JAL 777-300ER back on Sydney route

[masco131]

My wife, daughter and I are on JL52 today - cabin is full.

The crew have been excellent. Much more friendly and casual than I expected - the 5 month old may have helped break the ice. One FA is also near native in English which feels like a rarity on JL... or maybe they just hide them in First !

Few pics of the washoku course...
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(... yes I was quadruple parked by dessert)

A few pics of the a la carte options also
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The Hibiki is loaded today instead of the Ichiro's Malt Chichibu JAL exclusive

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The CSM came by with some "baby goods" for the little one - the tag is going straight on my backpack.

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They mustn't have the usual baby goods loaded on this flight although we collected most of them (toy plane, mittens, kids sunnies, a few others) while my wife was pregnant. I'm happier with these anyway.

7.5 hours into the flight and the Billecart is still going but Queen of Blue tea just ran out. Not sure how many bottles are loaded.

PJs are provided on the day flight, and the large size actually fits me which is a nice surprise (188cm / too many kilos)

Excited for my flight at the end of sept!

 

[encryptededdy]

Sept-Nov JL52 Menu: https://www.jal.co.jp/inter/service/menu/pdf/meal/syd_hnd_f_m_202409_202411.pdf
Sept JL51 Menu: https://www.jal.co.jp/inter/service/menu/pdf/meal/hnd_syd_f_m_202409.pdf (Oct onwards not available yet)

 

[MELso]

Back to a 789 from early August 2025 it seems.

Hopefully, it's just for maintenance of the 77W and it'll be back on the route from no later than late September (when I'm looking to book an award ticket to JFK or DFW).

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

The 77W's are starting to be retired as more A350K's arrive.

「未来が過去になっていく瞬間」JAL 777-300ER、きれいな姿で初退役　4号機がラストフライト

www.aviationwire.jp

 

[Pushka]

Excited for my flight at the end of sept!

Lucky duck. Could you post a picture of how the pleb Row 5 looks please? Just want to see what the view is forward. I can get a bit claustro with curtains and bulkheads.

 

[CaptJCool]

Excited for my flight at the end of sept!

Yes

I’m flying home to Australia on 10th - 12th September to complete this 3 month soirée
Am looking forward to the wonderful JAL Cuisine !

 

[tmdl]

Flew JL51 the other night to SYD
2 Bottles of Salon
4 bottles of Queen of blue tea.

Both ran however did see some unopened bottles of tea in the cart reserved for SYD-HND.
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They had 2 bottles of Salon?

We flew the 777 in F in July 2024 and only 1 bottle for the 8 seats and the service was the worst I had experienced

 

[sudoer]

the service was the worst I had experienced

What happened?

 

[CaptJCool]

They had 2 bottles of Salon?

We flew the 777 in F in July 2024 and only 1 bottle for the 8 seats and the service was the worst I had experienced

I’m shocked they say

Granted that Salon ran out on the flight I was on from Tokyo to London on 12th June. (Only offered on flights departing Tokyo)

So from that perspective yes that’s perhaps “unpardonable”

 

[yachty]

The 77W's are starting to be retired as more A350K's arrive.

Saw the first one to go parked at HND last week with the titles removed

 

[tmdl]

What happened?

Flight was delayed (due to SYD arrival restrictions), 1 bottle of Salon between 8 passengers and then the Charles Heidsieck vintage was a letdown after you have had Salon (also CH ran out so another down grade), Drinks were never poured unless you call for the stewardess and when you did it took a while for them to come and either they didnt return for 5 minutes or you would need to call again.

Nothing was offered to us (amenity kits, PJs) had to ask for everything

English was very limited, Food was luke-warm and wasn't anything amazing (Japanese Cuisine) and wont serve you any drink 1 hour before landing

I am basing this off multiple EK F firsts in both 777 & A380 and a SQ 777 flight - EK F is always consistent and on point (from my experience)

 

[encryptededdy]

Flight was delayed (due to SYD arrival restrictions)

Did it arrive on time though? If so I reckon it doesn't really matter. I find JL51 never leaves on time but still arrives on time because their schedule is so padded. If they leave at the scheduled time, the padding means they arrive too early for SYD as the scheduled arrival time is already edging SYD curfew.

 

[Hunter4vr]

Flight was delayed (due to SYD arrival restrictions), 1 bottle of Salon between 8 passengers and then the Charles Heidsieck vintage was a letdown after you have had Salon (also CH ran out so another down grade), Drinks were never poured unless you call for the stewardess and when you did it took a while for them to come and either they didnt return for 5 minutes or you would need to call again.

Nothing was offered to us (amenity kits, PJs) had to ask for everything

English was very limited, Food was luke-warm and wasn't anything amazing (Japanese Cuisine) and wont serve you any drink 1 hour before landing

I am basing this off multiple EK F firsts in both 777 & A380 and a SQ 777 flight - EK F is always consistent and on point (from my experience)

Had a similar experience last year out of MEL, however in J. The service was shocking with the crew not remembering orders and had to ask for drinks multiple times before they managed to bring it out. Crew were not proactive and would not offer anything unless you specifically used the call button, it honestly felt more like an economy service.

The experience has turned me off from flying JAL in the future but who knows, might give them another shot one day.

 

[tmdl]

Did it arrive on time though? If so I reckon it doesn't really matter. I find JL51 never leaves on time but still arrives on time because their schedule is so padded. If they leave at the scheduled time, the padding means they arrive too early for SYD as the scheduled arrival time is already edging SYD curfew.

Was 1 hour late and we missed our VA flight to MEL

What I don't understand, if JAL know its going to be on the edge of SYD curfew why not make the departure time later or even better move the flight into MEL

 

[encryptededdy]

Was 1 hour late and we missed our VA flight to MEL

OK, in that case it sounds like a genuine delay then and not due to potentially landing before the curfew, since if it was just the curfew then they should've still arrived on time.

 

[tmdl]

Had a similar experience last year out of MEL, however in J. The service was shocking with the crew not remembering orders and had to ask for drinks multiple times before they managed to bring it out. Crew were not proactive and would not offer anything unless you specifically used the call button, it honestly felt more like an economy service.

The experience has turned me off from flying JAL in the future but who knows, might give them another shot one day.

My parents flew JAL in J last year and they liked it but I guess it depends on the crew. I've hear mixed things about SQ J service

 

[sudoer]

I guess it depends on the crew

From the sound of your earlier post, it seems your crew didn't follow JL's usual service standards, which is a real shame. It definitely shouldn't take 5 minutes for a drink to be served, and I would say it's unusual for top-ups to not be proactively offered (although JL staff are more likely to ask for permission to top-up your drink, rather than EK style constant refills)

In my own experience, my friends' experiences, and all the reviews I've seen - the unisex amenity kit and gender-specific skin care products should always be waiting at the seat when you board.

On my recent JL F day flight, PJs were not at the seat on boarding but proactively provided when I asked for the bed to be made, and towards the end of the flight they gave me a 2nd pair as take-home gift. The PJs feel of similar quality to EK F.

Food was luke-warm and wasn't anything amazing (Japanese Cuisine) and wont serve you any drink 1 hour before landing

Compared with EK and SQ F, JL menus are certainly more limited . The food is more delicate and subtle, rather than an over-the-top mound of caviar or a lobster therimdor. Different values I guess. Room temp or luke warm food service is also fairly common for most kaiseki style meals.

I've hear mixed things about SQ J service

I've found SQ is a good balance between polished but still casual and genial - still miles better than QF

 

[tmdl]

From the sound of your earlier post, it seems your crew didn't follow JL's usual service standards, which is a real shame. It definitely shouldn't take 5 minutes for a drink to be served, and I would say it's unusual for top-ups to not be proactively offered (although JL staff are more likely to ask for permission to top-up your drink, rather than EK style constant refills)

In my own experience, my friends' experiences, and all the reviews I've seen - the unisex amenity kit and gender-specific skin care products should always be waiting at the seat when you board.

On my recent JL F day flight, PJs were not at the seat on boarding but proactively provided when I asked for the bed to be made, and towards the end of the flight they gave me a 2nd pair as take-home gift. The PJs feel of similar quality to EK F.



Compared with EK and SQ F, JL menus are certainly more limited . The food is more delicate and subtle, rather than an over-the-top mound of caviar or a lobster therimdor. Different values I guess. Room temp or luke warm food service is also fairly common for most kaiseki style meals.



I've found SQ is a good balance between polished but still casual and genial - still miles better than QF

I agree, I just feel that the overall experience was below average and much prefer the EK service.

QF J (MEL - CGK) was one of the best service I have received almost on par with EK F.

I have to say that SQ's 'The Private Room' has to be the best lounge I've experienced and JAL's lounge should have a TPR concept where its only for F passenger with a more elevated experience. There are concepts of it in the lounge but the lack of real a la carte dining and premium wines was a huge let down.

I will try JAL F again but maybe to another destination and not to Sydney (overnight) but want to try QR, CX, QF & EY in F before.

 

[kamchatsky]

Was 1 hour late and we missed our VA flight to MEL

What I don't understand, if JAL know its going to be on the edge of SYD curfew why not make the departure time later or even better move the flight into MEL

Did VA put you on a later flight to MEL? Or do you have to buy another ticket?

 

[tmdl]

Did VA put you on a later flight to MEL? Or do you have to buy another ticket?

Put on a later flight but in Economy X rather than Business (originally booked).