Is There a Decent Web Site for Evaluating JAL's Seating?
May 18, 2007, 11:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Southern California
Programs: The usual for over 7 Million paid miles flown to date... My first paid flight was on a DC3.
Posts: 1,518
Is There a Decent Web Site for Evaluating JAL's Seating?
This is my first post in the JAL Forum... Sorry that it's a request for information! I've never flown on JAL, having been committed to flying Cathay, American or United on trips to Asia. Now that JAL is part of the oneworld alliance I'll surely be flying JAL in the future.
Today I booked award travel for the spouse and I using 200K British Air Executive Club miles, flying JAL Business Class, LAX - NRT - BKK & return. I read the great overview of JAL Business Class seating posted by "Sipples" http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629267 and since he's a private pilot as indicated on his FT Profile http://flyertalk.com/forum/member.php?u=29877, and I was a pilot in a previous life, I wish him the best in confluence of Needle, Ball, and Airspeed for his great post!
Here's my question, I can't seem to find a decent web site for evaluating JAL's seating! Is there a site that I have overlooked? In reviewing my assigned seats I see that we're seated in row 20 on the three 747 flights and 3A,C on the 777 flight BKK-NRT. I phoned JAL & advised that I was oneworld Emerald in an attempt to get Upper Deck exit row seats, but the Agent stated that they were "assigned at check-in." Does one have to be a premium JAL Mileage Bank member in order to be assigned these seats in advance? I've never had difficulty obtaining preferred seats in advance on any oneworld carrier previously by stipulating my oneworld elite status!
*
Today I booked award travel for the spouse and I using 200K British Air Executive Club miles, flying JAL Business Class, LAX - NRT - BKK & return. I read the great overview of JAL Business Class seating posted by "Sipples" http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629267 and since he's a private pilot as indicated on his FT Profile http://flyertalk.com/forum/member.php?u=29877, and I was a pilot in a previous life, I wish him the best in confluence of Needle, Ball, and Airspeed for his great post!
Here's my question, I can't seem to find a decent web site for evaluating JAL's seating! Is there a site that I have overlooked? In reviewing my assigned seats I see that we're seated in row 20 on the three 747 flights and 3A,C on the 777 flight BKK-NRT. I phoned JAL & advised that I was oneworld Emerald in an attempt to get Upper Deck exit row seats, but the Agent stated that they were "assigned at check-in." Does one have to be a premium JAL Mileage Bank member in order to be assigned these seats in advance? I've never had difficulty obtaining preferred seats in advance on any oneworld carrier previously by stipulating my oneworld elite status!
*
May 19, 2007, 12:42 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Singapore
Programs: AA Gold, IHG & Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,024
Thanks for those good thoughts. 
FWIW, access to those exit row seats is a bit hit or miss even for JMB Diamonds. But I think they're much more valuable in coach. In business class they might be a disadvantage, in fact, especially if you're trying to sleep on a long flight. People tend to congregate in the emergency exit area.
That said, as a single traveler the exit row window seat in business class on the upper deck is nice, at least for short to medium haul flights, since you don't have to climb over the aisle seat passenger to get in and out and since the aisle seat passenger puts up with the worst of the sometimes congregating crowd.
I don't think JAL has too many Web seating reviews because there is such a wide variety of configurations. The sites like seatguru.com would have a terrible time trying to keep up with JAL's aircraft seating charts, and it's really not easy for a passenger to figure out which seating configuration they have except perhaps with careful study of the online seating selection. Over time I expect this situation will improve if and as JAL reduces the number of aircraft seating configurations. However, the "problem" is going to get worse before it gets better as JAL embarks on a cabin update program later this year, with new seating including the introduction of a true domestic first class and, for certain international flights, premium economy in a four class configuration.
FWIW, access to those exit row seats is a bit hit or miss even for JMB Diamonds. But I think they're much more valuable in coach. In business class they might be a disadvantage, in fact, especially if you're trying to sleep on a long flight. People tend to congregate in the emergency exit area.
That said, as a single traveler the exit row window seat in business class on the upper deck is nice, at least for short to medium haul flights, since you don't have to climb over the aisle seat passenger to get in and out and since the aisle seat passenger puts up with the worst of the sometimes congregating crowd.
I don't think JAL has too many Web seating reviews because there is such a wide variety of configurations. The sites like seatguru.com would have a terrible time trying to keep up with JAL's aircraft seating charts, and it's really not easy for a passenger to figure out which seating configuration they have except perhaps with careful study of the online seating selection. Over time I expect this situation will improve if and as JAL reduces the number of aircraft seating configurations. However, the "problem" is going to get worse before it gets better as JAL embarks on a cabin update program later this year, with new seating including the introduction of a true domestic first class and, for certain international flights, premium economy in a four class configuration.