[Click above for the video review.]
Airline: Japan Airlines
Flight Number: JL724
Route: KUL-NRT; Kuala Lumpur (KLIA 1) to Tokyo (Tokyo Narita International Airport Terminal 2)
Class: Business Class
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Registration: JA870J
Delivered: September 2017
Flight Duration: 6 hours 55 minutes
Distance: 3365 Miles
Overall Impression:
So what is it like to fly on Japan Airlines Business class on the the Boeing 787-9? Come join me and let’s fly to Tokyo!
Japan Airlines is one of my favorite airlines, so when I found out Japan Airlines flight 724 from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo Narita is being operated by the 787-9 with JAL’s new reverse herringbone Sky Suite III seats, I went ahead and booked it as I am a big fan of the configuration.
What I liked:
Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge First Class at Kuala Lumpur – We got access to Malaysia Airlines’ First Class section at the Golden Lounge via our Oneworld Emerald Status.The First Class Lounge in KUL is one of my favorite lounges in the Oneworld Alliance. There’s plenty of food and beverage options including a sit down restaurant with made to order food inside the lounge. There’s also plenty of seating, including a smoking room for those who smoke.
The airplane – I love the 787 Dreamliner as much as the Airbus A350, so it’s always a nice treat to fly the 787. I love the big windows and the electronic dimmer.
The food – Onboard catering was excellent, especially if you like Japanese food. I ordered the Japanese breakfast set and it was amazing and very nicely presented.
What I didn’t like:
The IFE – This plane uses JAL’s Magic VI Entertainment system.There were a good amount of new movies, TV and Audio content, and even some games, but I am not a fan of having to navigate through all the content with just the touchscreen on the small remote.
The cabin temperature – JAL is notorious for having a very warm cabin which is not everyone’s cup of tea. I personally like a cooler cabin, which more conducive to sleep. Sadly, this flight was a bit to warm for me. Also, the lack of personal air vents did not help get the cabin cool.
It was OK…I guess:
The onboard service – This was a late night departure, so the only service right after takeoff is a small snack, so that passengers can maximize on their sleep. The crew instead does a full breakfast meal service right before landing. The flight attendants delivered excellent and polished service during the flight. Though the service was not as warm as other Asian carriers, I still think the crew was well intentioned and eager to please. I was proactively offered drink refills and the crew always responded to my please and thank yous. 🙂
The seats – I like the JAL Sky Suite III product and they are comfortable and private, like other similar reverse herringbone products. Unfortunately, for the seat area felt a bit tight, especially the shoulder room. Still a good product, but bigger folks beware.
