Hours Lying Flat: United Polaris Passenger Pays $7,400, Gets Just $350 For Broken Seat

A United Polaris passenger faced a malfunctioning lie-flat seat on a 14-hour flight to Beijing, leaving her in the flat position for the duration. Cathy, a Philadelphia traveler, paid $7,388 per ticket, totaling $14,776 for two Polaris seats, when the seat controls failed and became unresponsive. United later offered a $350 travel voucher. Two flight attendants eventually returned the seat to a vertical position for landing, freeing the belt, but the passenger remained without a usable belt for most of the trip. With no alternate seats available and turbulence expected, she endured the 14 hours in a fully flat position. She later complained to United about the experience.