[Click above for the video review.]
Overall Impression:
It was such a nice surprise when I found out that Japan Airlines now flies the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for one of their 2 daily flights from Tokyo Narita to Manila instead of their old (but very well maintained) Boeing 767-300s. I was even more excited to find out that this flight was being operated by the new JAL (Reverse Herringbone) Sky Suite III. Come join me and let’s fly together on JAL’s new Business Class product.
What I liked:
JAL First Class Lounge at Narita Airport – The JAL First Class Lounge in NRT is one of my favorite lounges in the Oneworld Alliance. We have access to the lounge via our Oneworld Emerald status. As you can see from the video, there’s plenty of food and beverage options including a sushi bar 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.
The food – Onboard catering was excellent, especially if you like Japanese food. I ordered the teishoku lunch set and it was amazing and very nicely presented.
The onboard service – 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. 🙂
What I didn’t like:
The IFE – This plane uses JAL’s Magic VI Entertainment system. Sadly, my screen was not working for navigating the IFE content, so I was stuck having to use the wired touchscreen remote to browse, which was a pain. Still there were a good amount of new movies, TV and Audio content, and even some games.
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.
It was OK…I guess:
The seats – I was initially very excited about the JAL Sky Suite III product and they are comfortable and private, like other similar reverse herringbone products. Unfortunately, for some reason the seat area felt a bit tight, especially the shoulder room. Still a good product, but bigger folks beware.
TravelingFoody.com 