s0ssos

And I'm not sure about "table menu". Makes it sound like table service, like at ANA's lounge.
They have a few counters in front where you go to order. They have the items you can choose from listed. And it depends on the time, so for example most of the items you listed weren't available in the morning.

CPH-Flyer

I had a closer look at the wall, there is indeed a door, but it is no wider than the doors you would typically find private apartments I can't imagine that will be the main connection between the levels of the lounge.

musashino22

I have seen nicely done walls taken down to pave way for something else and you'll be surprised how quiet they do these stuff behind the scene. Let's see in 6 months time if there will be a staircase or not. :-)

CPH-Flyer

If there is going to be a staircase going down, they will need to pull one of the nicely built walls down. With the door and the fire extinguishing equipment in place on this wall, I doubt it But let's see, from a shape and form perspective of the lounge, I agree that it is many ways the most logical place to do it.

gobi

Showers in the main building first class lounge are under renovation until mid-July. Yesterday at 4pm the wait was 2 hours and they were directing people to other OW lounges for shorter wait times. Satellite first lounge had zero wait for showers and also bottles of Yamazaki 12 and Hibiki Blender's Choice!

londonexpert

CPH-Flyer

The tiramisu is new; but otherwise yes, it is just the same items plated by staff. I do wonder if in crush hour it will create a bottle neck waiting for the plating. It has not really looked to be a problem so far when I have been in the lounge, but it is not a speedy process either.

JALPak

well...ramen are new too.

CPH-Flyer

True....

JMBResona

Been flying *A for the past 3 years, and was totally unaware of the Sakura lounge renovation until now (I haven't been to NRT T2 at all, actually).
I'm currently in the process of switching back over to the welcoming embrace of OW, on accuont of AA matching me to Emerald.

Has anyone heard any rumors regarding what JAL means by "Fall?" I'll probably be flying through NRT on a Friday in late August(after Obon), in one of the 10AM-ish AY/JL flights.

The AY flight is currently a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the JL flight, but if I'll be turned away from the FC lounge I'm willing to eat the price difference and fly JL instead. I could use the increased accrual after all. I'm assuming that once the renovation is complete, they'll start letting back non-JL elites again.

So any bets as to when the phase 2 renovations will be done? I've seen some reports of the lounge dragons currently letting partner elites into the JL lounges when it's not busy, but I'm guessing the NRT-HEL flights are all scheduled during the morning rush...

CPH-Flyer

The point for entry is not where you have your status (assuming that is what you mean with "partner elite"), but who you fly. JL, BA, and QR passengers have access. It seemed they were a lot more strict during the renovation of the 4th, as now there seems to be far more reports of other than JL, BA, and QR passengers being accepted.

I spoke to the guys doing the shoe shine service about when they would get better space, they were saying autumn, so my guess is more like October November timing.

PS The Sakura lounge is the business class lounge.

JMBResona

Sorry, I could have worded it better.

I realize that access is based on operating carrier (unless a codeshare marketed by JL). Which is why I'm struggling to decide between JL and AY for my ex-NRT flight.

I'm somewhat relieved to know that things have gotten less strict since the 4th floor opened. Thanks!

(and yes, I know that Sakura is the business lounge. As a Oneworld Emerald, I'm just hoping for something nicer . It's partly why I'm making the switch from *A in the first place...)

CPH-Flyer

Problem with the AY flight is that it is in morning peak, so they may be less lenient. How's the pricing for the AY coded JL flight? From a lounge access perspective, that is treated like JL.. Even if mileage is not.

JMBResona

Yeah, I was looking at the AY coded JL--I'm flying on a AY IFLEX/DFLEX ticket so I have to fly either AY metal or AY codeshare--and I only saw D fares when I originally posted it.

I double-checked the dates and itinerary and searched again, and turns out for my dates the AY codeshare JL is actually cheaper than the AY metal. That'll teach me to jump to conclusions....

So I guess I'm flying JL metal ex-NRT after all

anabolism

I don't think I ever visited the upstairs first class lounge in the past, just the satellite one once or twice, and the main one most of the time. Did there used to be a different menu in the upstairs versus the main floor? And now it is the same menu? But in the satellite terminal the menu differs for the buffet and at a table?