Japan Airlines B777-300 First Class LAX-HND
I love Japan Airlines. This would be the third time this year (other reports have not posted yet) and I’m ready to board again. While they probably aren’t the absolute best at everything, they consistently excel in all aspects from the time you reach the airport until the time you exit the aircraft.
This trip may have qualified for the most changes I’ve made, which is saying something. Then in the end I went from spending a day in Taipei and a day in Seoul, to overnight hotel stays, transiting to/from airports and flying. Yet I’d do it again.
It began with Korean Airlines. I had points and a trip booked during Covid which was obviously canceled. They had published a huge reward devaluation back in 2019 which was delaying during Covid and expected to happen April 1 of this year. I was in a panic to use the points but for an airline who used to open plenty of premium award space Korean Airlines has done a 180 on that. I would check every week for something on their 747 which was the goal and there was nothing throughout the schedule. Then one day I checked and there were 2 dates open for first class to Atlanta on the 747 in late April. I flipped a coin and booked the first date. (A week later Korean Air canceled the devaluation.)
What next? Starlux. That sounded like fun and it just so happened they announced their new A350 would fly to Narita. Booked. Then I booked a Narita to Icheon flight to catch KE. Now I needed to get to Taipei. China Airlines from Vancouver to Taipei. Booked. Now I need to get to Vancouver. Alaska Airlines. Booked, with a 90 minute layover in Vancouver. Ugh. What if I miss the China Airlines flight?
A couple weeks before departure the whole Vancouver thing started to make me nervous, as well as 2AM (4AM my time) departure and 13 hour flight to TPE. This is supposed to be fun. Low and behold JAL in first from New York to Narita became available, but required a 22 hour layover in the Big Apple which didn’t appeal plus the Alaska ticket was cash. So how about the west coast? Hooray, both SFO and LAX were available, but to Haneda. (Another reason I like JAL is they release first award space.)
How did it end up? Changed Alaska to SFO. Overnight. Then booked AS to LAX just to visit the Qantas LAX First Class Lounge. Then took JAL to Haneda and transited to Narita where I reversed the Starlux ticket to TPE instead of from TPE. Overnight in TPE. Finally cancelled the NRT to ICN and low and behold Korean Air had TPE to ICN on the same 747-8i in J which they originally wanted me to pay a separate award fee for but ended up adding it to my existing reservation so it was at no cost. Not that I didn’t have a pile of change fees already in the bank.
With some kind of respiratory infection brewing in me before I left, I hit the wall in Taipei. It was a rough next few days. But first.
Hello LA.
Arriving in LAX T6 is a short walk over to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, which has to be the nicest terminal in the USA, plus you can skip another security check and go right to the gate or in my case the Qantas First Class Lounge by using the connecting walkways.
I arrived around 11AM. It was still breakfast time as the changeover happens at 11:30. I had a great server who encouraged me to have breakfast and then order lunch. Not a bad idea, but I’m flying on JAL and when you see that feast you’ll be glad as I was to only have had one meal.
Here are both Breakfast and Lunch menus.
I choose Bircher muesli and Light Breakfast, smoked salmon and poached eggs. Was it worth flying from SFO to LAX for this? Absolutely! I hear the SFO JAL lounge is not on their top ten list.
JAL gates are located in the main terminal, not the new West gates. Although I hope to see that terminal later this year flying Qantas.
LAX was an A350 showcase this afternoon. BA, SAS, ITA and Fuji were just some of the ones I got photos of. In fact I’ve flown on the BA and SAS A350s, and look forward to the other two in the future.
Today is a 777.
Time to go.
Todays flight path on JA739J.
From a bright sunny day to a cooled down first class cabin and 1K, my seat to Japan.
JL 15 would have 6 of 8 seats filled on this trip to Tokyo.
Overhead bins are not necessary with the first class pods. Everything fit perfectly under the ottoman.
While the IFE could use a refresh, it certainly is adequate, especially for my favorite program.
JAL has upgraded the front galley and lavatories. They were well stocked with dental and mosturizing items.
Of course they were kept meticulously clean throughout the flight and you have to love the standing plate for changing into their comfy PJs.
The JAL bedding is superb. The Air Weave mattress pad has a soft and firm side. Choosing soft I slept a good 6 hours on this flight. I needed this after the feast that is about to come.
Service began with the new Oshibori, the old seems to have faded away after Covid.
A nice leather portfolio holds the duty free shopping guide, free wifi certificate for first class and of course the wine and food menu. I was surprised that I couldn’t find the Shiseido men’s skin care package they give out to all first class passengers. After collecting them for a couple years I tried the face cleansing foam recently and it’s probably the best shaving cream ever. But it wasn’t available duty free. Just one today, for free.
The full beverage menu. Note Salon is only available from Tokyo departures.
While I’m not a champagne connoisseur by any stretch, I really enjoyed this Billecart-Salmon.
Prep time for what will be an incredible meal on JAL.
But first the food menu. My recent pattern is the Western menu for the first main meal and the Japanese meal before landing. It worked to perfection this flight.
For those that have flown JAL in First before they’ve made a change. Basically it follows the Japanese menu where instead of selecting an entrée, you get all the items listed. So the Main Dish here is both the Chilean Sea Bass and Beef Tenderloin. Wow!
The Amuse Bouche could be a meal as this first one wasn’t even listed on the menu. Beef roll with asparagus along with single bite goat cheese mousse on bread.
Followed buy Amuse Bouche #2. A multi course Amuse. Couldn’t pick a favorite.
Not to be outdone, Hors-d’ouevre times TWO as well.
Each of these dishes better than the next one. If pressed the Corn and Gnochi.
Let’s not forget, one of my favorite wines in the sky, Chateau LaGrange.
Two Amuse, Two Apps, Two Entrées, why not!
These are not tiny portions either.
Good thing we’d taken off otherwise the take off weight would’ve needed to been recalculated.
Hiding under there is easily an 8oz filet. Cooked to my perfection.
So they couldn’t stick with TWO desserts, it had to be THREE.
At least they aren’t easily 8ozs each.
What an outstanding meal. Bedtime…
After some good rest it was time for some of the best tea you will ever have. Royal Blue Tea, Queen of Blue, a JAL exclusive.
As you see there is a model airplane on my table. My Flight Attendant who was incredible, first time in first class and she was preformed like she was a veteran placed it there, almost as a tease. Then she followed up with…
And the real thing. A very nice gift.
JAL has a new amenity kit in first class, hard shell case from Zero Halliburton. Also as mentioned the Shiseido kit which is not shown. (Because its being used!)
But wait, there is more food. As mentioned I went with the Japanese menu on arrival.
We approached Tokyo on time where the weather was beautiful. Typically you land to the north at Haneda, today to the south flying over Tokyo which gave some interesting views.
This was a great flight and worth all the changes and positioning to get there. Unfortunately the 60 minute wait at immigration made the trip to Narita much longer than planned as I missed the last direct train and last bus. But that’s reward flying. See you at Starlux.
