JAL F, LHR -NRT, KIX-LAX
Jan 17, 2003, 4:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK
Posts: 208
JAL F, LHR -NRT, KIX-LAX
Sorry, the topic should be JAL F, LHR-NRT, KIX-LHR
This trip was booked as an Award ticket using 120K AA miles each for my wife & I, and was my first trip in F on a transcontinental flight, although I have flown in J on BA & AA many times.
JAL 402, LHR-NRT 19:00 Hrs, 27th December 2002
Checked in at the JAL First Class check-in at LHR T3, very early, I live between 2 & 4 hours from LHR depending on traffic, so have to leave plenty of time.
The F check-in was the only one open & completed the formalities very quickly & efficiently, the only problem was that he put 'Cabin' F tags on our checked bags, rather than the 'Priority' tags, but our boarding passes were on specially printed 'First Class' stock.
We were given a map to the JAL Sakura Lounge, very pleasant, good drink selection, but only (home made) chips & a couple other snacks as food.
I noticed that there were two lounges off the central reception, we were directed to the one on the left.
By the time the flight was called, there were 12 of us in the Lounge, I assumed F would be full.
We stopped off at the shop by the Lounge so were the last to board & I was surprised to find the F cabin empty, I had called JAL for seat allocation a week or so before & was given 3A & 3H, as the first empty pair.
Our coats were taken & as soon as we sat down Champagne or OJ was offered, we both took the OJ, which tasted as if it was fresh.
Before take-off the CSD or Purser introduced herself to us & told us to contact her should we need anything, then a FA came round with the a basket containing Sony NR head-phones, 2 Amenity kits & extra tooth & hair brushes, the Amenity kits contained a pretty good selection of (I was told by my daughter in Japan) very high quality items.
Just after take-off a FA came & asked if we would like a drink, I went for a plum wine, which was delicious, my wife for the Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Blank de Blancs Brut 1995, these arrived on a silver tray with a plate of 3 pastry based 'nibbles' & Menus.
We were also given Track Suit bottoms & a cardigan.
After refills, we ordered dinner, I went for the Western Menu, which was:
Appetiser:
Ossetra Caviar
Lobster Tail & Claw.
I'm not a great lover of either Caviar or Lobster, or should I say I hadn't been until this serving, it was delicious.
Soup:
Chicken & Spinach.
Salad:
Fresh Salad, with the most delicious dressing I have ever tasted.
Main Dish:
I went for Organic Fillet of Beef with Herb Crust & Red Wine Sauce, cooked as I like it Med-Rare.
Other choices were:
Roast Guinea Fowl with Chicken Sauce
Pan Fried Monkfish with Horseradish Sauce
Selection of Cheese:
A tray with about 8 blocks of cheese, I had some Stilton & cheddar, both excellent, with a glass of Graham's Tawny Port 30 years old.
Desert:
Raspberry Cream, Summer Berry Tart, Ganache Cassata,
Cut Fruits in Season.
I chose Fruit, which was fresh Kiwi Fruit, apple, orange, & some I didn't recognise.
Tea or Coffee.
I had Cappuccino, with a Remy Martin X.O. Premier Cru.
My wife had the Japanese menu, if any-one wants details I can post the menu in full.
The wine selection was:
Tattinger as above
Charles Heindsieck Blanc des Millenaires Vintage 1990
White:
Chateau Latour-Martillac 1997
Meursault Premier Cru Poruzot 1999, Domaine Rene Manuel
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 1997, Louis Latour
Buehler Russian River Valley Reserve Chardonnay 1998
Trittenheiomer Altarchen riesling Auslese 2000
Red:
Chateau Talbot 1998, my choice, very good.
Chateau Rauzan Gassies 1996
Corton Grand Cru "Domaine Latour" 1996
Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Merlot 1998
Chateau Mercian Kikyogahara Merlot 1997
Various Sake
The food was all served from silver trays, we had a FA each, some-times 2.
We then settled back into the Skysleeper Solo seat, I was rather disappointed that it wasn't the seat advertised on the JAL web site, but missed the small print that the 'New' Skysleeper Solo was JFK-NRT only.
The selection of movies wasn't to my taste & was pretty much a superset of the ones AA were showing on transatlantic flights in December. I was also disappointed that we were not given JAL's unique Eye-Trek system, or that the movies were not 'on demand' again only available JFK-NRT.
The seats were fully flat & fitted my 6'2" 225# body with ease, covered by a very nice duvet we slept well.
I woke after 4 or 5 hours & as I sat up a FA was asking if I wanted anything, I had a Noodle soup with Kogashima Pork Fillet, from an extensive list of snacks.
I went to the restroom, much larger & better than AA or BA J, I noticed that there was a selection of packed nuts & nibbles together with a bottle of Remy X.O. at the rear of the cabin.
After getting some more sleep, we woke up about 90 before landing & were offered breakfast, I had the Japanese tray, comprising:
Salt Grilled Scottish Salmon
Grilled Egg Roll with Crabmeat
Japanese Pickles
Miso Soup
Toasted Seaweed
Steamed Rice.
The restroom now contained tooth-brushes & a shaving kit.
Nice talk by the captain before smooth landing.
On arriving the ac was parked well away from the terminal & 2 sets of steps moved to the ac, one at the door at the rear of F, one at J/main cabin, we went down to steps to a bus labelled First Class, got in & the bus drove off with just us, to the main terminal, after being given a warm farewell by 'our' FA's.
Bags came off the carousal within a few minutes of clearing immigration, ours were not the first off, the ones with Business tags were, I guess that was because of the mistake of the Check-in agent of LHR.
Shuttle Bus to the Narita Holiday Inn, followed by 2 weeks touring Japan with our daughter who is working there, until our return:
Our daughter lives in a town called Tokuyama & we caught a Shinkansen from there to Osaka & the Airport Express to Kansai.
JAL 421, KIX-LHR, 12:00 Hrs 10th Jan 2003
Checked-in quickly & given map to the First Class Lounge.
Greeted at the Lounge reception & shown into the First Class section, offered a drink, I had coffee, my wife, Taittinger.
Lounge very nice, with bar, & a couple of internet connected computers, but no smoking, I went to the smoking lounge in the other part of the large Business lounge.
One of the receptionists came in & said we could board at our leisure.
Went to the gate, two lines, one Main cabin, one Premium, I was barged out of the way by an American woman waving a J Boarding Pass, who did look pissed when she saw us greeted by name at the ac door & shown into an empty F cabin :-).
The return trip was pretty much the same as the outward, except this time the seats were the 'Dual SkySleeper' seats, & we were served by the Purser & another FA, this time both my wife & I had the Heidsieck.
The Western lunch menu was:
Appetiser:
Ossetra Caviar
Foie Gras Terrine with Port Wine Jelly
Soup:
Vegetable Consomme Soup
Salad
Fresh Vegetable Salad with Onion Dressing
Main Dish:
Grilled Filled of "Kagoshima-Wagyu" Beef Green Pepper Sauce Mustard Flavour (my choice)
Grilled Chicken Breast with Burdock Farce in White Sesame Sauce
Grilled Sawedged Perch Pot-au-Feu Style (my wife's Choice)
Selection of Cheese:
A tray with about 5 blocks of cheese, I had some Stilton & cheddar, both excellent, with a glass of Graham's Tawny Port 30 years old.
Dessert:
Mixed Fruit Cake
Chocolate Mille-feuille
Chestnut Cake
Cut Fruits
I chose the Chestnut Cake & some fruit.
Coffee & a Baileys
Wine list was the same as outward flight.
Better selection of Movies, but I maintained my record (on over 60 transatlantic return flights) of not seeing a movie all the way through.
Typical arrival at LHR T3, this time our bags were the first off.
As I said, this was my first trip in transcontinental F, but the difference between this & AA J is as different as AA J & a cheap charter flight, but was disappointed that our ac had the old seating & equipment.
While I know the F fare is very expensive, I was surprised that we had the cabin to ourselves both ways.
[This message has been edited by bhxnick (edited 01-17-2003).]
This trip was booked as an Award ticket using 120K AA miles each for my wife & I, and was my first trip in F on a transcontinental flight, although I have flown in J on BA & AA many times.
JAL 402, LHR-NRT 19:00 Hrs, 27th December 2002
Checked in at the JAL First Class check-in at LHR T3, very early, I live between 2 & 4 hours from LHR depending on traffic, so have to leave plenty of time.
The F check-in was the only one open & completed the formalities very quickly & efficiently, the only problem was that he put 'Cabin' F tags on our checked bags, rather than the 'Priority' tags, but our boarding passes were on specially printed 'First Class' stock.
We were given a map to the JAL Sakura Lounge, very pleasant, good drink selection, but only (home made) chips & a couple other snacks as food.
I noticed that there were two lounges off the central reception, we were directed to the one on the left.
By the time the flight was called, there were 12 of us in the Lounge, I assumed F would be full.
We stopped off at the shop by the Lounge so were the last to board & I was surprised to find the F cabin empty, I had called JAL for seat allocation a week or so before & was given 3A & 3H, as the first empty pair.
Our coats were taken & as soon as we sat down Champagne or OJ was offered, we both took the OJ, which tasted as if it was fresh.
Before take-off the CSD or Purser introduced herself to us & told us to contact her should we need anything, then a FA came round with the a basket containing Sony NR head-phones, 2 Amenity kits & extra tooth & hair brushes, the Amenity kits contained a pretty good selection of (I was told by my daughter in Japan) very high quality items.
Just after take-off a FA came & asked if we would like a drink, I went for a plum wine, which was delicious, my wife for the Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Blank de Blancs Brut 1995, these arrived on a silver tray with a plate of 3 pastry based 'nibbles' & Menus.
We were also given Track Suit bottoms & a cardigan.
After refills, we ordered dinner, I went for the Western Menu, which was:
Appetiser:
Ossetra Caviar
Lobster Tail & Claw.
I'm not a great lover of either Caviar or Lobster, or should I say I hadn't been until this serving, it was delicious.
Soup:
Chicken & Spinach.
Salad:
Fresh Salad, with the most delicious dressing I have ever tasted.
Main Dish:
I went for Organic Fillet of Beef with Herb Crust & Red Wine Sauce, cooked as I like it Med-Rare.
Other choices were:
Roast Guinea Fowl with Chicken Sauce
Pan Fried Monkfish with Horseradish Sauce
Selection of Cheese:
A tray with about 8 blocks of cheese, I had some Stilton & cheddar, both excellent, with a glass of Graham's Tawny Port 30 years old.
Desert:
Raspberry Cream, Summer Berry Tart, Ganache Cassata,
Cut Fruits in Season.
I chose Fruit, which was fresh Kiwi Fruit, apple, orange, & some I didn't recognise.
Tea or Coffee.
I had Cappuccino, with a Remy Martin X.O. Premier Cru.
My wife had the Japanese menu, if any-one wants details I can post the menu in full.
The wine selection was:
Tattinger as above
Charles Heindsieck Blanc des Millenaires Vintage 1990
White:
Chateau Latour-Martillac 1997
Meursault Premier Cru Poruzot 1999, Domaine Rene Manuel
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 1997, Louis Latour
Buehler Russian River Valley Reserve Chardonnay 1998
Trittenheiomer Altarchen riesling Auslese 2000
Red:
Chateau Talbot 1998, my choice, very good.
Chateau Rauzan Gassies 1996
Corton Grand Cru "Domaine Latour" 1996
Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Merlot 1998
Chateau Mercian Kikyogahara Merlot 1997
Various Sake
The food was all served from silver trays, we had a FA each, some-times 2.
We then settled back into the Skysleeper Solo seat, I was rather disappointed that it wasn't the seat advertised on the JAL web site, but missed the small print that the 'New' Skysleeper Solo was JFK-NRT only.
The selection of movies wasn't to my taste & was pretty much a superset of the ones AA were showing on transatlantic flights in December. I was also disappointed that we were not given JAL's unique Eye-Trek system, or that the movies were not 'on demand' again only available JFK-NRT.
The seats were fully flat & fitted my 6'2" 225# body with ease, covered by a very nice duvet we slept well.
I woke after 4 or 5 hours & as I sat up a FA was asking if I wanted anything, I had a Noodle soup with Kogashima Pork Fillet, from an extensive list of snacks.
I went to the restroom, much larger & better than AA or BA J, I noticed that there was a selection of packed nuts & nibbles together with a bottle of Remy X.O. at the rear of the cabin.
After getting some more sleep, we woke up about 90 before landing & were offered breakfast, I had the Japanese tray, comprising:
Salt Grilled Scottish Salmon
Grilled Egg Roll with Crabmeat
Japanese Pickles
Miso Soup
Toasted Seaweed
Steamed Rice.
The restroom now contained tooth-brushes & a shaving kit.
Nice talk by the captain before smooth landing.
On arriving the ac was parked well away from the terminal & 2 sets of steps moved to the ac, one at the door at the rear of F, one at J/main cabin, we went down to steps to a bus labelled First Class, got in & the bus drove off with just us, to the main terminal, after being given a warm farewell by 'our' FA's.
Bags came off the carousal within a few minutes of clearing immigration, ours were not the first off, the ones with Business tags were, I guess that was because of the mistake of the Check-in agent of LHR.
Shuttle Bus to the Narita Holiday Inn, followed by 2 weeks touring Japan with our daughter who is working there, until our return:
Our daughter lives in a town called Tokuyama & we caught a Shinkansen from there to Osaka & the Airport Express to Kansai.
JAL 421, KIX-LHR, 12:00 Hrs 10th Jan 2003
Checked-in quickly & given map to the First Class Lounge.
Greeted at the Lounge reception & shown into the First Class section, offered a drink, I had coffee, my wife, Taittinger.
Lounge very nice, with bar, & a couple of internet connected computers, but no smoking, I went to the smoking lounge in the other part of the large Business lounge.
One of the receptionists came in & said we could board at our leisure.
Went to the gate, two lines, one Main cabin, one Premium, I was barged out of the way by an American woman waving a J Boarding Pass, who did look pissed when she saw us greeted by name at the ac door & shown into an empty F cabin :-).
The return trip was pretty much the same as the outward, except this time the seats were the 'Dual SkySleeper' seats, & we were served by the Purser & another FA, this time both my wife & I had the Heidsieck.
The Western lunch menu was:
Appetiser:
Ossetra Caviar
Foie Gras Terrine with Port Wine Jelly
Soup:
Vegetable Consomme Soup
Salad
Fresh Vegetable Salad with Onion Dressing
Main Dish:
Grilled Filled of "Kagoshima-Wagyu" Beef Green Pepper Sauce Mustard Flavour (my choice)
Grilled Chicken Breast with Burdock Farce in White Sesame Sauce
Grilled Sawedged Perch Pot-au-Feu Style (my wife's Choice)
Selection of Cheese:
A tray with about 5 blocks of cheese, I had some Stilton & cheddar, both excellent, with a glass of Graham's Tawny Port 30 years old.
Dessert:
Mixed Fruit Cake
Chocolate Mille-feuille
Chestnut Cake
Cut Fruits
I chose the Chestnut Cake & some fruit.
Coffee & a Baileys
Wine list was the same as outward flight.
Better selection of Movies, but I maintained my record (on over 60 transatlantic return flights) of not seeing a movie all the way through.
Typical arrival at LHR T3, this time our bags were the first off.
As I said, this was my first trip in transcontinental F, but the difference between this & AA J is as different as AA J & a cheap charter flight, but was disappointed that our ac had the old seating & equipment.
While I know the F fare is very expensive, I was surprised that we had the cabin to ourselves both ways.
[This message has been edited by bhxnick (edited 01-17-2003).]
Jan 17, 2003, 8:54 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,181
I flew on JAL in F in 1977 from Tokyo to Los Angeles. No sleeper seats in those days. They gave us a JAL robe and I stupidly chose the Japanese meal which I had to eat with chopsticks. For my tastebuds it was awful and I remember the desert tasted of plain sugar. I was too shy in those days to ask for a western meal.
The continental breakfast consisted of some stale croissants. It was really bad.
The continental breakfast consisted of some stale croissants. It was really bad.
Jan 17, 2003, 9:35 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Home: Arlington, VA; Home airports: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: Active: AA, UA, DL
Posts: 4,095
Thanks for the report. Interesting to see that you're an AA ff even though you're living in the UK. However, I've heard BA is kind of nasty to the UK residents in their ff programme.
How spoiled you were to have your own personal F/As in F!!!
- Pat
How spoiled you were to have your own personal F/As in F!!!
- Pat
Jan 18, 2003, 3:13 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK
Posts: 208
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Bretteee:
I flew on JAL in F in 1977 from Tokyo to Los Angeles. ...I stupidly chose the Japanese meal which I had to eat with chopsticks. For my tastebuds it was awful and I remember the desert tasted of plain sugar. I was too shy in those days to ask for a western meal.
</font>
I flew on JAL in F in 1977 from Tokyo to Los Angeles. ...I stupidly chose the Japanese meal which I had to eat with chopsticks. For my tastebuds it was awful and I remember the desert tasted of plain sugar. I was too shy in those days to ask for a western meal.
</font>
We showed the menu to a Japanese friend of our daughter, & all we heard was, "Wow, Wow, Wow"
There were however enough hot snacks available any time to fend off starvation :-)
Jan 18, 2003, 3:22 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK
Posts: 208
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Wiirachay:
Thanks for the report. Interesting to see that you're an AA ff even though you're living in the UK. However, I've heard BA is kind of nasty to the UK residents in their ff programme.
</font>
Thanks for the report. Interesting to see that you're an AA ff even though you're living in the UK. However, I've heard BA is kind of nasty to the UK residents in their ff programme.
</font>
Don't get me started on that one :-), yes they are nasty, the main problem is that they only give miles & status on full-fare tickets.
I also have issues with BA in general as well.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
How spoiled you were to have your own personal F/As in F!!!
- Pat
How spoiled you were to have your own personal F/As in F!!!
- Pat
</font>
My wife joked that she thought that there must have been CCTV on us, as every time we moved or sat up a FA was there asking if we wanted anything.
Nick
Jan 18, 2003, 8:24 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,181
Funny. Anyway I think your wife was wise unless she likes raw or fried fish and sugar.
In those days there were no snacks available at all times. They seem to have made a huge improvement. Maybe because they compete with ANA. All my Japanese friends switched from JAL to ANA when ANA started flying long haul international routes.
In those days there were no snacks available at all times. They seem to have made a huge improvement. Maybe because they compete with ANA. All my Japanese friends switched from JAL to ANA when ANA started flying long haul international routes.
Jan 20, 2003, 5:50 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Premier Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,467
Stupid question:
When they give you things like track suits, do you get to keep them or do you turn them in and they send them off to be cleaned like they do with blankets and the like?
I could see disposing of them if they were made of paper or Tyvek or something, but some of these seem to be a little more upscale than that and probably rather expensive to replace on a per-flight basis.
JD
When they give you things like track suits, do you get to keep them or do you turn them in and they send them off to be cleaned like they do with blankets and the like?
I could see disposing of them if they were made of paper or Tyvek or something, but some of these seem to be a little more upscale than that and probably rather expensive to replace on a per-flight basis.
JD
Jan 20, 2003, 7:49 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
Interesting report as JAL is infrequently covered on FT. Two Qs
1)Were you tempted to use CX for the trip? Did the extra 20k miles or hassle of going thru HKG put you off?
2) Have you flown CX F and if so how did this compare.
Just planning ahead for when Villa win the European Cup and I need to visit Tokyo.
BTW, I don't suppose you're a Villa fan also.
1)Were you tempted to use CX for the trip? Did the extra 20k miles or hassle of going thru HKG put you off?
2) Have you flown CX F and if so how did this compare.
Just planning ahead for when Villa win the European Cup and I need to visit Tokyo.
BTW, I don't suppose you're a Villa fan also.
Jan 20, 2003, 8:49 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Seattle
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 1,570
Mahalo for the interesting trip report. Maybe you could take me on your next great flight like that. KIDDING....lol
It's always nice to live vicariously through my other FT'ers.
Aloha...
------------------
Patrick A. Inouye
It's always nice to live vicariously through my other FT'ers.
Aloha...
------------------
Patrick A. Inouye
Jan 21, 2003, 3:01 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK
Posts: 208
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by oiRRio:
Interesting report as JAL is infrequently covered on FT. Two Qs
1)Were you tempted to use CX for the trip? Did the extra 20k miles or hassle of going thru HKG put you off?
</font>
Interesting report as JAL is infrequently covered on FT. Two Qs
1)Were you tempted to use CX for the trip? Did the extra 20k miles or hassle of going thru HKG put you off?
</font>
We were tempted, but didn't have the miles. Our alternatives were:
CX J
BA J
JAL F
& we were told that JAL F would be better than the other 2.
I also wanted a true F experience
If only because we had the cabin to ourselves I am sure that was true.
I would like to ask a question:
Who normally flys F on such flights ?
I ask because when we deplaned at LHR (through our own jetbridge) a couple of men were waiting in the jetbridge, who I later recognised as newspaper reporters who feature in a UK TV program about LHR, I guess they were waiting for someone rich or famous to get off, how they must have been disappointed when my wife & I walked past them :-)
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
2) Have you flown CX F and if so how did this compare.
</font>
2) Have you flown CX F and if so how did this compare.
</font>
No, this was my first Transcontinental flight in F, I don't count CO BusinessFirst or TWOne.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
Just planning ahead for when Villa win the European Cup and I need to visit Tokyo.
BTW, I don't suppose you're a Villa fan also. </font>
Just planning ahead for when Villa win the European Cup and I need to visit Tokyo.
BTW, I don't suppose you're a Villa fan also. </font>
Jan 21, 2003, 3:12 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK
Posts: 208
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jet'Dillo:
Stupid question:
When they give you things like track suits, do you get to keep them or do you turn them in and they send them off to be cleaned like they do with blankets and the like?
</font>
Stupid question:
When they give you things like track suits, do you get to keep them or do you turn them in and they send them off to be cleaned like they do with blankets and the like?
</font>
I can only speak for this one trip, we left them on a spare seat, but they were not collected before arrival, unlike the duvets, headsets & other items, so guess we could have taken them.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
..... probably rather expensive to replace on a per-flight basis.
JD</font>
..... probably rather expensive to replace on a per-flight basis.
JD</font>
I would guess that the bottle of wine (less one glass) they poured away cost more than that.
Nick
[This message has been edited by bhxnick (edited 01-21-2003).]
Jan 21, 2003, 7:23 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bhxnick:
No, I prefer football :-)</font>
No, I prefer football :-)</font>
Wrt pyjamas I recall reading on another thread that you can keep them on CX but not on JAL. Not sure if this is general policy or just based on one individual's experience.