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Airline: Japan Airlines
Flight Number: JL34
Route: BKK-HND
Class: Business Class
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER
Registration: JA708J (Oneworld Livery)
Delivered: June 2004
Flight Duration: 6 hours 10 minutes
Distance: 2,852 Miles
Overall Impression:
Sawasdee Krap and Konnichi-wa! Welcome to another trip report!
Japan Airlines offers a solid business class product for the Bangkok to Tokyo route. I especially liked arriving at Haneda airport due to its close proximity to Central Tokyo. This flight is operated by a retrofitted Boeing 777-200ER with 3 classes of service ranging from business class, premium economy, and economy class. There are 42 Sky Suite III business class seats on this aircraft laid out in 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration. The seats recline into a fully flat bed and all seats offer direct aisle access. We were also pleasantly surprised that the cabin temperature was kept cool during the flight.
The crew on this flight delivered polished and proactive service, as expected. All our needs were taken care of and anticipated. The catering was also very good out of Bangkok, although the first meal service was just a light snack due to the late night departure of the flight. Instead, a full meal service is done 2 hours prior to landing.
Overall I was very happy with this flight and I definitely prefer the business class seats on this 777 over the 787-9 Dreamliner as they seem wider and the cabin felt less cramped.
What I liked:
The Food – In my experience, JAL consistently offers excellent catering in business class and this flight was no different. The first meal service was a light snack due to the late night departure of the flight. The snack was a chicken and pork satay dish, which was flavorful and delicious. 2 hours prior to landing, a full breakfast meal service was offered. I ordered the Japanese meal, which was artfully presented and equally as scrumptious. The food tasted fresh and the ingredients were high-quality.
The Seat – I’m a big fan of the reverse herringbone seat configuration due to the comfort and privacy they deliver. The JAL Sky Suite III seats on the 777 was comfortable and functional. The storage, table, and seat controls are all intuitively placed and within an arm’s reach. The seats also felt roomier and less cramped than those on JAL’s 787 Dreamliner. Amenities waiting at our seats included slippers, a pillow and duvet set, bottled water, headphones, and a JAL mini amenity kit. The business class lavatories also featured some toiletries and a toto bidet washlet.
The Onboard Service – The flight attendants delivered excellent and polished service, as expected. Hot towels were offered prior to takeoff and right after the meal service. The flight attendant working our aisle was very friendly and proactive in anticipating our needs during the flight.
What I didn’t like:
JAL Sakura Lounge in Bangkok – JAL operates their own lounge in Bangkok. The lounge is a good size and offers plenty of seating while waiting for your flight. There are also shower rooms available. The food offerings were pretty limited, and I feel that the Cathay Pacific lounge next door offers a much better food and beverage selection.
It was OK…I guess:
The IFE – This aircraft features JAL’s Magic VI IFE system. The interface was simple and easy to navigate. There are a good amount of movies, TV shows, news, music, etc., but nothing compared to other carriers like AA that offers a plethora of media content.
The Cabin Temperature – JAL is notorious for keeping their cabin temperature very warm during the flight, which isn’t very conducive to sleep. Surprisingly, the crew kept the temperature relatively cool on this flight, which I very much appreciated. I slept for a good 2 hours on the flight. Now only if JAL fits their planes with air nozzles, I would be a much happier camper.
TravelingFoody.com 