Originally Posted by
bmchris
I'm looking at traveling to Japan next summer from ORD-NRT. We are a family of 4, with 2 boys who are 10 and 7. We've traveled in First and Business extensively as a family, QF, BA, DL, UA, SQ. No disciplinary issues, from a non-Japanese perspective. I used to work for Matsushita, reporting directly to Japanese. And my wife learnt Japanese as a 3rd language in college. We have some understanding of Japanese culture, but likely watered down by how flexible the Japanese we interact with were flexible.
Here's my thought. I'm thinking about taking first for my wife and I, and having my boys in the middle in row 5 in business. I've never split them with them internationally, but have domestically - with no issues. I'm cheap, wanting to only spring for 2J and 2F redemptions, as opposed to 4F redemptions. My boys appreciate J, but can't appreciate the additional F value - so why waste it? They are happy to be in J, but definitely register some negativity with Y.
Here are my questions:
1. I understand that this will be fine legally, since they may be considered unaccompanied minors. Any concerns?
2. Is the benefit of First over Business worth the extra logistics managing my boys in the row behind? I'll still need to recommend what they eat, when to sleep.
3. How flexible is JAL to a situation like this? Can they manage different approaches well? Are they the type "We're going to make this work", or "I can't see how this can work"?
4. Will we be able to dine with them? I'm thinking the boys sit in the ottoman seats, and are eating the J meal, while we partake in First meals. Perhaps my wife and I sit opposite, and they next to us? Is JAL flexible from that regard?
5. Will the First food be appreciated? I didn't really appreciate the taste of SQ's Kaiseki meal for example. But we (all) love Nobu.
6. Is Business class now so comparitively nice that First class is only different in the details? Like comparing a high end Benz to a Rolls (we don't have a Rolls, and don't have the real desire yet).
7. General thoughts?
I just flew LAX NRT with JAL in F with my two teens (13 & 14). First of all IMHO, the F was nice, it blew away the trash we sat in on the AA 772 on the way home. Trash might be a strong word but after the JAL 773 that was my thought
My kids didn't really appreciate the F food. They ate it but would have been happier with McD's or similar. They would have been just fine in J.
What I would not have done is have them come to F to dine with me even if they had their own food. That is rude to the other F pax and to the J pax. The cabins should be separate and that includes this type of situation. My two cents is you should get four F if possible. The difference (at least for me) was 12,500 AA miles each way which was insignificant in my book. However J appeared nice to me. I would have been happy there too and our next trip to NRT will be in J most likely unless we get lucky and find 3 more F on the same flight. I'm not inclined to split us up.
For us, the journey is as much fun as the destination. I recommend all in F knowing full well availability may not allow that. Then everyone should go in J.
See I'm confused about your unaccompanied minors comment. Won't you have to pay if they are classified as UA?