JAL 777-300ER back on Sydney route

[danintas]

Just tried looking at seat maps on EF for my flights Nov/Dec, but annoyingly JL is also suffering from the "Error: One or more of your requests could not be fulfilled" problems that have plagued EF of late

For those who've flown it, are PJs available on both JL52 and JL51?

I flew on JL52 from SYD on Nov 1st… PJs were offered (and accepted)

 

[danintas]

What annoyed me was they asked me to check in at normal F checkin at Hnd...only relented when I wanted to go to the F lounge check in area

Jal F lounge at Hnd is nice but Cx Pier F in Hkg still my favourite...also I would rate TPR in Sin and EK F lounge at Dxb higher.

Hi kpc… how many hours prior to the flight did you check in?

I’m in F on JL51 soon with a 12pm check out… is it safe to go straight to HND and enjoy the lounge for a few hours?

 

[sudoer]

I’m in F on JL51 soon with a 12pm check out… is it safe to go straight to HND and enjoy the lounge for a few hours?

Yes, all day check-in is available at the regular F (OWE) counters.

When I flew last month, we checked in and dropped our 5 (!) bags at the OWE check-in desks around 12:30-1pm. We then went over to the Villa Fontaine at Haneda Airport Garden - 5 min via direct indoor walkway from T3 check-in desks - where we'd booked a day use room with hot spring access.

Note that the dedicated F check-in & security area does not open til 2:30pm.

If you have time to kill, you can also purchase access just to the hot spring at Villa Fontaine. It's quite a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The JL F lounge is nice but I'm not sure it's worth getting to 6 hours early (especially if your onward flight is in F.. need to save your stomach and liver!)

 

[CaptJCool]

Yes, all day check-in is available at the regular F (OWE) counters.

When I flew last month, we checked in and dropped our 5 (!) bags at the OWE check-in desks around 12:30-1pm. We then went over to the Villa Fontaine at Haneda Airport Garden - 5 min via direct indoor walkway from T3 check-in desks - where we'd booked a day use room with hot spring access.

Note that the dedicated F check-in & security area does not open til 2:30pm.

If you have time to kill, you can also purchase access just to the hot spring at Villa Fontaine. It's quite a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The JL F lounge is nice but I'm not sure it's worth getting to 6 hours early (especially if your onward flight is in F.. need to save your stomach and liver!)

Well having spent hours on the way over to Europe in the JAL F

Short of spending several hours in the massage Chairs upstairs it’s probably a 2-3 hour gig

However Shoe shine might be available or there’s table football if that’s your thing or big windows to watch the planes come and go

You can regulate your food intake as Japanese portions are on the small side
But drinks are a different thing ….

 

[sudoer]

Short of spending several hours in the massage Chairs upstairs it’s probably a 2-3 hour gig

I'd agree with this.

HND T3 has very little to do airside too. The CX lounge is not really worth a visit unless you feel like dan dan noodles, there's a few basic convenience stores, and I think one book shop. Even the duty free is quite limited.

HND is much more interesting land side - far more shops, restaurants, cafes, an observation deck, etc

 

[sudoer]

For those flying in December:

https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202410/008424.html

Pre-orders open in your MMB on 25 Nov

 

[Pushka]

Yes, all day check-in is available at the regular F (OWE) counters.

When I flew last month, we checked in and dropped our 5 (!) bags at the OWE check-in desks around 12:30-1pm. We then went over to the Villa Fontaine at Haneda Airport Garden - 5 min via direct indoor walkway from T3 check-in desks - where we'd booked a day use room with hot spring access.

Note that the dedicated F check-in & security area does not open til 2:30pm.

If you have time to kill, you can also purchase access just to the hot spring at Villa Fontaine. It's quite a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The JL F lounge is nice but I'm not sure it's worth getting to 6 hours early (especially if your onward flight is in F.. need to save your stomach and liver!)

This is what we plan to do and about to make a 24 hour booking at VF. At the description page it states 'check in anytime' but at the payment page it states check in after 3pm which is of course useless. Is this just an IT thing that doesn't mean anything?

Also, from leaving the VF how long do you estimate it will take to get through Immigration and to the lounge etc. don't want to leave it too late.

 

[sudoer]

This is what we plan to do and about to make a 24 hour booking at VF. At the description page it states 'check in anytime' but at the payment page it states check in after 3pm which is of course useless. Is this just an IT thing that doesn't mean anything?

Best contact them and confirm - but our 6 hour day use room was a true check-in anytime situation.

Also, from leaving the VF how long do you estimate it will take to get through Immigration and to the lounge etc. don't want to leave it too late.

Assuming a reasonably brisk walk:

VF lobby to T3 check-in desks: 5-7 minutes

Security: 2-3 minutes - go back through the JL first check-in lounge for dedicated security lane

Immigration: 3-5 minutes - HND had many outbound immigration gates with max 1-2 people queued per gate. It was slower for me using my TTP (machine was broken) than regular tourists exiting...

Walk to lounge: 2-3 minutes - turn left after immigration.

Best case about 15 min, pretty unlikely to take longer than 30.

 

[Pushka]

Best contact them and confirm - but our 6 hour day use room was a true check-in anytime situation.



Assuming a reasonably brisk walk:

VF lobby to T3 check-in desks: 5-7 minutes

Security: 2-3 minutes - go back through the JL first check-in lounge for dedicated security lane

Immigration: 3-5 minutes - HND had many outbound immigration gates with max 1-2 people queued per gate. It was slower for me using my TTP (machine was broken) than regular tourists exiting...

Walk to lounge: 2-3 minutes - turn left after immigration.

Best case about 15 min, pretty unlikely to take longer than 30.

Thanks for that great detail.

 

[danintas]

I'd agree with this.

HND T3 has very little to do airside too. The CX lounge is not really worth a visit unless you feel like dan dan noodles, there's a few basic convenience stores, and I think one book shop. Even the duty free is quite limited.

HND is much more interesting land side - far more shops, restaurants, cafes, an observation deck, etc

Thanks sudoer, and others for very helpful advice - it’s now 3.30 and I just arrived into the F Lounge - took a while to track down the F entrance - no one seemed to know anything about it - but eventually discovered it behind the check in counters in the rear wall - a large bronze colored double sliding door simply labeled Japan Airlines. Check in was quick (I was the only one there) as was the dedicated security. No queues for the immigration terminals - so a very smooth check in experience. Got to pace myself now to ensure I can maximise Salon consumption in flight!

 

[sudoer]

Got to pace myself now to ensure I can maximise Salon consumption in flight!

Enjoy, go check out what's on offer at JAL's Salon upstairs - many seem to miss it as it's not very obviously signposted! (it's back near reception, past the showers)

Please take lots of photos and share after your trip

 

[danintas]

Enjoy, go check out what's on offer at JAL's Salon upstairs - many seem to miss it as it's not very obviously signposted! (it's back near reception, past the showers)

Please take lots of photos and share after your trip

I am in the Salon right now!

 

[elanshin]

Thanks sudoer, and others for very helpful advice - it’s now 3.30 and I just arrived into the F Lounge - took a while to track down the F entrance - no one seemed to know anything about it - but eventually discovered it behind the check in counters in the rear wall - a large bronze colored double sliding door simply labeled Japan Airlines. Check in was quick (I was the only one there) as was the dedicated security. No queues for the immigration terminals - so a very smooth check in experience. Got to pace myself now to ensure I can maximise Salon consumption in flight!

Im surprised they didn't show you on your way in, last time I checked in at the OWE check in desk (not flying F), they pulled out a map to show me the location of the F lounge.

 

[Captain Halliday]

When I flew last month, we checked in and dropped our 5 (!) bags at the OWE check-in desks

Off topic: Fair enough at the moment.

But if you don’t revert to HLO the minute you jettison the pram, your commitment to established AFF principles may be questioned.

 

[elanshin]

Slightly off topic, but anyone fathom why JL774 (MEL - NRT) would rdmly have half a week in June 0'd out?
Mon Jun 16 - Available
Tue Jun 17 - 0's across the board
Wed Jun 18 - Available
Thu Jun 19 - 0's across the board
Fri Jun 20 - 0's across the board
Sat Jun 21 - Available

I wonder if they're looking at cutting frequency.

Edit: A bit of digging and it seems this starts on Mar 30th.
There appears only flights loaded for Mon, Wed and Sat to Tokyo. 0's for the rest of the week.
Correspondingly seems the same for NRT - MEL with Sun, Tue, Fri

 

[trendwhore]

Could be related to the switch to HND coming at some point soonish?

 

[elanshin]

Could be related to the switch to HND coming at some point soonish?

This is JAL (JL) not Qantas. They don't have any new HND slots. (1 slot for JAL, 2 for ANA all used on SYD - HND)

 

[sudoer]

This is JAL (JL) not Qantas. They don't have any new HND slots. (1 slot for JAL, 2 for ANA all used on SYD - HND)

Perhaps they predict a drop in demand when Qantas launches MEL-HND?

 

[DejaBrew]

I flew on JL52 from SYD on Nov 1st… PJs were offered (and accepted)

Today's JL52, PJs similarly offered (and accepted). Hooray for proper cotton!!

 

[DejaBrew]

Hibiki 100th Anniversary was on board JL52 today for consumption, as was "Ichiro's Malt Chichibu Single Malt JAL Exclusive 2024" (i.e. the December exclusive for F pax available to pre-order from November 25th). Taste tested both as I'm looking to buy a gift for a friend and wasn't certain which way to go? I'll freely admit that I'm not a whiskey drinker, so my very uneducated opinion was that the 100th Anniversary was the nicer of the two. For me, it was smoother and more complex of the two. But again, I'm no expert.

Was a fair bit of confusion about purchasing the Hibiki though. Flight crew advised stock was very limited now and soon to be depleted. Also mentioned that no more than 5 bottles were typically loaded on any given flight. They stated it needed to be purchased through the inflight shopping mall (i.e. online), which directed you to a Japanese-only site. English version later found with much trouble. Of course, too late to pre-order once you're aboard and having checked in the days leading up to my flight, it already knew it wasn't to be found in the pre-order items. Eventually found a crew member who confirmed that it was available for purchase on board and they had stock if we wanted it. Consequently ordered a bottle.

Sounds like it's not much longer for this world though, so get in if/while you have the chance.