SYD to LHR on JAL in J - live trip report (leaving 27th Jan)

[scoobs214]

Hi Guys,

I'm heading off to Heathrow today on JAL via Haneda in their lovely J class. Managed to secure 1A so very excited - first time in JAL J class.
Flew down from Sunshine Coast yesterday in Qantas J and was packed but nice flight.
Stayed at the lovely Rydges Sydney airport last night with amazing views of the airport. Really impressed and very easy for check-in for next day.
Stayed in an exec room on top floor - ask for room 805, has the best views.


International airport was fairly quiet, there were people directing you to departures.

Went to JAL business class check-in and it was quiet, one person in economy waiting.
Greeted by name by a lovely check-in agent, she was so helpful.

Checked vax status (double dose), day 2 rapid test booking, and pax locator form. Took my passport and followed her to desk and she checked me in. Was told flight has 20 ppl on total! And only 3 of us going thru to LHR.
Also said Sakura lounge will close 10pm and reopen 6am so some time spent on benches sleeping haha. She apologized profusely but I was expecting that so brought a pillow and blanket. I also have access to ANA lounge so maybe that can be a stop gap.

On a side note, with UK PLF it won't actually let you complete it if it's outside the 48hrs, so u don't have to guess when to do it, which was cool I thought.

Security and border was very quick, no lines.

Check-in agent said I could visit qantas lounge as JAL is oneworld and I'm in J. Got to lounge and only first QF was open as business lounge closed.The 3 ladies on the front desk all declined me access saying JAL isn't oneworld and I don't have status (I'm a bronze fflyer with Qantas club) even tho I'm flying in business. I was a little shocked and they weren't terribly nice tbh. If anyone knows, is this true?

So I'm now in plaza premium lounge which, while small, is nice and the ppl here are friendly....an hour to go before boarding. I'll keep this trip report going for ppl who r interested in hearing me babble on haha



View from plaza premium lounge

 

[Ansett]

JAL is definitely a One World Airline as per the attached link

oneworld Members: Airlines In The oneworld Alliance

The oneworld Alliance member airlines include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and more.

www.oneworld.com

I suggest going back and correcting them.

 

[andye]

Check-in agent said I could visit qantas lounge as JAL is oneworld and I'm in J. Got to lounge and only first QF was open as business lounge closed.The 3 ladies on the front desk all declined me access saying JAL isn't oneworld and I don't have status (I'm a bronze fflyer with Qantas club) even tho I'm flying in business. I was a little shocked and they weren't terribly nice tbh. If anyone knows, is this true?

So I'm now in plaza premium lounge which, while small, is nice and the ppl here are friendly....an hour to go before boarding. I'll keep this trip report going for ppl who r interested in hearing me babble on

JAL is of course Oneworld but sounds like you've been denied on a technicality.
As per OW rules you should have access to any OW J lounge but I guess QF are arguing there isn't a J lounge open.
On that logic OWS wouldn't get to access but OWE would
Presume they would also say that QF J passengers are allowed in as a favour

Or
They are just wrong

 

[Ansett]

Indulge yourself before departure in a wider range of airport lounges when you fly First Class or Business Class with any oneworld member airline, though exclusions apply.

• Customers flying First or Business Class have access to the equivalent class of lounge regardless of their frequent flyer status. First Class passengers may use a Business Class or frequent flyer lounge if a First Class lounge is not available.
• First Class passengers may invite one guest to join them in the lounge. The guest must also be travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld airline.
• Access is available on the day of travel (or before 06:00am the following day), at the airport from which the oneworld flight on which the eligible customer is travelling departs.

 

[scoobs214]

JAL is definitely a One World Airline as per the attached link

oneworld Members: Airlines In The oneworld Alliance

The oneworld Alliance member airlines include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and more.

www.oneworld.com

I suggest going back and correcting them.

 

[scoobs214]

@Ansett thanks for clearing that up, plane boards in 30mins and they didn't seem like they wanted to let me in, I even dressed nice lol so I'll leave it but nice to know for next time!

 

[scoobs214]

JAL is of course Oneworld but sounds like you've been denied on a technicality.
As per OW rules you should have access to any OW J lounge but I guess QF are arguing there isn't a J lounge open.
On that logic OWS wouldn't get to access but OWE would
Presume they would also say that QF J passengers are allowed in as a favour

Or
They are just wrong

@andye yeah, it felt like a technicality. Oh well, plaza premium were very nice and accommodating!

 

[RooFlyer]

That sounds utter BS. @Mattg - I hope you might take up with your Qantas contacts sometime?

 

[Mattg]

That sounds utter BS. @Mattg - I hope you might take up with your Qantas contacts sometime?

There have been lots of stories lately of Qantas denying access to the F lounges in SYD & MEL to passengers on Oneworld J tickets. Ordinarily you would have access to the J lounge in this situation, which is currently closed.

Qantas is allowing its own passengers who would normally have J lounge access into the F lounge instead. But it doesn't seem to be doing this for passengers on other airlines at the moment. Qatar J pax have also been denied access to the QF F lounge, and were given meal vouchers instead. Hopefully the situation will be fixed up once the J lounges reopen.

There's no excuse for the lounge staff not knowing that Japan Airlines is in Oneworld or being rude though.

 

[DC3]

… The 3 ladies on the front desk all declined me access saying JAL isn't oneworld ….

That’s the best one that I’ve heard today. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. Very rough for you.

Edit: JL joined oneworld in 2007 by the way

 

[Ansett]

Surely QF would be charging JAL for the entry and thus losing revenue when they chose to decline entry.

 

[puchu]

Looking forward to future instalments of this report, as I’ll be flying it towards the back end of 2022.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I’m afraid the lounge refusal was correct even although they did get it wrong about JAL/OW.

The J Lounge is closed which you would have had access to as a J pax on JAL.
JAL has not arranged alternative lounge access arrangements with QF for their J pax, neither has CX or QR.
QF is not obliged to allow access to their F lounge to other OW passengers only F and OWE.

You would only have access under the current lounge set up at SYD as a QF Club member if you were flying QF.

Hope your trip is smooth from here.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Surely QF would be charging JAL for the entry and thus losing revenue when they chose to decline entry.

JAL isn’t paying for J pax to get into the F Lounge.

 

[VPS]

Have fun but I think I would have booked a hotel for a night if your flight isn't leaving until 11 the next morning. I've done that flight and it's great for jetlag .

 

[puchu]

Have fun but I think I would have booked a hotel for a night if your flight isn't leaving until 11 the next morning. I've done that flight and it's great for jetlag .

I had a google and it looks like transit passengers can’t enter Japan for any land side hotels, and the air side transit hotel is currently closed.

 

[DC3]

I had a google and it looks like transit passengers can’t enter Japan for any land side hotels, and the air side transit hotel is currently closed.

Exactly. International airport transit is permitted, but passengers may not leave the airside area currently.

Edit: At least until the end of February, but most likely will be extended. The current government ban on the arrival of foreigners into Japan is supported by about 89% of their population, apparently:
Poll finds 89% in Japan back Kishida’s ban on new foreign arrivals

 

[VPS]

Oh yuk - that would be a deal breaker for me I think

 

[scoobs214]

That’s the best one that I’ve heard today. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. Very rough for you.

Edit: JL joined oneworld in 2007 by the way

@DC3 haha yeah, considering I'm crediting my points I get to my BAEC account, they'd have to be oneworld hey lol

 

[scoobs214]

I’m afraid the lounge refusal was correct even although they did get it wrong about JAL/OW.

The J Lounge is closed which you would have had access to as a J pax on JAL.
JAL has not arranged alternative lounge access arrangements with QF for their J pax, neither has CX or QR.
QF is not obliged to allow access to their F lounge to other OW passengers only F and OWE.

You would only have access under the current lounge set up at SYD as a QF Club member if you were flying QF.

Hope your trip is smooth from here.

Thanks @Princess Fiona for the info - it was a mild irritation but is what it is. The flight so far is amazing, the crew are just awesome