RedPenguin

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, nothing showing for weeks either side the dates I was looking at. I looked on CX as well with nothing showing either.

CPH-Flyer

The route between Tokyo and Seoul still have relatively few flights, so it probably just means initial releases are taken and I would not really expect extra releases.

SuperEWR

I've noticed something similar between TPE/TSA and NRT/HND, there's rarely any award availability. I think it's because these are important and high-yield business routes (as you noted, the fare is $650 for a 2-hour flight) so they don't want to make seats available for awards that could be sold for high cash fares. Then, depending on time of year, there's also tons of tourist traffic as well. Wouldn't bet on having award availability from any of the main network carriers on the route, you'll have better luck with either one of the low cost carriers or Ethiopian's fifth freedom flight on ICN-NRT. Another alternative is to fly into either NGO or KIX (though not on JAL) if you're doing a trip across Japan, particularly since it's easy to get between cities on the Shinkansen. Those cities' cash fares tend to be a bit lower than to TYO since there's so much more business traffic between Seoul and Tokyo than to the other cities

RedPenguin

Thanks for this David. I think given my itinerary I will have to stump up the cash in this case. The low-cost carriers have really bad timing (late night/early morning departures) and I don't have the spare time for the Shinkansen.

JALPak

Have you look into ZIPAIR, one of JAL's LCCs? Their timing isn't that bad.

SuperEWR

I have occasionally seen some last minute award availability on the TPE/TSA to NRT/HND routes, so perhaps you'll have the same on ICN/GMP, but if you have a trip already planned I wouldn't count on that coming through. The Ethiopian fifth freedom is not too bad (5pm departure from ICN, and 8:30pm departure from NRT) and I've definitely seen availability at times for that one, which makes sense since Seoul to Tokyo isn't really the main focus of that route. The problem with that one is that it only runs 3 days a week, so unless the dates work out on both the outbound and return, you'll still have some trouble

ravisurdhar

I booked an award ticket on JAL using AA miles in Business, SFO-HND-CTS. However, the JAL website is only allowing me to select an economy seat for the HND-CTS leg.

The AA website clearly says that both legs are booked in Business, and the JAL website says that the HND-CTS leg is in "Class J". But all of the business seats are marked with an X on the seat selector and my only option is to book an economy seat. I can select a business seat for the SFO-HND leg no problem, it's just the HND-CTS leg that's being weird.

Am I doing something wrong?

CPH-Flyer

What rows can you select? Row 1 and 2 are domestic first. 5 to 11 or 19 is Class J, from 21 or 27 is economy. On the A350, but that would be the majority of the CTS flights.

ravisurdhar

Ah, I didn’t realize they were running a 3-class config on a 1.5 hour domestic flight! I just assumed because I couldn’t select the seats at the front of the plane that something was wrong. Should’ve checked SeatGuru. I can indeed select seats in rows 5-19. Thanks!

Mwenenzi

Seatguru is very poor~useless resource. Not updated
Use aeroLOPA authored by a FTer
---->https://www.aerolopa.com/
---->https://www.aerolopa.com/jl-airbus-a350-gallery

OWF_NYC_SIN

Hi everyone! Later this year, I am heading to South Amwrica from New York and my options include AA and LATAM. Given that JAL and LATAM have partnership, higher cost on AA, and I am trying to earn FLY ON status, LATAM would be my first choice.

I am curious since some of JAL's mileage partners (EK, AF, KE, etc.) have a text that mention: "Flights do not count towads FLY ON status qualification, regardless of whether the fare is eligible for mileage accrual":

LATAM's information page does not contain this mention; it is under "JMB >> Earn >> Travel >> LA. html"

(I cannot post links yet, I apologize for the formatting)

Is it fair to conclude that I can still earn mileage and FLY ON points if I choose to fly with LATAM? Has anyone encountered this in recent history? Thanks again!

JALPak

No, they just forgot to update the page.
https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2020/jmb/200201/

CPH-Flyer

It is the other way around, they removed the references to earning FOPs with LATAM. If you compare to the AA page, there is a link to what you can earn of FOP, there is not on the LATAM page. Initially, when the change happened there was also a text about the change. But as it is now a while back, it is just like other non FOP earning partners, the pages describes what miles you earn and that's it.

JALPak

But they also forgot to put “Flights do not count toward FLY ON status qualification, regardless of whether the fare is eligible for mileage accrual.” that is on other non-oneworld partners page

LapLap

Booked my family onto JL41 in Economy using the BA website on Monday and noted with alarm that there was only one meal service on the 13 hour flight. The alarm came from seeing that there are no restaurants or shops with food airside open after 22:30. I began a search through this forum and relaxed as I learned that Economy passengers get to use part of the Sakura Lounge which was modified to provide a first meal service when the JL41 “premium night service” opened.

However, there was a schedule change today and JL41 is now due to depart at 00:10 instead of 01:55 and I wonder if the first meal service in the 5th floor part of the Sakura Lounge will still be available.

Has JL41 been scheduled so early before?

and (assuming the lounge access isn’t withdrawn)

What could we reasonably expect the lounge admittance time to be? Two hours before the 00:10 departure? (Approx 22:00)