JAL Mileage Bank - NRT/PEK service

We are traveling NRT/Pek in U class later this month on the evening flight. What should we expect in the way of service? Meals, entertainment? Will the FA's speak english?

Any tips for the flight?

Where's the love folks? Has anyone flown this route/ I would appreciate some scoop on what to expect.:)

Where's the love folks? Has anyone flown this route/ I would appreciate some scoop on what to expect.:)

The flights are 767 so seats will be skyluxe (http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inflight/inter/executive/c_seat/index2.html) with the MAGIC-III IFE system. The available movies can be found here (http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inflight/inter/jen/).

Here (http://www.jal.co.jp/cgi-bin/jal/inflight/inter/search_svc.cgi?dep_tmp=nrt&arr_tmp=pek&class_tmp=c&month=8&dep=nrt&arr=pek&seatclass=c&Submit.x=21&Submit.y=7) is the NRT-PEK menu in Japanese (with pictures).

In general the cabin attendants should be available to communicate in simple English. Usually the senior cabin attendant (her scarf is different than the others) and the Chinese cabin attendants speak better English than the average Japanese crew.

I think they serve Chinese tea in C too (If I guess the meaning of this (http://www.jal.co.jp/inflight/inter/china/) correctly).

Sorry I haven't flown this route before. That's all the info I can provide. Hope this helps. Have a pleasant flight!

I flew this route in U in mid July (on the mid-morning flight though)-- JALPak is right on about the seats, movies, and menu.

My travel partner and I were the only two Westerners in Business-- service was fine, the FA's all seemed to speak functional English... 30 minutes or so into the flight there was a drink service, and the meal service followed shortly. The only thing I found odd was they intentionally skipped the two of us when asking for meal choices, at the very end the FA came up to us and said "I'm sorry, we don't have any more of the Japanese entree choice, would the Western choice be okay?" (Hint to JAL: Just because I don't speak Japanese doesn't mean I can't tell that you are asking the rest of the PAX what meal choice they want!!!) I paused for a minute realizing what had happened and we both said we'd take the Western option; a few minutes later the FA came back and said they'd magically found one more Japanese menu choice if one of us would like to change-- we didn't. Food was average to good, the pate was interesting, the beef was a bit over done...

My partners IFE crashed during the flight by the FA came and reset the system. There were no amenity kits but there were slippers and a blanket at each seat, and after the meal service the FA's came around with a basket with eye shades/ear plugs/toothbrushes... Also, the bathroom was stocked with toothbrushes; I really enjoy brushing after eating so this was a nice touch. After the meal service the crew seemed to disappear they came by with water shortly before landing, but nothing else (I am sure had I rang my button they would have though...)

Disembarking was a pleasure (at the new terminal in PEK)-- the FA's let Business out first and the rest of the terminal was dead when we arrived so it was very quick to get out... There were several levels of swine flu nonsense, starting with an on board temperature check (I think I almost was detained, the girl took my temp 3 times!) and then a health form check and then a thermal scan check. Then passport control, baggage claim and then out through customs (no one really on duty...) to the street.

Tkank you Jalpak and Leroix. Your comments were most helpful. It sounds like the seat configs for these flights are similar to the US domestic configs. If anyone has any other advice, we're all ears.

The only thing I found odd was they intentionally skipped the two of us when asking for meal choices, at the very end the FA came up to us and said "I'm sorry, we don't have any more of the Japanese entree choice, would the Western choice be okay?"

Where did you seat in the cabin? If you were not on the last row and the cabin attendants were asking for the meal choice from the first to last row and skipped you, I would have confronted them right the way. If you were on the last row, maybe they knew you won't have a choice and therefore skipped you :p But then I would still expect them to tell me right the way instead of just bring me the remaining meal choice!

My travel partner and I were the only two Westerners in Business-- service was fine, the FA's all seemed to speak functional English... 30 minutes or so into the flight there was a drink service, and the meal service followed shortly. The only thing I found odd was they intentionally skipped the two of us when asking for meal choices, at the very end the FA came up to us and said "I'm sorry, we don't have any more of the Japanese entree choice, would the Western choice be okay?" (Hint to JAL: Just because I don't speak Japanese doesn't mean I can't tell that you are asking the rest of the PAX what meal choice they want!!!) I paused for a minute realizing what had happened and we both said we'd take the Western option; a few minutes later the FA came back and said they'd magically found one more Japanese menu choice if one of us would like to change-- we didn't. Food was average to good, the pate was interesting, the beef was a bit over done...



If they indeed skip you two on purpose, I would ask them for an explanation. UA and some other airlines would occasionaly take meal preference by status. I am not aware that JAL does that however. Based on your account of the story, the FAs' behavior was indeed a little strange. You should have asked them about it. In the perception of some Japanese people, westerners are perceived as not as smart as Japanese. She may indeed have felt she could get away for doing what she did on the basis that you don't speak/understand Japanese, quite stupid on her part really. I know an American who speaks and understands Japanese perfectly. Japanese thinks she is just a gaijing and doesn't understand Japanese. Once, she was doing some shopping in a convenience store while in Japan. Apperantly, the clerks were speaking to each other in Japanese about her "funny" apperance. So she looked up at them and spoke in perfect Japanese and confronted them for their impolite behavior. It scared the hell out of both clerks, who apologized profusely. If you travel frequently to/from Japan, you should not let this kind of behavior go unchecked. You should remain polite but firm with the FA and let them understand in no uncertain terms you expect thier absolute best service standard, as they do with any other guests in the plane.

I think they serve Chinese tea in C too (If I guess the meaning of this (http://www.jal.co.jp/inflight/inter/china/) correctly).



Your guess is correct.

We were sitting in the front row, and they were most definitely asking for meal choices from the front backwards, she skipped us (I feel intentionally). After the entire cabin had been asked, she made it a point to come to us to let us know we would be having the Western option (I started watching after she talked to the rest of the 1st row, expecting her to come over to the two of us...) I didn't feel it neccessary to call her out, but my pause made it clear, which is why I think she came back minutes later with the revelation that they found an additional Japanese entree.

I thought about posting this story in the "Is JAL racist" thread, because our meal choices (IMO) were assigned based on the fact that we are not Japanese-- I can't complain about the service or treatment from the crew in any other respect though.

What was the meal service like? Was it full dinner? What do they put on a western meal between Japan and China?

What was the meal service like? Was it full dinner? What do thry put on a western meal between Japan and China?

There's a link in post #3. You can see the pictures of August business class meal options on NRT-PEK flights. It sucks that they don't have the English menu online (not sure why, they have the translation since they have to print it on the menu anyways). You can try to translate it using google or someone who knows Japanese can help.

From google translate:
Western
Prune and walnut Foaguraterinu
Along with artichoke mousse
Sandoraitomato and Olive Sauce Filet (325 kcal)
Fresh Salad
Bread (please enjoy, so we have created a soft roll with domestic rice flour.)
White peach mousse cake
Coffee, Tea

Japanese
Shower of Segawa Takashi
Vegetables
Conger eel sushi roll bamboo
We included shrimp
Baked egg yolk
Konjac boiled Lightning
Various shallot paste, beans slightest, take Ginger Vinegar
Sea bream sashimi
Pickled barbarian Hamo
Boiled sea bass
Rice, pickles, miso soup
Sweets
Green tea, Chinese tea

Thanks, JALPak. I missed that earlier. I appreciate your translation.

The prune and walnut thing and the artichoke mousse should be interesting. I don't think I'll tell my wfe what those items are! ;)

We leave on Tuesday for the big adventure.

There's a link in post #3. You can see the pictures of August business class meal options on NRT-PEK flights. It sucks that they don't have the English menu online (not sure why, they have the translation since they have to print it on the menu anyways). You can try to translate it using google or someone who knows Japanese can help.


if the link you refer to is: http://www.jal.co.jp/cgi-bin/jal/inflight/inter/search_svc.cgi?dep_tmp=nrt&arr_tmp=pek&class_tmp=c&month=8&dep=nrt&arr=pek&seatclass=c&Submit.x=30&Submit.y=12

I'm seeing it as saying

Western Course:
h'orderves
a pudding and cream fauxgratit (some sort of french food word in katakana)
accompanied by a artichoke mouse.

main dish:
beef filet steak with sundried tomato sauce
fresh salad
bread made using country style rice flour (please enjoy the soft roll)

a white peach mouse cake
coffee or chinese tea

Japanese style:

"Takasegawa's evening rain"

Appetizer:
anago (eel) sushi
soaked prawn
fried kisu
[not sure what this is - thunder something baked]
varied-shallot miso soup

tai ("sea bream") made (maybe a temaki?)

cold suzuki (German comes up as Meerbrasse)
Japanese confectionery

Green tea or Chinese tea.

a pudding and cream fauxgratit (some sort of french food word in katakana)I read it as Prune and Foie Gras terrine
beef filet steak with sundried tomato sauceBeef fillet steak with olive and sun-dried tomato sauce.

Otherwise, your translation of the western meal is the same as mine. :)

Thanks, JALPak. I missed that earlier. I appreciate your translation.

The prune and walnut thing and the artichoke mousse should be interesting. I don't think I'll tell my wfe what those items are! ;)

We leave on Tuesday for the big adventure.

No problem. All I did was copy and paste from google translation :p

Not telling your wife what the items are might be a good idea. And make sure you hide the menu too :p On my recent NRT-LAX flight, I lost my appetite after finding out the dish was "Egg Roll Soft Shelled Turtle in Jelly Simmered Goby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goby)". I would probably had tried it if I haven't read the menu. If you look at the pictures on my blog (http://jal-pak.blogspot.com/2009/08/jl062-on-july-28.html), you wouldn't have guessed the meat inside the jelly is turtle at all :D

Don't forget to try the bread on the Western menu. They just roll out this new product. It uses 30% domestically produced rice flour and supposing the texture is a bit different. JAL does this to support something called Food Action Nippon, a movement to improve Japan's food self-sufficiency rate.