FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - JAL First Expansion: What's after Sydney/BKK?
Old Apr 19, 2025 | 6:04 pm
  #64  
18wheeler_vanrekt
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In the last couple decades, the other major financial or general economic centres that have lost a lot of First Class capacity and/or routes:
- Singapore (Long Haul A350s delivered w/o First, 77Ws reduced from 8 to 4 seats and A380 from 12 to 6)
- Hong Kong (A350s delivered w/o First, 77Ws with the cabin only fly once-daily on non-LHR after the pandemic rather than all 3-4x LAX, JFK and 2x SFO frequencies before)
- SYD/MEL: Qantas: 747s w/ First retired, only the A380s have 'em (altho the footprint should grow w/ Project Sunrise)
- Every United hub: Lost First entirely when United retired 747s and removed First from the 777-200s and 767-300s when upgrading to Polaris
- Seoul: KoreanAir de-branded First from 787s, A330s and new A350s aren't equipped w/ First. Asiana ended First on A380s.
- Paris: Air France First footprint decreased when the A380 was retired w/o getting more 77Ws equipped w/ LP. But new A350s may have it

By comparison, JAL and ANA both have a pretty stable First fleet. ANA has only dropped First to FRA/IAD/IAH since COVID, and JAL only dropped NRT routes, and currently has a bigger footprint than usual as the 77W retirements lag the A350 introduction

So that really only leaves the following airports w/ mostly undiminished First Class service from awhile back:
- Dubai. Emirates (except the A350s being introduced) has First on every aircraft.
- London: BA still equips most jets w/ a First cabin except A350s and 787-8s, the shrinkage is much less notable than other hubs
- Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich: Most aircraft w/ First were un-retired eventually, only a few cities fully lost service. SWISS lost none iirc. Though this will shift w/ fewer seats in the Allegris cabins

Many other airlines w/ a First cabin fly those planes to Tokyo too, fwiw. All 4 European carriers, Emirates obv, CX on 1 frequency, SQ to HND/NRT, and even TG (tho that's going away soon)
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