Experience on JAL 787 BOS-NRT?

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Quote: I'm still looking for a way to compare JAL 787 dispatch reliability to other carriers with 787 and to other JAL flights. Comparing JL7 and 8 to JL 5 and 6 using last-60-day data in ExpertFlyer, I see that 7 and 8 have higher max delays (227 and 248 minutes, respectively, versus 112 and 105) and also higher averages (32 and 27 versus 23 and 22). The maxes certainly paint a stark picture. The averages less so. In principle it would be nice to look at the SIN and other flights where JAL is using 787 data. I don't have this data at my fingertips. Anyone else?
There's some data on FlightStats...

JL7 BOS-NRT: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...irportCode=NRT
JL8 NRT-BOS: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...flightNumber=8

JL441 NRT-DME: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ightNumber=441
JL442 DME-NRT: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ightNumber=442

JL710 SIN-NRT: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...irportCode=NRT
JL711 NRT-SIN: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ightNumber=711

JL712 SIN-NRT: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...irportCode=NRT
JL719 NRT-SIN: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ightNumber=719
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Was on the Ghibli decal plane, and both mid-cabin (bus.) lavs had washlets.

Flight was on-time, everything worked, did not run out of fuel over the Yukon, etc.
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I'm trying out JL8 for the first time on Thursday, in spite of the fact that I'm not happy about having to position myself in NRT the night before (why they didn't go for an afternoon/evening slot is beyond me).
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I flew JL8 last weekend onboard JA822J. The flight was approx 90 percent full in both cabins. The IFE was working fine for the entire flight. The first meal service was fantastic in Economy. The "prior to arrival" meal service was the KFC Air chicken. I had not read/heard of the press release indicating the KFC service, so it was a complete and utter shock to see KFC being served. The meal was fine (after many hours of sleep and tossing/turning I was hungry for anything (except coleslaw)).

The service was really good. The F/As were walking up and down the aisle multiple times throughout the flight. I asked one if wifi was available on the flight, as my laptop picked up a network JA822J. She said no.

I did not like the headrests in Y-class, as they are not adjustable, from side to side. So you can't squeeze your head into the headrest, instead you have to flop from one side to the other.

The claim that the cabin air is 10 percent more humid makes absolutely no difference to me. I mean, in the end -- you are still comparing 5% humidity, to now 15% humidity on the 787... which is still low enough to dry you up entirely.

The lav doors seem to shut themselves in an extremely loud manner. So if you are sitting anywhere close to a lav, be prepared to hear the door slam shut throughout the flight. I find this extremely annoying.

Other than those little nuisances, it was a good 12.5 hour flight, and there were no major problems.

Here are a few photos:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater
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I've been on JL7 and JL8 a number of times now, all in C. It is a very nice plane, but as wideman says, 13 hours in a tin can is 13 hours in a tin can.

My biggest gripe with the thing is the seats. You go through the trouble of rolling out a brand new plane with all kinds of knicknacks and then you put those moronic sloping J seats. They aren't very good at all, especially once you've tried true flat in J or in F. Also, the IFE is classic Japanese electronic junk, the kind of thing that is so counterintuitive and buggy with a miserable selection that not having it work is only a small inconvenience.

Service is very good, and the food is excellent, much better than anything AA or CX can cook up in business.

Overall, I'm more than happy to make the tradeoff when flying BOS-HKG or viceversa of connecting in NRT with JL. It is a pleasure to get off in BOS and not having to worry about crossing immigration, changing terminals, and then getting in some sh!tty domestic tin can trip from hell, be it JFK or ORD. Similarly, on the outbound, changing planes in NRT is almost a pleasure compared to changing in JFK or ORD.
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Quote: I've been on JL7 and JL8 a number of times now, all in C. It is a very nice plane, but as wideman says, 13 hours in a tin can is 13 hours in a tin can.

My biggest gripe with the thing is the seats. You go through the trouble of rolling out a brand new plane with all kinds of knicknacks and then you put those moronic sloping J seats. They aren't very good at all, especially once you've tried true flat in J or in F. Also, the IFE is classic Japanese electronic junk, the kind of thing that is so counterintuitive and buggy with a miserable selection that not having it work is only a small inconvenience.

Service is very good, and the food is excellent, much better than anything AA or CX can cook up in business.

Overall, I'm more than happy to make the tradeoff when flying BOS-HKG or viceversa of connecting in NRT with JL. It is a pleasure to get off in BOS and not having to worry about crossing immigration, changing terminals, and then getting in some sh!tty domestic tin can trip from hell, be it JFK or ORD. Similarly, on the outbound, changing planes in NRT is almost a pleasure compared to changing in JFK or ORD.
Welcome back, Pickles! 787 will be retrofitted with Sky Suite in the near future. Any chance that you will leave the dAArkside and rejoin us?
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Quote: I'm trying out JL8 for the first time on Thursday, in spite of the fact that I'm not happy about having to position myself in NRT the night before (why they didn't go for an afternoon/evening slot is beyond me).
I flew JL8 in July, connecting from an evening flight from HKG. I walked into a JL office in Guangzhou and the woman mentioned to me that even in Y I would receive free accommodation near NRT. She went out of her way to make a reservation for me, and sure enough, check-in was painless. Perhaps you'd want to check if they still offer this?

There's also a free shuttles from NRT to hotels in the vicinity, as well as another hotel shuttle going to Narita city and a shopping center.
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Quote: I flew JL8 in July, connecting from an evening flight from HKG. I walked into a JL office in Guangzhou and the woman mentioned to me that even in Y I would receive free accommodation near NRT. She went out of her way to make a reservation for me, and sure enough, check-in was painless. Perhaps you'd want to check if they still offer this?

There's also a free shuttles from NRT to hotels in the vicinity, as well as another hotel shuttle going to Narita city and a shopping center.
They shouldn't have offered the hotel given there's a same day code share flight available from HKG to connect to the BOS flight. Did something changed that codeshare isn't considered an option? Last time a Diamond Titanium member told me he was denied the free accommodation because there's a same day codeshare flight available
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Quote: They shouldn't have offered the hotel given there's a same day code share flight available from HKG to connect to the BOS flight. Did something changed that codeshare isn't considered an option? Last time a Diamond Titanium member told me he was denied the free accommodation because there's a same day codeshare flight available
I've had very good luck on the voucher front with JL in the past (e.g. deliberately booking a pm flight from Shanghai so I don't have to get up at 6a), and I've been told no by the China people only to be told "no problem" by the Narita people, but this time around, the China people have put an abnormal amount of conviction into their "no" responses. Basically, it's an award ticket, and they don't seem to care much about my BA Gold status (I don't think they can even see this in my reservation). The good news is that those NRT hotels are surprisingly cheap, so my plan is to put one on hold as a backup.
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Quote: Welcome back, Pickles! 787 will be retrofitted with Sky Suite in the near future. Any chance that you will leave the dAArkside and rejoin us?
I would like to see a good argument for why anyone should use the JL program instead of the AA program. The only reason I can think of is if your company flies you around in full-fare Y on JL and you want to get upgraded.
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Quote: I would like to see a good argument for why anyone should use the JL program instead of the AA program. The only reason I can think of is if your company flies you around in full-fare Y on JL and you want to get upgraded.
Upgrade on BOS flight using miles
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Quote: I've had very good luck on the voucher front with JL in the past (e.g. deliberately booking a pm flight from Shanghai so I don't have to get up at 6a), and I've been told no by the China people only to be told "no problem" by the Narita people, but this time around, the China people have put an abnormal amount of conviction into their "no" responses. Basically, it's an award ticket, and they don't seem to care much about my BA Gold status (I don't think they can even see this in my reservation). The good news is that those NRT hotels are surprisingly cheap, so my plan is to put one on hold as a backup.
If I recall correctly, award tickets never qualify for those hotel.
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Quote: If I recall correctly, award tickets never qualify for those hotel.
That's what I'm hearing, and this is my first JL award ticket during which I've wanted a hotel, but I will still try.
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Quote: They shouldn't have offered the hotel given there's a same day code share flight available from HKG to connect to the BOS flight. Did something changed that codeshare isn't considered an option? Last time a Diamond Titanium member told me he was denied the free accommodation because there's a same day codeshare flight available
There's not just one flight a day between HKG and NRT... so it was really luck of the draw.

As for hotel vouchers for an award ticket, I didn't see that award ticket was mentioned upthread, but why not ask at a JL office anyway?
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Quote: I would like to see a good argument for why anyone should use the JL program instead of the AA program. The only reason I can think of is if your company flies you around in full-fare Y on JL and you want to get upgraded.
Can't think of any in my situation. My company will pay for J when on company travel, but I certainly won't pay ex-NRT fares of any kind for my personal flight. So I use the AA-booked miles from JL flights to fly in J in JL when flying on my own dime.
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