What is Flying To Europe Like During COVID-19? A Review Of United’s 787-10 Polaris From Dulles To Frankfurt

The Flight At A Glance:

Aircraft:	Boeing 787-10
Origin:	Washington Dulles International Airport
Destination:	Frankfurt Airport
Flight Time:	6h 52m
Date:	December 4, 2020
Class of Service:	Polaris Business Class
Airline:	United Airlines
Flight Rating	90/100
Flight Number:	UA989
Seat Number:	7A
Time of Departure:	5:30 PM
Time of Arrival:	7:10 AM
Departure Terminal:	Concourse D
Aircraft Tail Number:	N91007

Background

I haven’t written a flight review in nearly a year, and it wasn’t out of a lack of will to write. This was my first flight in nearly a year, so needless to say, as an avgeek, it was pretty exciting for me, despite the changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also was exciting in the sense that this was my first time onboard a 787-10, the largest variant of the 787 (and I also haven’t flown the 787 in a few years). This review will be slightly different from my previous ones, in that I’ll talk both about the service and the flight, along with the experience of flying during the pandemic.

United has drastically cut its transatlantic services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. United would normally operate two daily flights from Dulles to Frankfurt, in addition to two on Lufthansa, though now United only operates one a day, with Lufthansa also operating 5x per week. Additionally, United only flies to a handful transatlantic destinations now from Washington, including Brussels, Munich, London, and Zurich, though they are also temporarily suspending the latter two starting in January. Frankfurt was actually the first destination to be resumed from DC in May, having only been suspended for over a month, which isn’t really surprising, due to it being the largest Star Alliance hub in Europe.

Normally, United operated the Boeing 777-200 on both of its Frankfurt flights out of Dulles, though United has put most of their 777s into storage, and now is operating 787s exclusively on their long-haul flights out of Dulles, with only a few 777-200s currently being in commercial service. Prior to the pandemic, United actually never operated the 787-10 out of Dulles–though they had operated the -8 and -9 previously–because of United’s relatively small fleet of them which they mostly operated out of Newark. So in that regard, COVID actually had a positive effect on my flight experience, as the 787-10 is a much newer plane than the 777-200 (though the seats are narrower).

Almost surprisingly, the flight was actually kind of full. By full, I don’t mean pre-pandemic full, but for a long-haul international flight to a country and continent where most Americans aren’t even allowed, the flight was very full. To be fair, it was on a Friday night, so it probably was the fullest flight of the week, and there’s one less flight than usual from Washington to Frankfurt, but I was still surprised. Business class was completely full and Premium Plus only had two unsold seats left, while economy seemed to be somewhere around a third full. In normal times, I doubt anyone would consider this flight anywhere near full, but considering that our plane came from Brussels, which had (I believe) nine revenue seats taken (I attached the two seat maps below), this flight was quite full.

I’ll also be reviewing my return flight which I have yet to take, though I’ll focus more on the service and experience at Frankfurt Airport in that review. Anyways, with all of the logistics out of the way, on to the review.

Pre-Flight

Check-in was actually much busier than I expected it to be, though I guess that’s not too surprising, as the five o’clock rush is (normally and currently) the busiest time at Dulles for United. For those of you who are familiar with the configuration of check-in at Dulles, United seemed to move things around a bit, with the two levels of Premier Access check-in being condensed into one area, and with international economy class being moved to the back side of the main check-in area, where Group check-in and Premier Access usually is. One can presume that this was because there are additional travel restriction checks at check-in for international flights that there aren’t for domestic flights (and usually for international flights).

I guess this is as good a time as ever to address the mask situation. As per the rule, all people at the airport were wearing masks. At Dulles, I was personally wearing an N95 mask and a face shield (though I didn’t wear the face shield while flying, especially as Polaris seats are among the most private in the industry), which actually wasn’t too uncomfortable, so I don’t really get why people are complaining about having to wear a mask. It took a few minutes to get used to it but after that, it really wasn’t that uncomfortable to wear and didn’t really detract from the joy of flying and going to the airport. I would say that most people were wearing surgical or cloth masks (which is of course completely fine), though only a handful (but definitely not zero) were wearing face shields (which is also of course fine; I’m just writing this as an observation).

TSA pre-check was completely empty (there was no line at all), so security took less than two minutes from landside to airside, which is probably the shortest it’s ever been for me. We then took the underground train to Concourse C and then walked to Concourse D, where our flight was heading out of.

The train let us out underneath the tarmac where the new Concourse C and D that will forever be ten years away and will eventually replace the “temporary” current Concourses C and D will hypothetically be. There was (as it has been for the past decade) a moving walkway underneath the tarmac to Concourse C. It lets you out in the middle of Concourse C, right next to where the United Polaris lounge which has been open since 2017 as they originally said it would be is under construction and will hopefully (though probably won’t) open in 2021. For the 5 o’clock rush, the terminal was by no means full, but I’ve been in Concourse C at times where it was significantly less crowded than it was then, so (besides the fact that everyone was wearing a mask) it actually didn’t look much different than usual.

United is currently operating two of its four United Clubs at Dulles, including its only one in Concourse D and the one by C7; we headed to the one near Concourse D. United has scaled back its United Club services and has closed all of its Polaris lounges (which are located at all hubs except Dulles that have any respectable amount of intercontinental flights). There are significantly fewer options in terms of food and drinks, though packaged cookies and brownies were available self serve.

The lounge was actually about 50% full or so (the picture is misleading because we were in a quieter area of the lounge), proving even more that United’s operations are actually somewhat close to normal during the 5 PM rush. However, United usually has four banks (sets of departing and leaving flights) out of Dulles which they’ve reduced to two a day, so while the terminal and lounge weren’t empty by any means, I would reckon that they would have close to zero people in it during other times when it’s usually packed.

The flight was leaving out of Gate D32, which is at the very far end of Concourse D. The plane actually arrived at Gate C4 that same afternoon from Brussels which is at the end of the terminal where international arrivals can be handled (they can’t be handled in Concourse D), so they must’ve moved the plane earlier that afternoon.

Side note that doesn’t really have any impact on this review: back in the day, other airlines such as British Airways, American, and Austrian Airlines used to operate out of this end of Concourse D before United took over the entire C/D Concourse. Back then, to operate international arrivals at this end of the terminal where there wasn’t an international arrivals hallway, they would actually dock mobile lounges close up to the plane when it was parked at the terminal to transport passengers to the international arrivals hall.

There were a few other planes departing at this end of the terminal, though the flight to Frankfurt was the only intercontinental one. Unfortunately, there was no way to get a good view of the plane due to the lack of windows at Dulles’ Concourses C and D. Before passengers boarded, they did some document checks at the gate to get the boarding pass okayed, though we had been able to do that previously at the lounge. At about 4:45 boarding commenced, which was somewhat chaotic as forming a line in such a tight space was difficult when trying to stay socially distanced.

The Flight

I’ve flown in the United Polaris seats once before, twenty months ago in 2019 from Dulles to Sao Paulo before connecting to Johannesburg in an amazing mileage redemption of 80,000 miles which sadly was devaluated this year. United introduced their new Polaris seats back in 2017 onboard their 777-300ERs and have been retrofitting them onboard the rest of their long-haul fleet since. The seat model that United uses is the Safran Optima, which I belive is only available on two other airlines: Air France (on their A350s) and Ethiopian Airlines ( on their new A350s).

United took delivery of their first 787-10s back in 2019 and I believe only have one or two more on order out of 14 (though I’d be willing to bet that they’ll eventually order more). There are only 39 Polaris seats onboard their 787-10s, while their more premium heavy though smaller 787-9s have 46 and the similarly sized 777-200 has 50. As I have previously said, the the Polaris cabin was completely full, though that’s not exactly surprising given that United ordinarily has 100 business class seats per day on that route (with two 777-200s) and Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany (and the EU).

Upon entering the cabin the first thing you notice is the mood lighting, standard for newer Boeing aircraft, which was blue at the time of boarding. United configured their 787-10 business class in a 1-2-1 configuration, though the seats are significantly narrower than the ones onboard their 777-200s, also in a 1-2-1 configuration, though the 777 is wider than the 787. This resulted in the seat being slightly tighter than on the 777 or 767, which is in a 1-1-1 configuration (though of course it was a million times better than economy, so I’m not complaining by any means).

The seats are staggered, meaning that some seats are closer to the aisle (and in this case are actually are slanted towards the aisle) while some seats are further away from the aisle and are ergo more private. The seats further away from the aisle are either closer to the window and are known as “true” window seats because of this (the “window” seats that are closer to and slant towards the aisle have a more obstructed view of the window) whereas seats in the middle section that are further away from the aisle are known as “honeymoon” seats due to being very close to each other and are perfect for people traveling together (though there is a raisable privacy partition).

I would highly recommend that, if possible, you should choose one of the seats further away from the aisle, especially during the pandemic. They are simply much more private and feel like your own cocoon, which is especially important during the pandemic when you’re trying to stay as far away from people as possible.

To get to the seats further from the aisle, there’s a little “passageway” that you have to walk through. In comparison to the 767 (which I have flown, which is nearly identical to the seats on the 777), there are two minor differences in the seats. Firstly, again, the seats are a little bit tighter, especially while in the lie flat position, though in no way was it uncomfortably so. Second, the in-flight entertainment screen was clearly of a newer model on the 787-10, with a higher quality touchscreen that was very responsive.

The seat also has a couple of other cool features. Firstly, along the side of the seat there is a little bar which can be used to control the seat. There’s a little wheel that can change the seat from the upright position into the lie flat position, and there also are a couple of other buttons next to it that can be used to change the leg rest and lumbar support. Next to the seat, there also is a little “closet” which is where the headphones are stored. Under the IFE screen is a thin storage unit, perfect to store a phone or computer, while there is also a storage compartment right next to the seat and literature pocket where you can store a phone or other small things.

There’s also a remote that can be used to control the IFE screen. Oddly, on their 787-9s in their old configuration (not with the new Polaris seats), they used the fancy controllers that also act as a touchpad, while they installed standard ones onboard Polaris-configured aircraft that used to be used in their IPTE configuration (aka the 8-abreast old international business seats). There also was a power port and USB port next to the remote and there was also a USB port underneath the IFE screen.

I have to commend United, as they haven’t really scaled back their amenities onboard during the COVID-19 pandemic that much. United provided their normal (best in the market) Polaris bedding, which had all regular items except the second throw blanket, including the regular (quite large) pillow, the second cool gel pillow (which is amazing for sleeping), the duvet, along with the mattress pad, which is only available upon request (if flying Polaris, definitely request this; it almost feels like a real bed). Even during the pandemic, I would argue that United still has probably the best bedding in business class and really made for a great rest, with four pieces instead of the normal five.

United also offered their standard amenity kits at the seat, which had all of the normal accessories (i.e. toothbrush, toothpaste, hand lotion, etc). Before takeoff, flight attendants came around with slippers, which I appreciated, though in all honestly, they were much too small for me.

Fortunately, United opted to install individual air vents, which I appreciate deeply as I’m someone who easily gets warm.

At about 5:20, the captain came on the PA and announced that our flight would be delayed because of some late cargo, which took about an extra 30 minutes. I wasn’t complaining because I wasn’t connecting in Frankfurt and I don’t really like early red-eyes anyways (because I find it hard to get to sleep so early; I much prefer later red-eyes).

During that time, the flight attendant who was manning my aisle came by to take orders for dinner. For obvious COVID-19 reasons, they don’t hand out menus anymore for flights and just ask passengers what they’d like for dinner, though he was willing and able to elaborate on the sides for the various dishes. I chose the short ribs, which I find are always quite good on United, though I’ll admit that I don’t really remember what the other two options were. I found service to be very pleasant on this flight; the main flight attendant in my aisle was very friendly, though he wasn’t too proactive and tried to limit contact with passengers, which would be a criticism in normal times but is a compliment in today’s world (so I guess the US3’s biggest service flaw might be their biggest service strength nowadays).

At almost exactly 6:00 PM, we pushed back, and the safety video played. United actually decided to reuse their “Safety Is Global II” from 2017 that they got rid of in 2018 because I guess they didn’t want to make a new one during COVID. They had previously used a Star Wars safety video From November-ish of last year to (I believe) the beginning of the pandemic (and previously used a Spider Man safety-video and before that they used a “Saftey Is Global III” video), so this was their third from last safety video. I find it interesting that they re-used their generic safety video from 2017 instead of their subsequent one from 2018 (Safety Is Global III), so my only explanation is that Scott Kirby liked II better than III (and so did I). I payed attention and interestingly, previous CEO and current Executive Chairman Oscar Munoz’s cameo from Safety Is Global II was cut.

After the safety video, they played a couple of videos highlighting United’s commitment to safety during COVID-19 and about their study on the low risks of transmission onboard aircraft. At that point, it was completely dark for over an hour and we taxied to Runway 1C, which we took off from.

The meal service was potentially the most noticeable difference in service, though I definitely appreciated its efficiency. About 30 minutes after takeoff, dinner was served on a single tray. Usually, service would be much more dragged out, starting with a warm nut service, then an appetizer, then the main course, and then the usual United ice cream sundae service (rest in peace, but you will always be in our hearts). The service resembled United’s express meal service, though since I would have normally ordered the express meal service on a quick transatlantic flight, there really wasn’t that much of a difference.

In terms of the actual food, there were elements that were definitely downgraded, though others that I found quite good. For example, the bread was the same as you would receive in economy class and was a cold and not very good (but still very edible) bread roll. They still served nuts, though they were in a plastic container and were cold. There also was a side salad which didn’t look very good and I didn’t eat. Everything was wrapped, which made it less aesthetically pleasing though is a very necessary precaution in these times (and it’s not like it made any real difference anyways).

I was actually pleasantly surprised with the main course. I ordered the beef short ribs, which came with rice (which was originally underneath a paper covering) and broccoli. The short ribs were quite good; they weren’t amazing, but it was still relatively tender and was excellent for the circumstances. The rice was also fine, and there was a sauce in a container on the side that was also very good. For dessert (sorry, I didn’t take a picture), they served a small container of vanilla ice cream which didn’t compare to their old ice cream sundaes but still was delicious.

The meal service was finished about 50 minutes after takeoff, which I thought was impressive for a 7 hour transatlantic flight where sleep is the #1 priority. I then requested a mattress pad from the flight attendant which he promptly gave, and I made the bed and decided to go to sleep about an hour after takeoff. I got a solid 5 hours of deep rest, which was great for a 7 hour flight (I commend United’s quick service again), though I only got about 3 or so hours of actual sleep, which was acceptable for such a short flight. While I didn’t get that much sleep, I still felt very rested, which I also accredit to United’s excellent bedding, which I cannot praise enough, even during the pandemic.

I woke up about 40 minutes before landing when the breakfast service was almost concluded. On such short eastbound transatlantic flights, I usually only eat one meal; usually it’s dinner on early flights and breakfast on ones that depart at 10 or so. I didn’t get a chance to look at what the breakfast option was, though I believe it was some kind of packaged sandwich. About 30 minutes before landing, the captain announced that we would be landing in Frankfurt a bit before 7, which was about a quarter of an hour early, despite us leaving half an hour late.

Sure enough, we ended up landing on Runway 25L at 6:55 AM, and it was still completely dark in Frankfurt (which was somewhat unusual because I’ve mostly landed on runway 25R when coming from DC, though maybe that’s just personal experience…I think 25R is currently used for storage though). Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain, so I couldn’t get very many good pictures of planes at Frankfurt (and also could barely see anything), supplement by the fact that it was still dark. One positive effect of COVID-19 is that unlike in normal times when seemingly 90% of planes have to park at remote stands in Frankfurt, almost all planes get an actual gate nowadays. We taxied to Concourse Z (the old section of it) of Terminal 1, which is where United planes generally arrive in Frankfurt. It was from there a quick walk to immigration, where there was no line.

Conclusion

Despite having to wear a mask and the (slightly) limited service, I still thoroughly enjoyed this flight (though since I haven’t been on a plane in almost a year, I probably would have still enjoyed flying Spirit Airlines in a middle seat to just about anywhere). The flight and the whole flying experience honestly felt surprisingly normal to me, with in-flight service being relatively normal and the airport not being completely deserted, like the photos at the beginning of the pandemic.

The seat was very comfortable and private, which is fantastic during these times. There was little change to the in-flight bedding, which was still amazing and is without a doubt the best part of flying United Polaris and (in my opinion) is their biggest competitive advantage over other airlines and distinguishing factor. The food was quite good for the circumstances, while service was friendly but not too attentive (which is now a good thing). Overall, my experience in United Polaris during COVID-19 was quite enjoyable and I would recommend it even during the pandemic.