With an eye toward drawing big-spending business travelers, United Air Lines plans to rebrand and redesign its business class on international flights. Called “Polaris,” the new branding replaces seats with an “onboard suite” that gives each passenger aisle access and walls to isolate them from other passengers. They call the configuration “sleep-focused.” The Polaris brand will also go on lounges in eight major airports around the world.

While the little people at least get some free food on international flights now, business-class travelers can expect a luxury experience flying in what’s effectively a sleep cubicle where Polaris will be available on long-haul international flights starting in December, when a new Boeing 777-300ER joins the fleet with the Polaris seating configuration and features. Eventually, all international jets wide enough to have two aisles will be retrofitted with the new cabins.

Here, United even made a handy video that shows what may be actual actors walking around in a simulation of a Polaris lounge and plane.

What makes the seats different? Partitions separating passengers from each other, the walk-up snack bar, and how the airline calls it “Polaris” or “Polaris First” instead of business and first class.

United Continental to Offer New Business Class on Widebody Overseas Planes [Wall Street Journal]

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