Review of Japan Airlines flight Tokyo Jakarta in Premium Eco

Airline Japan Airlines
Flight JL725
Class Premium Eco
Seat 21K
Aircraft Boeing 787-9
Flight time 08:35
Take-off 09 Mar 19, 09:55
Arrival at 09 Mar 19, 16:30
JL   #8 out of 96 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 172 reviews
emyrrs
By 1934
Published on 17th March 2019
Hello, welcome back to my flight report! This time, I'll be reporting about my flight back home after short trip to Japan. If you haven't read my flight report to Japan, read it here: Japan Airlines JL726 Jakarta (CGK) - Tokyo (NRT)

After an amazingly short 3-day trip in Tokyo and around Kawaguchi Lake, Fuji, Hakone, and Gotemba it was time to come back home. I finally met with my best friend during exchange year in Michigan, U.S.A. roughly 6 years ago, and this year we met in her hometown, Tokyo. Last time we met was in Jakarta, Indonesia 2014. So yeah. It was so fun to see her again after all this years!

As we're travelling with group, a day before we discussed how to get to the airport either by using airport limousine bus, commuter train to Tokyo Station and change to Narita Express train, or just take a rapid train service on a commuter train that heads to the airport from the nearest station adjacent to our hotel. The decision was made, so we were using the rapid train service as it'd be so much easier with the group that travelling with lots of suitcases.

So it was time to go home, we went to the airport by rapid train service on Sōbu Line, From Kinshichō station to Narita Airport Terminal 2-3 Station. It took nearly 90 minutes because it's basically a commuter train that happened to stop by several stations, despite their operational speed can reached 120km/hrs or 75mi/hrs. The train set consists of 15 cars of E217 series. Yeah I really like Japanese Commuter and Subway trains so it is fine to take a rather empty train because its kinda super early (7:17 A.M.) on Saturday! The Narita Express or N'EX by JR East also run through the same track but they do got priority with the train took 1 hour to and from Tokyo Station.



We arrived at the airport a little bit tight on time. The check-in were kinda rushed, not to mention we've to wrap our suitcases first, and the wrapping service took so long for one suitcases almost took 5 minutes, like in Indonesia it can be only two to three minutes! During the check-in, our group were kinda separated, so my mother, my aunt, and I were with the other one member of the group, and we were on the second group to check-in so four of us. At the check-in counter, I asked if I can get window seat and also I showed my MH Enrich number, hopefully I can earn little miles from JL perhaps? It was actually took longer than regular check-in, I'm not sure what happened but probably because we were travelling with group ticket, I don't really know. The check in agent need to call someone by phone and the other agent need to came to help her, maybe she was a new? It was all okay, then both of the check-in agents handed out our boarding pass with a little surprise! Wait…


I hope this year I can fly with Airbus A350 and A380, maybe flight to London? We'll see…
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Walk to the gate, as our boarding gate will be at gate 91. The long corridor decorated with some of famous Japanese heroes TV shows. It turned out our gate is probably the exact same one as we arrived couple days ago.


Yes here comes the surprise! When I saw my boarding pass I was kinda shook with the little number that indicates the seat wasn't the regular economy if the plane that supposed to fly us back Boeing 787-9, I wondered if there's last minute change to Boeing 767, as sometimes flights to Jakarta (CGK) are equipped with 767. As there's a little window to the gate to peek what aircraft that parked, and it was JA869J! Hip hip hooray! I got Premium Economy seat! Free seat upgrade. It'd be my very first time flying with premium economy seat. The boarding gate is still quiet.
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The Flight


Japan Airlines JL725
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Registration: JA869J | Msn: 35424 | Age: 1.8 Years
Configuration: C52W35Y116
Origin: Narita International Airport, Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
Destination: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang - Jakarta, Indonesia (CGK)
Flight Date: Saturday, 9 March 2019
Estimated Flight Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Actual Flight Time: 7 hours 06 minutes
Flight Distance: 3619 miles / 5825 km

Boarding was around the time. The passengers with children and people with wheelchairs board first, followed by elite tier frequent flyer, business class, economy seats 50 to 59, and us.
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Inside, As I sat down in my seat, 21K. The first thing I noticed was the legroom, it was very comfortable for me. A blankets, headphones, and pillows already placed on my seats. No amenity kits provided because the flight will be only around six to seven hours flight.
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Safety video and push back.
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Taxi and leaving Terminal 2.
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All 787 variants on the frame!
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Taxi through Terminal 1, and took off.


The PTV IFE, the noise canceling headphone. PTV screen could be controlled by the remote located on the middle hand rest. It also touch-screen, but it is kinda far from the seat itself. so I'd recommend using the remote instead.
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Hot towel to started the service. Seat back contains everything. The JAL Sky Premium seat guide.
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The generous seat pitch. First movies to start. Believe me B787 wings is so sexy, especially from this position.
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Time to eat! The Service started with rice cracker and drinks, I opted the JAL's Kiwi drink and also their Plum Wine. Then, The choices of main dish were offered from the menu card showed by the cabin crew. I'm not a rice eater so I picked the beef option one. It is one of the menu on the Red U-35 something I don't really understand what's that is all about. For the drink I choose Orange juice, I actually said no when she offered Miso soup but she still poured into a cup so okay then, I'll take it even though I don't really like it. After that the Ice Cream was handed out. and to ended up the meal service was the green tea one. Anyway, I'm not sure why for both flights they didn't handed out and the cabin crew said no special meal request on my name as we (my mother and I) requested MOML. But yeah nevermind as long as not rice and pork I'll eat it anyway. No big deal.


Then there was an announcement from the cockpit that we will do a little bit detour to the east to avoid severe turbulence. So, I just found out that the service was stopped in economy, but at the premium economy everything was completed. They continued the drink service on economy right after the captain announced that the situation will be okay, but he advise us to keep the seat belt while we were seated.
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Lavatory visit after the seatbelt sign was on for maybe around 20 to 40 minutes, I don't remember. It was queued up little as there are only 4 lavatories for both of economy and premium economy. JAL Sky premium cabin, if you wonder how it looks. So this airplane has been fitted with 52 Sky Suite III seats for Business class with four-abreast configuration (1-2-1), 35 Sky Premium seats for Premium Economy class with seven-abreast configuration (2-3-2), and 116 Sky Wider seats for Economy class with eight-abreast configuration (2-4-2). In total this plane 'only' carries 203 passengers on board, compared to other carrier that operates Boeing 787-9 I do believe this is really generous in terms of space.
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After all the service has done, the cabin lights were turned off to allow the passengers to have some rest. I'm trying to get myself comfortable, but turned out I fell asleep while watching Detective Conan. Due to lack of proper sleep the night before, turned out I slept for almost 2 hours in total and then decided to watch a few anime show again to kill some time.


As the same things happened before, the JAL cabin crew did a patrol for almost every 10 to 20 minutes to check on the passengers or maybe it's just their procedure to round the cabin that often, so I asked for mineral water because I don't know if they have self service mini bar or anything like that and I don't want to bother the guy next to me so I asked for one to the cabin crew and she gave me this in second.
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The cabin lights were gradually turned on commencing the snack time. It was started with the cabin crew offering orange juice on a pitcher on her right hand and small tray with piled cups, the bread was handed out when we were above Borneo island, right after that the cabin crew came back to offer an apple juice.


Over Java sea to be exact that one a crazy clouds over Bangka-Belitung Islands. The cabin after the window was back to the normal settings and ready to land
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No Bird eyes camera, but it does look like one. Again that auto-mode-views will show that 'back to the seat and fasten the seat belt sign' several time.


Final descend and landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta - Tangerang CGK


After we landed at Airport, we pulled into a gate, and was parked next to one of ANA again!


Am I the only one that thought it was faster when people disembark than board the aircraft? Or is it true?


Anyway, the seat look like this.
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The full flight map will be:
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The jetway is so hot and dirty window glass. I bid farewell to JA869J! Thanks for the flight both CGK-NRT and NRT-CGK!


Long walk to Immigration and everything. Welcome to T3 CGK!


The immigration line kinda packed after several flights happened to arrived around the same time (GA, JL, EK, etc.) I even processed everything on Diplomatic Immigration counter because the agent called me. Baggage claim is also still hot and these lighting is just ugly. Our checked suitcases doesn't appear right away like what it happened in NRT and we have to wait around 15 to 30 minutes to collect all. After that we need to walk outside to reach the specified area for taking public bus or shuttle to go to Bandung.


I went back inside the T3 again to bought food before hitting the toll road.
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The public bus shelter was located outside, so yeah. Sometimes it can get so loud and stressing me out with those honking and shouting. We board the shuttle around 6:15 P.M. and arrived at Bandung
around 10:30 P.M.-ish. Not remember but It was fine travel time between CGK Airport and Bandung.
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So here is the end of my journey with Japan Airlines JL725 from Tokyo to Jakarta.

My other flight report:
1. Citilink Indonesia QG810 Surabaya (SUB) - Jakarta (CGK)
2. Garuda Indonesia GA154 Jakarta (CGK) - Batam (BTH)
3. Citilink Indonesia QG790 Batam (BTH) - Bandung (BDO)
4. Turkish Airlines TK57 Jakarta (CGK) - Istanbul (IST)
5. Turkish Airlines TK1721 Istanbul (IST) - Berlin (TXL)
6. Turkish Airlines TK1770 Prague (PRG) - Istanbul (IST)
7. Turkish Airlines TK56 Istanbul (IST) - Jakarta (CGK)
8. Lion Air JT646 Surabaya (SUB) - Lombok (LOP)
9. Citilink Indonesia QG167 Lombok (LOP) - Jakarta (HLP)
10. Wings Air IW1720 Jakarta (HLP) - Bandung (BDO)
11. Xpressair XN740 Bandung (BDO) - Palembang (PLM)
12. Citilink Indonesia QG813 Medan (KNO) - Bandung (BDO)
13. Malaysian Airlines MH865 Medan (KNO) - Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
14. Batik Air Indonesia ID7109 Jakarta (HLP) - Padang (PDG)
15. Sriwijaya Air SJ591 Makassar (UPG) - Jakarta (CGK)
16. Japan Airlines JL726 Jakarta (CGK) - Tokyo (NRT)

Thank you so much for stopping by and read my flight report! Really sorry for typo, bad grammar, etc. As I enjoyed reading/views high quality FR. So, I tried my best to deliver FR that met those standards. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to click the like button and comment down below about my flight with JAL!
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Verdict

Japan Airlines

8.3/10
Cabin9.5
Cabin crew8.5
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Meal/catering7.5

Tokyo - NRT

8.0/10
Efficiency8.0
Access8.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness7.5

Jakarta - CGK

6.5/10
Efficiency7.5
Access6.5
Services6.5
Cleanliness5.5

Conclusion

First time ever to tried Premium Economy seat for medium haul flight. It was really okay. Not to mention that I got free upgraded. There is a downside of JAL's IFE that didn't really compete with other that offer more selection, etc. Also about the special request meal that didn't recorded, I mean my allergy and dietary isn't that bad and serious but how about others that have more serious one? What they gonna eat? Or just like me on the flight to Tokyo? Leave the rice and just eat the chicken? Yeah right.

Information on the route Tokyo (NRT) Jakarta (CGK)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 7 avis concernant 3 compagnies sur la ligne Tokyo (NRT) → Jakarta (CGK).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Japan Airlines avec 8.1/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 7 heures et 51 minutes.

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