After sitting for a few minutes inside the plane waiting for Immigration to open, we finally were allowed to leave the aircraft and everybody hurried up to be processed. The lines at Immigration were already getting busy and I was directed to check in at a kiosk. I printed my confirmation and handed it to the agent who then directed me to Customs. The process was pretty smooth and soon I was back at the ticket counter.
Security was busy and it took me 15-20 min. to clear the priority line. A separate line for connecting passengers to get back to the terminal right after exiting Customs would be ideal, especially at a busy airport like JFK. Once I got back to the secured area, I decided to go to the Admirals Club located by gate 40 because it was near my departure gate and I did not want to leave the lounge in a hurry.
There are a lot of reports on the Admirals Club by the entrance of the terminal, but not too many about the one further inside by the gates. I found this one to be cozy and not as crowded as the main one. There was a breakfast display containing citrus salad, yogurt, cereal, morning pastries, breads and hot oatmeal. To my surprise, I saw that chef Anthony Bourdain was also a guest today. He was sitting alone and apparently nobody was bothering him - which is the way that it should be.
Admirals Club near gate 40 Concourse C.
As soon as I entered, I requested a shower and the receptionist escorted me to one immediately.
Interior.
Breakfast buffet.
Views from the lounge.
I decided to go to the gate at 40 min. before dept.
Plane at the gate.
Once boarding started I made my way inside and was greeted by the FA's at the door.
The Business cabin.
Here is my seat 10C.
A blanket and pillow were already placed on each seat in addition to a small amenity kit (different from those given on intl. flight), bottle of water and printed menu (again, smaller than the intl. J menu).
Menu.
Pre-dept. drinks were offered from a tray (sparkling wine, water and orange juice) and FA's collected coats.
After take off, service started with hot towels (once again, these were the flimsy ones).
The FA working in J was professional and friendly. I even saw her kneel down when she spoke to passengers, just like Asian FA's. That caught me by surprise. She came to me and acknowledged my kosher meal.
I ordered a kosher meal since none of the choices caught my fancy. Besides, I was curious to see what this special meal would consist of. I was hoping for lox and bagel or some smoked fish, but alas, I was served a boring omelette with a plate of fruits that was very watery. It looked like it was frozen and thawed later on.
Breakfast started with biscotti along with beverage of choice. I had a cup of black tea.
My special meal. The FA offered warm breads from a basket and I couldn't refuse a croissant.
You might recall that according to the menu there was a selection of sweet treats for dessert. Well, there was no selection per say. The FA's placed two baskets - one with fruits and the other one with packaged snacks by the bulkhead and that was it.
I browsed through the entertainment system and eventually took a nap.
I must warn you that if you choose the last row in J, there is a galley right behind and you will hear the carts being taken out and returned during service.
The FA's in J made passes checking on passengers frequently and before arrival they did a second hot towel service followed by the snack basket and offer of warm cookies with milk. Towards the end of the flight, mints were distributed along with a personal thanks for flying AA.
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Verdict
American Airlines
8.3/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew10.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering6.0
American Airlines Admirals Club (Concourse C) - 8
8.0/10
Comfort7.5
Meal/catering7.5
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Services8.0
New York - JFK
8.2/10
Efficiency8.5
Access8.0
Services7.5
Cleanliness9.0
Los Angeles - LAX
8.2/10
Efficiency6.0
Access9.0
Services9.0
Cleanliness9.0
Conclusion
This was a good flight with very professional and attentive FA's.
The meal was disappointing and it would have been better if I ordered the regular omelette. The watery fruit plate and cold piece of croissant that came with the meal did not help. The omelette tasted a bit rubbery but the ratatouille helped a bit.
As far punctuality we left a bit late but arrived earlier at 11:37 instead of 12:13.
0 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
The showers look better than the one's Kevin just showed. The lounge offerings look okay for this hour and I think that this lounge does look more fresh than the other AA lounge with those old black leather chairs that look drab.
Quite the party from Brazil this morning, two JJ planes and your flight from GIG.
When you compare the hard-product and the amenities available on this flight versus your SFO-MIA flight, it just highlights the huge disparity of trans-con offerings.
Breakfast is never going to be a great offering, but I guess you could have hoped for better with your not so special special meal. No linens laid for this meal either? The bagel also looks like it was frozen and thawed, which is disappointing coming from the city of bagels.
It's always special to fly the 1 flight for a carrier. I still remember taking KE1 from ICN-NRT-HNL.
I can tell we are near the end of the trip, the pictures are getting fewer and far between as you get more tired. See you for the last one!
The lounge offerings look okay for this hour and I think that this lounge does look more fresh than the other AA lounge with those old black leather chairs that look drab. - Personally I like this one better. It just seems less crowded for some reason.
Quite the party from Brazil this morning, two JJ planes and your flight from GIG. - Oh it's always a party whenever Brazilians gather. I have Brazilian friends so trust me. As a matter of fact, I read once that there is a competition between Argentinians and Brazilians whenever they get together to see which one is the loudest. :P
... it just highlights the huge disparity of trans-con offerings. - And that difference is wider with the new AA. At least one thing that I like about the new AA is the offer of amenity kits in J, which wasn't available with pre-merger AA. I guess since there are fewer flights classified as transcon, they can afford to splurge a bit more on those flights.
No linens laid for this meal either? - I don't recall linens being placed. Too bad. Yep, breakfast is never exciting and I happen to detest breakfast flights. The worst combination is snack/breakfast for long hauls. Yuck!
It's always special to fly the 1 flight for a carrier. - I guess you expect more subconsciously. This one had great service and that made it good.
The AA lounge has a not too bad food offer for an US lounge - Coming from you this means that it is good. :P
What is your choice ? - Hot oatmeal with dried cranberries, chopped nuts and some granola for extra crunchiness. You should try it. ;)
You lost with your kosher meal : there isn't a Seafood meal's choice ? - Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but at least I tried. No seafood meal was offered.
Anyway AA food looks always unedible to my eyes and my stomach. - Maybe a bit of ketchup can make it more palatable, no?
Even the cookie looks weird lol - Now you are being a snob. :P
At least the hard product is great for this transcon flight - It would be better if one can have a bit more privacy, but I guess this is the best among the U.S. carriers.
Thank you for your feedback and visit. It is always a pleasure to see your comments.
Oy, gavalt! I'm kvetching over that bad Kosher meal! Blech :-P
You were hoping for a bagel and lox? You're lucky you didn't get gefilte fish lol
Yeah, I don't need to tell you that you should have just gone for the normal options, as boring as they may sound...it all just looks very un-premium-y. I've made the mistake of ordering special dietary needs meals in the past, because nothing appealed to me on the regular menu, and have always been disappointed. I like the idea of Ratatouille, but it's in such a tiny little cup; what's the point? lol.
No Anthony Bourdain pic? :-) The normal Admirals club on the other concourse looks visually as nice as the Flagship First lounge, and the showers look nicer, actually. I guess the only real difference is that the Flagship First lounge is less crowded and has a little better. food.
Aside from the blech meal, the hard product is really nice. UA, AA, and DL basically all use the same seat for Transcon Business class, but AA's seems to have better finished and looks less cheap, as is the case with all their new business class seats fleetwide. Plus you had a great crew, so that makes for a great experience in general.
Thanks for sharing another great report with beautiful pics!
One would think that a flight leaving out of NY would have great kosher food catered. Not so according to this experience. Well, it certainly is not Hermolis. Now I am debating whether to cancel my kosher meal for my next flight JFK-GIG or change it to something healthier like a diabetic meal. I will be in Y though.
No Anthony Bourdain pic? :-) - Let's play Where is Waldo (or Wally in the U.K.). Did you look closely?
Ah! I see him now way in the back in a corner! Surprised he wasn't in the Flagship First lounge.
Yeah, I'd probably go ahead and cancel the Kosher Meal if I were you. I believe they offer a Hindu Meal (HNML)--that may actually be an edible and healthy-ish option.
Yep, I changed my kosher meal for a diabetic one. The Hindu meal is the same as the vegetarian, so I decided to skip it in favor of getting some animal protein for dinner. ;)
Thanks for this report. THe cabin is really nice and lloks confortbale but the catering is really a big disappointment. It's nice to see an american carrier with a very professional young flight attendant on a domestic flight.
The TransCon Business cabin looks great and comfortable. If only most of their planes have these kind of hard product.
I won't say anything about the kosher catering as I don't know what I'm talking about. But thank you for your sacrifice and for sharing your experience Adan.
But thank you for your sacrifice and for sharing your experience Adan. - Always a pleasure Bernard. You can't imagine the hardships that I had to endure by sitting in that J cabin and the many showers that I had to take in order to wash away that plane smell. :P
A shower, that's all you need after such a long flight. - That's the truth. It is a main commandment among frequent flyers. ;)
You should try First Class haha :) - Unlike many others here, you will not see this humble proletarian sitting there too often. :P
Thanks for you sacrifice, I, now, know that it's not a great idea to order that meal :D - Glad to see that at least this sacrifice benefited someone. It was not in vain. ;}
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16 Comments
The showers look better than the one's Kevin just showed. The lounge offerings look okay for this hour and I think that this lounge does look more fresh than the other AA lounge with those old black leather chairs that look drab.
Quite the party from Brazil this morning, two JJ planes and your flight from GIG.
When you compare the hard-product and the amenities available on this flight versus your SFO-MIA flight, it just highlights the huge disparity of trans-con offerings.
Breakfast is never going to be a great offering, but I guess you could have hoped for better with your not so special special meal. No linens laid for this meal either? The bagel also looks like it was frozen and thawed, which is disappointing coming from the city of bagels.
It's always special to fly the 1 flight for a carrier. I still remember taking KE1 from ICN-NRT-HNL.
I can tell we are near the end of the trip, the pictures are getting fewer and far between as you get more tired. See you for the last one!
- Personally I like this one better. It just seems less crowded for some reason.
Quite the party from Brazil this morning, two JJ planes and your flight from GIG.
- Oh it's always a party whenever Brazilians gather. I have Brazilian friends so trust me. As a matter of fact, I read once that there is a competition between Argentinians and Brazilians whenever they get together to see which one is the loudest. :P
... it just highlights the huge disparity of trans-con offerings.
- And that difference is wider with the new AA. At least one thing that I like about the new AA is the offer of amenity kits in J, which wasn't available with pre-merger AA. I guess since there are fewer flights classified as transcon, they can afford to splurge a bit more on those flights.
No linens laid for this meal either?
- I don't recall linens being placed. Too bad. Yep, breakfast is never exciting and I happen to detest breakfast flights. The worst combination is snack/breakfast for long hauls. Yuck!
It's always special to fly the 1 flight for a carrier.
- I guess you expect more subconsciously. This one had great service and that made it good.
Thank you for your comments Michael.
The AA lounge has a not too bad food offer for an US lounge
What is your choice ? some porridge ?
I was hoping for lox and bagel or some smoked fish
You lost with your kosher meal : there isn't a Seafood meal's choice ?
Anyway AA food looks always unedible to my eyes (and my stomach)
Even the cookie looks weird lol
At least the hard product is great for this transcon flight
See you soon(next week ?) for the last leg
The AA lounge has a not too bad food offer for an US lounge
- Coming from you this means that it is good. :P
What is your choice ?
- Hot oatmeal with dried cranberries, chopped nuts and some granola for extra crunchiness. You should try it. ;)
You lost with your kosher meal : there isn't a Seafood meal's choice ?
- Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but at least I tried. No seafood meal was offered.
Anyway AA food looks always unedible to my eyes and my stomach.
- Maybe a bit of ketchup can make it more palatable, no?
Even the cookie looks weird lol
- Now you are being a snob. :P
At least the hard product is great for this transcon flight
- It would be better if one can have a bit more privacy, but I guess this is the best among the U.S. carriers.
Thank you for your feedback and visit. It is always a pleasure to see your comments.
You were hoping for a bagel and lox? You're lucky you didn't get gefilte fish lol
Yeah, I don't need to tell you that you should have just gone for the normal options, as boring as they may sound...it all just looks very un-premium-y. I've made the mistake of ordering special dietary needs meals in the past, because nothing appealed to me on the regular menu, and have always been disappointed. I like the idea of Ratatouille, but it's in such a tiny little cup; what's the point? lol.
No Anthony Bourdain pic? :-)
The normal Admirals club on the other concourse looks visually as nice as the Flagship First lounge, and the showers look nicer, actually. I guess the only real difference is that the Flagship First lounge is less crowded and has a little better. food.
Aside from the blech meal, the hard product is really nice. UA, AA, and DL basically all use the same seat for Transcon Business class, but AA's seems to have better finished and looks less cheap, as is the case with all their new business class seats fleetwide. Plus you had a great crew, so that makes for a great experience in general.
Thanks for sharing another great report with beautiful pics!
One would think that a flight leaving out of NY would have great kosher food catered. Not so according to this experience. Well, it certainly is not Hermolis. Now I am debating whether to cancel my kosher meal for my next flight JFK-GIG or change it to something healthier like a diabetic meal. I will be in Y though.
No Anthony Bourdain pic? :-)
- Let's play Where is Waldo (or Wally in the U.K.). Did you look closely?
Thank you for your comments Kevin.
Yeah, I'd probably go ahead and cancel the Kosher Meal if I were you. I believe they offer a Hindu Meal (HNML)--that may actually be an edible and healthy-ish option.
I didn't know that AA offer real business seats for narrow-body Airbus.
Breakfast is not what could be expected in business class, even in US :)
Because JFK-LAX is a competitve market that attracts a lot of premium passengers, airlines are willing to invest on a premium cabin.
The breakfast was very disappointing, but I have read that changes are on their way. We'll see.
It's nice to see an american carrier with a very professional young flight attendant on a domestic flight.
A great crew can make up for other shortcomings and leave a lasting impression.
I won't say anything about the kosher catering as I don't know what I'm talking about.
But thank you for your sacrifice and for sharing your experience Adan.
- Always a pleasure Bernard. You can't imagine the hardships that I had to endure by sitting in that J cabin and the many showers that I had to take in order to wash away that plane smell. :P
I missed your FR, shame on me ;)
A shower, that's all you need after such a long flight.
This seat is confortable, but no privacy. You should try First Class haha :)
Catering is not good enough. Thanks for you sacrifice, I, now, know that it's not a great idea to order that meal :D
A bientôt :)
A shower, that's all you need after such a long flight.
- That's the truth. It is a main commandment among frequent flyers. ;)
You should try First Class haha :)
- Unlike many others here, you will not see this humble proletarian sitting there too often. :P
Thanks for you sacrifice, I, now, know that it's not a great idea to order that meal :D
- Glad to see that at least this sacrifice benefited someone. It was not in vain. ;}
Thank you Jules for your visit.
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