Exhausted from our holiday in Bali, we were anxiously looking forward to our return flight in JAL's flagship service. We were a little disappointed with our outbound flight and hoped this would be better.
After arriving at our gate, we were directed to a separate waiting room for first class passengers. This was a first for me, and we relaxed in this dedicated room with only one or two other passengers. When it was time for boarding, an agent approached us and let us know we could begin. The jet bridge was also reserved for premium passengers, so from the time we arrived at the gate until we were seated, no economy passengers were seen. It was definitely a surreal experience boarding a large 777 and seeing less than six other passengers in the process! (We actually toured the other cabins after takeoff to confirm there really were hundreds of other passengers back there). It was nice to board in a calm & relaxed way with no crowds.
In the first-class cabin, the smiling flight attendants cheerfully introduced themselves. Seeing us taking a few photos of the cabin, they also offered to take pictures of us together. One attendant even posed with a single passenger across the aisle from me. This crew was not only polite and professional, they seemed to enjoy their jobs and meeting people.
The first-class seating on this 777 was very spacious, the largest I have flown. The layout was nearly identical to the Air China 777 I flew eight months earlier, but better in the small details. Storage compartments are placed everywhere you look. In addition to overhead lighting, the side lights had adjustable brightness. A footwell light could be switched on, to see your slippers during the night. Many surfaces were leather or had a soft finish. There were two separate remotes available, a standard remote with buttons, and a touchscreen remote. The touchscreen remote could be used to control the main screen, or also view information on the remote's screen itself, similar to a smartphone. This was a handy feature, being able to view the flight map from bed without turning on the main screen. The two seats in the center aisle are close enough for a couple to hold a conversation, but a partition can be raised if you are flying alone and want more privacy.
In this cabin, seating is two rows of 1-2-1 (8 seats total) and only two were taken besides our two seats. Overhead storage is available near the windows, but not over the first row seats in the center. Each seat had a very nice blanket, thick and soft. It was something I would have loved on just about any flight, but once again the cabin was already sweltering hot and I didn't get any use of the blanket. The seats were trimmed in soft leather, and the entire cabin seemed to have a nice leather smell. Each seat had a very large foot rest, and the seat itself was 12-way adjustable, with power lumbar and massage. One of the storage compartments contains a mirror inside. The IFE audio jack was again the two-prong type, preventing us from using our own personal QC20 earbuds. However, this time the JAL product was real Bose QC15s that would have been a great option if we wanted to watch the entertainment (it was too late though, and we just wanted to have a snack and some sleep)
One very nice touch is that the dining table slides into a position allowing two passengers to eat together in one seat, facing each other. The foot rest (which is even wider than the seat) has its own seatbelt, and the table is large enough to comfortably hold two meals. My wife and I took advantage of this option, and sitting face to face in our pajamas at 35,000 feet with our champagne and caviar is a wonderful memory to take with us.
The flight attendants walked through the cabin, and offered passengers orange juice or champagne, and a cold towel. Later, they presented the amenity kits, a cosmetics kit, and refresher towels. In another first for me, the kits were different for men & women.
Next, we were offered pajamas. I would rate them 8/10, as they were very high-quality, soft and warm. I usually don't take pajamas with me off the plane, but these were nice enough to keep. The flight attendant asked me if I would like to change now, and when I said yes, she prepared one of the first class bathrooms for me to use. There is a small platform that swings out, so you don't have to step on the floor, and a bench that folds down over the toilet, offering room to sit. I was amazed to find the cleanest bathroom I had ever seen. I have seen some disgusting bathrooms before, even in first and business class, but this was very well kept. (The flight attendants seemed to swoop in and clean it after each passenger visit). After changing clothes, the attendant took my clothes and hung them up in a closet. I was thankful for the lounge shower waiting for me in Narita, as the cabin was already hot enough to induce a sweat, and it was only getting worse given the thickness of the pajamas.
Back in our seats, we were presented with dinner menus, newspapers, and magazines. The attendants were pushing the JAL Salon champagne, so I agreed to a glass. It was very good, but I don't feel it was deserving of the hype JAL makes over it. The service provided by the flight attendants was very efficient and attentive, which is not a surprise considering there were almost as many of them as there were of us passengers.
Wifi was available, about $10 for one hour, or $20 for the entire flight. I know that charging for Wifi is standard industry practice, but I still find it off-putting to be asked to pay extra for wifi on a $3,800 ticket.
Since are flight was starting so late at night, no dinner entree was featured, but instead the menu offered options of curry rice, soba, ramen, and udon noodles that could be ordered at any time. My wife and I both ordered these simple comfort foods and found them to be a fantastic option. Caviar was available and was quite good, although it was served with a regular metal spoon.
After we finished our meals, the attendants offered a turn-down service, including a choice of soft or firm mattress. Two attendants worked together to quickly prepare a bed with a mattress, thick duvet, and two pillows. It was very comfortable and despite the heat I fell asleep quickly.
I awoke to an announcement that landing would be in one hour. Even though I had missed the breakfast service, an attendant noticed I was awake and offered to bring me breakfast or a drink. Then they put away the bedding, fetched my clothes from the closet and prepared a bathroom so I could change out of the pajamas.
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Verdict
Japan Airlines
7.9/10
Cabin7.0
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Meal/catering8.0
Premier Lounge
5.9/10
Comfort6.5
Meal/catering6.5
Entertainment/wifi5.5
Services5.0
Jakarta - CGK
3.4/10
Efficiency4.5
Access3.0
Services3.0
Cleanliness3.0
Tokyo - NRT
8.6/10
Efficiency9.0
Access8.5
Services8.5
Cleanliness8.5
Conclusion
Overall, the service was fantastic but the flight attendants went above providing just great service, and always seemed to be smiling and genuinely enjoying their job. The seats were very comfortable and spacious, with ample storage and we loved the face to face dining option. The cabin and bathrooms were perfectly clean, and the pajamas, slippers, and other amenities provided were excellent. Although there was no dinner service on this overnight flight, the snack options were still filling and delicious. The only drawback was the temperature of the cabin, it was far too hot and the last thing I want when flying long distance is to be sweaty. I would still take this flight again, but I would bring light and cool clothing.
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Thank you for sharing this return journey, JAL's First class seems much better than their business class which made me feel claustrophobic just by reading your report. A very nice cabin topped with attentive service, a great read!
good report, it must be the hotness of bali as to why they put the temp up, i had no probs on the JAL 787 from helsinki to tokyo and back. i only had a problem on hong kong express but only on their return flight with that being too hot that i couldnt sleep
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5 Comments
The return flight is much better with so attentive and fantastic flight attendants
There are a lot of food choices even it was a night flight
It's really a shame that the temperature of the cabin was so hot
Too bad about the hot cabin, but I guess JL has to accommodate the preferences of its local clientele first.
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