where they also iron clothes while you shower. Such a great service.
Thanks Dennis. It’s always a challenge if you arrive and can’t check in immediately to your hotel.
The arrivals lounge is a totally inspired idea, we used it for 5 hours whilst waiting for our connection . I wish wish other airlines did this, as another 5 hour wait looms at LHR from Singapore airlines ! I liked Polaris, it was comfy which to me is the most important, decent service and I enjoyed the entertainment, and did sleep. Thanks for the review.
Other airlines do. I have been in the Virgin Atlantic arrivals lounge. And some in Asia.
Emirates claims to do it. But I remember the Malpensa arrivals lounge being a shitty espresso machine and a chair.
My Emirates host did graciously press the button on the espresso machine for me,
@@mabamabamI would venture that it’s probably the standard in Milan for most carriers’ shared lounges. With 1 daily flight, Emirates is not have an arrivals lounge in Milan like it has in DXB and other major airports on long haul routes. What - for 20 people?
British Airways has both arrivals lounges and transfer lounges at LHR. If you are transiting there on a One World partner, which Singapore Airlines is, you can use the lounges. All of the arrivals lounges I know are beyond border control for arriving passengers. Transiting passengers have their own lounges, which are not available to arriving passengers. That’s been my experience any way.
Great review as always Dennis. This what I come to hear about United over the past 15 or so years, inconsistent. I don't fly them and that is because I have never been given a reason too. This review of inflight food service continues to reinforce that notion. Thanks!
Dreaming of MH satay, that made me laugh. The food looked pretty crook but the arrivals lounge would be sweet, especially early mornings. Nice vid as always Dennis
Interesting flight, Dennis. I agree that an 'arrival ' lounge is an inspired innovation, especially for an early morning arrival in a destination. Just shows that you know what's what to make travel better ( no copy rights ) Cheers 😂
Not really an innovation - there used to be lots of them when flying business was really a cut above
Thank you for sharing your trip.😊
Yes, I agree with you about going to the airline lounges before and after your flight if you can!😊
Yes, years ago I still remember the old DC-10s and the L-1011s flying to Europe. They were great aircraft. So since then I have flown on the 767 many times. I still love those older aircraft.😅❤
Yea, the lounges used to be a nice respite from the crowds in the airport, but now they are almost as full as the airport. The food onboard looked dismal, but the arrival shower and breakfast with ironed shirt was a nice touch.
Still love the 767 though! It truly is a workhorse!
agree
But the poor old girl has had enough 😂
@@stevesmitherman2981 Still going strong though. Been with Delta and United on them. Solid experiences on both. Much better than being crammed in a 9 abreast 787 or 10 abreast 777
@@stevesmitherman2981
There are 767s that came off the line after the early built 787s
767 will be around a while longer
Dennis, I just found your channel and really enjoy your reviews..! Part of the excitement of international travel is the actual plane, it's look, feel, and luxury feel. I fly international yearly and always checkout the different flight times and equipment used. As much as it costs, I would avoid 30 year old aircraft always and look for the A380's, A350-1000's, 787's or 777's. That meal looked really inferior... I would like to see your review of the Emirates Business class! Continue the excellent work!
Love the arrival lounge concept. Very smart!
Agree about the option upon landing. Wish more airlines and destinations had this. It totally would change the West to East Atlantic crossings for me.
I’ve flown this segment and your pros and cons are spot on. Great video as always.
Thank you for doing a trip report from Newark, New Jersey
As always Dennis great flight review. Seems like you needed to pack a meal in the lounge in Newark before you boarded the flight with that sad offering you got on the plane. Well at least you got a good arrival lounge when you arrived. Cheers to your next good flight!
I think that most of the US airlines have gotten cheap and charge an arm and a leg for it! We try and use other airlines when flying to other countries. Your videos are concise and without all the other vloggers fluff. Appreciate it! Aloha Dennis from Hawai'i!
BA was the best airlines I ever flown! Always just coach but still the best food ,beverage and service! The 747 was the best and its replacement doesn’t even come close to! The big B.A. sadly missed!
Having flown “Polaris” a few times I find them underwhelming - all that’s good is the bedding !! That’s it - the rest of it is like Walmart In The Sky- great video though
Very nice review. You are correct that many frequent fliers choose to eat their meals in the Polaris lounge where the food and drinks are better than on board, then try to go to sleep almost immediately once at altitude.
I noticed that after I had my ears washed/ sucked out I had much reduced issues with cabin pressure. And I always watch your videos, regardless of length. 🙂
I've flown UA polaris many times and never encountered bad food. I think it is such a short flight that people want to maximize the sleep on the east coast to europe sector. Also, the lounge availability on arrivals helps to maximize the sleep where passengers can eat and shower on arrival like you did.
Bruv - LHR-NYC is 8 hours. That's not a short flight
Put who are frequently on this flight understand what i am saying. @jonathanchester5916
I never thought of what access to the lounge on arrival is really for. Didn't dawn on me that it's for flights that land early and hotel check in wouldn't be until after lunch. Good one!! Definitely going to do it next time I find myself in a situation like that and there is the option to use the lounge.
That lounge looks really nice
As always Dennis a great vlog
Not sure I’d currently fly United though
Thanks for your great review! I flew Polaris in the opposite direction last year. I went from LHR to IAD. I visited LHR’s United Club, then an 8 hour Transatlantic flight, then a visit to the IAD Polaris Lounge upon arrival. IAD is the newest of the Polaris Lounges, opened in 2021. The flight was all right, but the lounge experience was outstanding. I’m glad I was able to end with the lounge.
You are WAY braver than I am! No way in hell would I go across open water in a 30 yr. Plane.
United should be embarrassed by this. I flew a lot to ATL to London, and they fed you all the way
I’m a sleeper on night flights and always eat before boarding. So I can sleep all the way to 🎉🎉🎉🎉😊
Hi Dennis, once again another fantastic review and another reason for me to keep away from United. 10/10
Great honest review Dennis & spot on.
A lounge at arrivals after a long flight is almost more important than before departure: especially morning arrivals when one usually has to go to work or like you said, the hotel won't be ready. Now all airlines need to do this!
Dream about Malaysian Airlines sate 😊😊😊 yes the best 👍👍👍
Hi Dennis from Malaysia 🇲🇾
Haven't been here for quite some times alteady.
Here's to a great flight
Great video.. Thanks.. I found it extremely interesting...
Excellent review, Dennis! Sorry to hear that there was no breakfast.
A great vid as always Dennis. Loving the sticker on your laptop. Could do with about 30 of those for some people!!!
I flew on a 767 to Hawaii 10 years ago and it was an old plane. Unbelievable they are flying these transatlantic. I’d fly JetBlue over any of the other US carriers. They absolutely put their best product on the transatlantic routes.
United doesn’t put its best aircraft on the EWR-LHR milk-run. Those are used for much longer flights than 6-7 hours, like United’s transpacific flights from its US hubs.
Jet blue also is a hour longer flight because they have to slow down to maximize the range.
Thanks for this video! I flew. United Polaris on the 777 from Honolulu to Houston and it was very disappointing, especially considering how the service was hyped by United. The food was bland as well as the crew. I have more friendly crews flying coach on other routes!
🙏 Hope Airlines can discount the fares of passengers who do not wish to take meals on their flights as some are fastings ... 🕯🌏🕊
United Polaris is still one of my favourites, my first International solo trip, and first time up front of the plane was on United Polaris so it has a special place in my heart.
In the past 12-18 months I've tried UA, SQ, QR, ANA, TG and QF in business - Q-Suite takes the crown, and ANA on the bottom for me (maybe it was a one off poor experience?).
And absolutely love your reviews! They're very soothing to watch.
Great video
As a frequent traveler who travels a lot between the US and Spain, I try to avoid United whenever possible. My biggest complaint with them is their in-flight staff. Because it's all based on seniority, you end up getting a lot of older grumpy flight attendants who are not only sick and tired of their jobs, but also, don't really give a shit about their customers. I know this is a generalization, but it's pretty accurate. Also, their Polaris lounges are almost always overcrowded and, it's not unusual to find many of them closed so you have to go to another terminal. After flying with them for about 30 years, I finally got fed up.
You're spot on, friend. That's why I won't fly overseas with any American airline if I'm paying for it.
In all the years I’ve lived in the US, I don’t remember ever flying United. It’s too bad that their food quality fell short of your expectations, when everything else seemed great. I generally travel Miami to LHR on Virgin and their food is pretty good in Premium Economy. A British expat watching in Florida.
Thanks. We are waitlisted on a flight from SFO to Buenos Aires through Houston for Polaris. My 81 year old body could use a good lie flat sleep on this long flight. You can’t take those air miles with you! 😂 Fingers crossed.
That lounge on arrival looks great thanks.
Next time you should try American Airlines Flagship First. It’ll be a much better experience.
Short or long, I dont miss a Dennis Bunnik video review. Hope to see more PE reviews.
Thank you for the video. It is surprising what you get for the money you pay for Business class across the pond. I flew throughout the 90's while working for a major carrier, with some excellent food and wine choices that left you almost too full to finish one of those sundaes. Funny how they have kept that on the menu after all of these years. But seeing and hearing you describe the food on this flight was surprising.
Another thing I noticed was when you were first showing your seat area, the in-flight magazine looked like it was dug out of a trash bin and put in the seat pocket. I wouldn't touch the magazines in coach as they were in even worse shape than shown here. But to see this in Business on their Polaris flight was another surprise.
A 767..old but a favourite with the narrower cabin.
Great video. Just wondering, what type of camera did you use to record your video? It was very high quality. The way you recorded your video is very stable, did you use any sticky mount or just by hand? And what software app did you use to edit your youtube video and is it free to use? I am currently learning on how to record and edit my travel videos. Any advice is very much appreciated
We enjoyed the Polaris Lounge in Newark with the excellent foods and shower. We also had a wonderful meal on our flight to Dublin in September 2019. It would be sad if he on-board food has slipped.
I've flown United several times on international business routes. Note. *always* eat before the flight..
To me, the introduction of the lie-flat seat was a total game changer. Before that, even in First Class, I could never really fall asleep. I would describe it as dozing or about 80% asleep. Arriving after a long 6+ hour flight, I frequently felt a bit groggy and then hit by massive jet lag later. With the lie-flat and good noise-cancelling headphones I bring, I can sleep on my side - as I do at home - and I am deep asleep. So much so, that when I wake up, I am a bit disoriented. Am I at home in bed?
Last year, I flew literally around the world - circumnavigating from SF - Paris - Dubai - HK - SF. With 8 hour, 10 hour, and 11 hour flights, it was a breeze. I just came back from a CDG - SF 11 hour flight. I slept for 6 hours straight, had dinner, watched two movies and was home.
I can always quibble about service and food from one airline to another, but let's stand back and marvel at where airline travel is now. It's come along way, but, in some ways, it's come full circle. In the 40's and 50's, long-distance flights offered full beds like
old sleeping cars in trains. But now, we get there a Hell of a lot faster. www.cntraveller.in/story/sleeper-class-when-airplanes-had-bunk-beds-just-like-trains/
Nailed it on the food..I don't fly often and don't really care...but they need to up their game. I agree your video is great
The NYLON service concept was driven by the fact business cabin demand is heavily skewed towards corporate regulars (btw on corporate discounts!). They want a good, but not overly fancy meal in the club, maximum sleep on the plane, then a shower and light breakfast in the arrivals lounge. My last time (a month or so ago) flight time was 5h:15min, which during Jan-Mar is not uncommon, and there was only 45 minutes between the end of our dinner service and breakfast! With a choice of eat or sleep, people take sleep. Those North East to the British Isles flights are a wholly different animal to most transatlantic routes.
If you're flying United, doesn't matter the route, if it's shorter than 10 hours you're gonna get a crap plane, with or without Polaris, and the bare minimum service. I will however say that on flights over 10 hours, the planes are usually newer, the service is better, they all have Polaris, and the food is surprisingly decent. The USA also doesn't have a Flag Carrier, because the government does not own any airlines or shares in any airline unlike most nations. What was once unofficially called our Flag Carrier was Pan Am, which when dissolved, specific regions and routes went to different airlines and through a series of further mergers and acquisitions some airlines got the better routes that Pan Am had. United really excels in the Pacific market, especially to Asia and California, which surprise were Pan Am routes. American got the Latin American routes which are known as their most profitable, are some of the original Pan Am. Nearly every carrier, especially Pan Am flew the NYC/London market, so it's kind of a toss up really. I'd say that your better off flying the actual flag carrier of the nation you're travelling to or from that isn't the US ones. British, Virgin are both better. Like I said, to/from Asia, United is great, though if you want to elevate that experience, fly on the codeshare of ANA but booked through United Operated by ANA. BY FAR better than United.
I’m surprised there was no breakfast before landing. That’s usually standard on overnight transatlantic flights.
I always enjoy your videos. You’re direct and pleasant without making big gestures that sort of bug me with some of the other folks’ videos.
Very good & honest review. If you got that dreadful looking meal in Polaris, I'd hate to see what the economy psgrs had to eat. It's a sad state of affairs. Cheers & subscribed. Peter.
A usual feature of the 767 is a squawk 7700 followed by a diversion due to a failure of some sort. I think that they market it as a mystery destination (Shannon, Reykjavik, etc) layover flight.
Flying from Vietnam to UK I snack on board and eat at the hubs of Qatar or Emirate's though the laters offerings the last time in Dubai was not so good.
You always eat in the a la carte restaurant in the Polaris lounge regardless. It’s free. Get your money’s worth. The two times I’ve been in I did it.
Reminds me that while United has improved some of the small things they do--and hopefully stopped dragging passengers off the plane--there is that remaining sense of contrived luxury; the feeling they would rather not provide the amenities and smiles, if they didn't have to do it to compete with other carriers where service is more...shall we say...heartfelt.
And not throwing expensive luggage and guitars on the tarmac!
@@joelstiffler5137 Yes, that too.
You order dinner in the lounge and have full breakfast at Arrivals Lounge London: thanks for the advice on this, London is known for this "unknown service," that most airports don't offer.
I always go BA on the London-Washington DC route, but United was half the price a couple of weeks ago, so I thought why not. The food was inedible. Never again.
I've done 4 Polaris flights in the past year. The food was very consistent. Consistently bad, though. Looked a bit spiffy, but completely lacking in taste.
I agree -- eat before boarding.
That sounds really disappointing for such an expensive airfare. No wonder people eat in the louge. I would, too. I would just save my money and get a good hotel room with good restaurants. I'm sure I would still have money left over. Thanks for your video!
Dennis there is a better option between between Newark and London it's British Airways and if resumed VS 1/2 for the UK based airlines they beat UA. In the case when there is competition between United Airlines and the European carriers from EWR some of the Mileage Plus members would rather fly the European carriers.
Gin and Tonic just like Jeb Brooks. The lounge food looked better than the in flight meal.
I just came back from Argentina in Copa Airlines' Max 9 lie flat business class. Nice seats, but their food was even worse than what United gave you. Salad that belonged in a museum, a rice & beef dish (only meal option) which appeared to have salt as its main ingredient and a crew that was more difficult to find than Waldo. Their "flagship" lounge in Panama was also very disappointing. You should fly with Copa. It will make you feel a bit better about United.
With all the issues going on with United’s maintenance at the moment.. a 30 year old 767 would be the last of their aircraft I’d be getting on… In fact the whole of United’s fleet needs to be grounded and the FAA needs to thoroughly go through the maintenance records for each aircraft..
Denis, take it from me, Sinutab medication is great for keeping ear pain at bay. Take 2 4 hours before you fly and every 4 hours after that until you land. I don’t fly without them
I have a bag of chewy lollies I chew on when descending, works wonders for ear issues.
I just did this route on 3/24/2024 and i took the morning flight leaving EWR at 9h30am and they served diner on departure with breakfast as your 2nd meal before landing in LHR…totally off. Crew was embarassed as they said it was due to the daylight saving time and only 4hrs time difference between UK and US at that time. Make no sense but stop guessing why United do things like that, as they have become worse and worse with food service recently. And those 767…definitely need to replace them.
Air Nuigini fly 767's to OZ from Port Moresby to Brisbane and Sydney.
Great review, Dennis. We just flew United Polaris EWR-ZRH and was not impressed by the seating configuration at all. Compared to other carriers' business class product, it seems like United had put an extra row (or two) in the cabin. Very tight. I was almost side-by-side with the passenger behind me when the seat was flat. Not something I would seek out in the future.
Food and United.... Ha!
I have just done Syd-LAS via LAX and LAS to SYD via SFO (sadly in whY)
On the outbound journey, dinner was served "Chicken or Pasta". When I asked what the chicken dish was, and what the pasta dish was, I was informed "well, one is chicken, and one is pasta" - silly me for asking.
Tne chicken ended up being a dry chicken breast in a creamy sauce with veg. They could have told me this before I played "United Dinner Dish Lottery"
It was largely tasteless.
Ever since the merger with Continental, the frequent flyer perks on United have been way overcrowded. Not very impressed with United's response to this problem. Generally boarding areas in major hubs are way too tight to board with any measure of comfort but that is not UA specific.
I took this short hop to LHR once in 2019 and it is efficient but tough on the body. In addition, the free workout one gets from crossing the terminal on arrival is a pain. So, I decided that it was not worth repeating. IMO, the 9:30am departure from Dulles to LHR is much better but everyone will have their preference. I just wish that UA would offer that time of day for departure to some other European destinations
Good work like always Koning 🤴🏻 Dennis =) 🇦🇺🇳🇱
Jayzuss, man!
That's either a "feature" of their system or a complete and utter breakdown of the corporate mind.
Hi am new here I came from the Noel Phillips videos
The United Polaris seats are very nice, but I have found the food and service inconsistent.
I've never not had breakfast on a transatlantic flight...that's very odd. Might have been a one off. Cheers, Dennis.
Great positive review.
My first flight was on an Ansett 767.
i have flown united polaris 3 times - from melb-san fran, london - LA & LA -melb. the food was only good on london - LA where i got a decent pasta.
767. Great airplane. Same for 757. Boeing needs to re visit.
And at 2:00 Dennis realised he messed up and should have grabbed a roady. The seats looked functional, but also looked like they were more a coffin than a comfy seat for 7hrs.
I was very disappointed until you started talking about an Arrivals Lounge. Worth it for that alone? Probably IMO.
Hop across the pond. 😂 Nice touch
As always, a very enjoyable video. What video editing program do you use? I use Videopad.
Thanks! I use PowerDirector 365 for the editing.
As a 1K and someone who travels on multiple airlines… Polaris is the best lounge network in the world and Newark is the worst one of them all haha so try another city.
I’d much rather be flying on the older type Boeing aircraft like the 767 you were on, rather than the newer type like.,the Boeing 737 max which has continuous safety issues. Enjoyed your United flight review, awesome✈️👍
He fails to mention the Middle Eastern airlines are subsidized by their governments. Where Americans aren’t. Huge difference.
Virgin Atlantic and BA offer arrival lounges at London, too. I've often wondered why QF doesn't offer guests one at SYD or MEL.