Robcuk

Hi
Ive just been on the JAL website checking out the menu and I noticed that Salon is only for flights from Japan. I'm flying from CDG in Dec is this the case?

​​​​​​Shame if it is as I was looking forward to tasting it.

Thanks for sharing your experiences

JALPak

Yes, Salon is ex-Japan only in Dec as well

https://www.jal.co.jp/inter/service/...f_d_202212.pdf

tuchop

How long ago did they stop offering Cristal on their Inbound flights?

CPH-Flyer

They have always been rotating the champagnes offered along side the Salon from time to time. I can only see the current one as an improvement over Cristal.....

MattEvan

Across three ex-JFK flights over the last month it has always been Cristal to TYO.

CPH-Flyer

For November this is the champagne menu, I can't remember if it was October as well. But I think it was.

JALPak

it was the same for Oct

Morkai

For what it's worth, the Salon on outbound F from Japan is misleading, as is their marketing in the beverage menu. "Only you, JAL First Class passengers, can enjoy the privilege of savoring the highest quality Champagne 'Salon' in the stratosphere". Not quite true. My flight yesterday consisted of 6 adults (one who immediately went to sleep, so really 5) and the Salon was gone within 20 minutes after beverage service started. They stocked one whole bottle. My wife got the dregs at the end, maybe a 1/3 of a glass. So really, it's "only you, JAL First Class passengers can enjoy our premium beverage if you order it immediately and are one of the first served."

ANA had no issues with their Hibiki 21 stock.

Also, curious what others think about infants and children in first class? I had the supreme misfortune of having not one but two children, one an infant and one around two, in my cabin. As you can imagine, this meant the rest of the cabin got very little sleep. I got none, since the ambiance was that of a daycare. Anyone is within their right to bring young babies into F I suppose, but it's certainly a drag for those who spent considerable resources for these flights only to have the main attraction of sleep and peace taken away. Perhaps I'd be less cranky if JAL stocked their marquee drink to a level where passengers could at least enjoy one complete glass.

CPH-Flyer

The catering levels of Salon are getting a bit absurd. I wonder what weighs in the most, the cost or the availability?
Comparing to Hibiki 21 is interesting, a bottle of Salon is in all likelihood more expensive, yet only serves 6-7 glasses depending on the pour.

There are many views on babies and toddlers in premium classes. And without turning this thread in to a discussion of that, I will just say I have a view that is opposite of yours. But I am not going to start the argument, or try to convince you that I am right. Your experience was less than you expected because of it, and I do fully understand the disappointment of that.

rtaylore

I think its the availability, although the two are obviously linked. I recall reading somewhere the yield of the '07 was just 50,000 bottles, but that the latest vintage release (can't recall the year) produced a much higher yield, so perhaps things will get easier.

Meantime it is absurd that JAL are choosing to stock one bottle of Salon, rather than say 6 bottles of a $200 Champagne. Didn't SFO777 write a trip report recently where he had a whole bottle of Salon to himself and yet the poor poster above receives a thimble full?

That their winelist is also uninspiring (Bordeaux or Pinot Noir are your effective red choices) suggests that someone at JAL doesn't really have a grip of their beverage selection.

JALPak

JAL serves two types of champagne, so they stock more than just a single bottle of Salon.

tuchop

I had a similar expierience with JAL F Salon, I was the last to be served and only had about 1/2 of a glass.
TBH I'd much rather have them load 4 2008 PR Sir Winston Churchill, 2002 Dom P2, 2008 Cristal or even 2008 Krug Vintage rather than just 1 Salon.

tuchop

Apparently Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2007 has been changed for Drappier La Grande Sendrée 2012 as the second option from December.

MattEvan

Indeed. Another downgrade.

lrdpenn

Last week JFK-HND was 7/8 and both the Billecart and Comptes ran out. However now I’m not sure Comptes was even loaded then…I was offered the other second December option when I asked for Comptes