BE from NRT TO HKG
 

To preface, I have read through the trip reviews on this. The NRT to HKG flight is a BE product service, however I noticed yesterday that we did not have any amenity kits on the flight (which seamed strange) Also the meal service, which was good, came out at once. Is this a modified BE product?

I am asking because I am curious, not because I was dying to have the amenity kit! Though another pair of cheap socks would have been nice.

Just wondering.

Your experience is common for the shorter DL flights within Asia. For the longer flights (such as BKK), you'd get the full BE amenities.

Neither does NRT-MNL or NGO-MNL, which are similar in distance/duration.

NRT-SIN definitely supplies the amenity kits.

I flew HKG-NRT in BE recently, and the meal was served in two parts (even though it was only breakfast).

Same experience here. No amenity kit, no slippers, only one pillow, simpler meal and barely average wines. Definitely not the same BE that brings you to nrt. A bit disappointing actually.

Hmm.. If Delta is going to brand it as BE, then it should have the amenity kits at a minimum. The inconsistencies in services are odd, especially for a full fare BE ticket.

On the other hand, the crew was senior and very attentive.

My NRT-TPE was much the same -- no Amenity Kit, limited menu, served all at once.

I wonder if there is an official cutoff duration? -- that is flights over X hours get the full BE, less than that "BE light"

Not disagreeing with you, though have no use for another amenity kit. Fly this NRT-HKG route 4-6 times/yr, personally preferred the 777 over the 330 but frankly the route is pretty much the same as a t-con. At least they have lie-flats in BE, much more important to me than another kit.

That's a good point. It felt like a T-Con route. I now have boxes of wrapped amenity kits and hand them out as souvenir gifts to friends ;) though sometimes it is nice to have the socks...

Years ago when I went to the Delta store at the Delta museum, I picked up a box of amenity kits for $5. It was a great deal... plus I also picked up some old Song memorabilia.

NRT-GUM is sold as BE (to include needing an SWU/GUC to upgrade into) and its an old 757 that they wouldnt even fly domestically unless they had no other choices

Yup, it's a joke.

OP the NRT-HKG/vv experience you described is typical. It's not full BE. Still nice though. It has been downgauged many times and is soon to be again. In the PMNW days it was a 744. DL changed it to a 777, now a 333, soon to be a 767 (albeit one of those with lie-flats).

Yes, the NRT-GUM/SPN/ROR 'beach' markets are standard domestic-like equip but marketed as BE. Even on the NRT-ROR which is almost 5hrs you get the normal intra-asia reduced service and no amenity kit and bleh wines. At least they have cold sake out of NRT.

BA carries this to a level of absurdity with 11 advertised classes of service and "bands" within some of them. There is ultimately a service standard for each of them, e.g., "do I get a hot sandwich as opposed to a cold sandwich on a CE flight, Band 2?"

This then leads to unending complaints from people who think they've been done in over some minor issue.

I'm fine with the broad parameters.