JAL 777-300ER back on Sydney route

[CaptJCool]

Well the trip down is done !

To answer the question of the divide tween 1st & J
@Pushka

For landing and take-Orf


For flying through the night
Curtains and the divider are drawn

 

[sudoer]

Few more snaps from the trip home on JL51

https://imgur.com/a/zkorXEA

New First check-in area through to private security (we had already checked bags at the First counter earlier in the day)


Sushi in the F lounge - tuna and snapper were the fish of the day


JAL's Salon menu


JAL's Salon special whisky - Ichiro's Malt Chichibu JAL Exclusive 2024


JAL's Salon free pour spirits


We set ourselves up deep in the games room of the Red Suite, which is usually completely empty, and in this case offers a door we could close if the little one was noisy

 

[sudoer]

Ended up having the whole bottle of Salon to myself - no one else in the 7/8 cabin was drinking it!!!












Sangenton Pork Cutlet sandwich (anytime menu)


Salmon & ikura donburi


Baby food in JAL branded carry case



New amenities kit is a massive downgrade from the previous Zero Halliburton / L'Occitane kit unfortunately... the only good thing is the JAL branded USB-C & Lightning cable...

Lastly I bought a bottle of Gokujo Mori Izo onboard for 6000 yen - a rare opportunity! Available to First Class passengers only in the month of October. I wasn't able to pre-order it, but I don't think they're particularly strapped for stock as the JAL FA's tablet showed there were 10 loaded on the flight, presumably for the JL51 / JL52 rotation.

 

[MELso]

Sounds great.

Alas, there’s no F award availability for SYD-HND in September/early October next year (or more broadly it seems?) so I decided to slum it on MEL-NRT-SEA in J (my ultimate destination) rather than faff around trying to get an F award from HND to DFW or JFK (which would have entailed having to change airports in Tokyo) and then fly back from there.

 

[sudoer]

in September/early October next year

I think SYD is being treated to these F cabins only while JAL is receiving their A350s (relatively) on schedule and has a few extra serviceable 777 frames.

Once the 777-300ERs are retired, we may not see JAL F back to Australia for a while ... although I really do hope they come back soon! The F load factors seem to be pretty high from the data points I know of, always 6/8 full or better.

 

[levelnine]

Was 8/8 when I did it a few weeks ago.

 

[MELso]

I think SYD is being treated to these F cabins only while JAL is receiving their A350s (relatively) on schedule and has a few extra serviceable 777 frames.

Once the 777-300ERs are retired, we may not see JAL F back to Australia for a while ... although I really do hope they come back soon! The F load factors seem to be pretty high from the data points I know of, always 6/8 full or better.

Sorry - meant to say ‘F award availability’ but there’s also no premium economy award space either (EDIT and no F cash seats). Perhaps they’re expecting an equipment swap? Who knows…

 

[elanshin]

Sorry - meant to say ‘F award availability’ but there’s also no premium economy award space either (EDIT and no F cash seats). Perhaps they’re expecting an equipment swap? Who knows…

Likely not loaded into their system.

 

[Pushka]

Likely not loaded into their system.

It never loaded for our Syd Han flight in April and I was obsessively checking it for weeks including the week prior to release date. Did get J so fine with that and in the mini front cabin. Flight back doesn't have F class in May.

 

[kpc]

I think SYD is being treated to these F cabins only while JAL is receiving their A350s (relatively) on schedule and has a few extra serviceable 777 frames.

Once the 777-300ERs are retired, we may not see JAL F back to Australia for a while ... although I really do hope they come back soon! The F load factors seem to be pretty high from the data points I know of, always 6/8 full or better.

Just arrived back on JL 51....had exactly the same food. 7/8 seats ovcupied. Only 3 pax drinking Salon...I had 4 glasses, +1 had 1 glass. As a non champagne drinker, I couldn't really tell why it is so much more expensive then say Krug, Moet etc. It was very fruity in flavour and nice I have to say...

Service was very friendly and attentive but a bit slow for my liking as I wantrd to go to sleep. Japanese set menu was fantastic. Bed with the padding was very comfortable....don't know why they hand out the PJs so late...I asked for it earlier.

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.

 

[sudoer]

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

That's strange, what was their reasoning?

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.

Agree with your assessments there! (Although I prefer JL F to the SQ F lounge - I don't think TPR is a direct comparison given the much stricter entry rules)

 

[DejaBrew]

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?

 

[sudoer]

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

It's an EF issue

https://loyaltylobby.com/2024/10/23/reader-email-expertflyer-no-longer-showing-seatmaps-now-for-several-days/

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

Yes. I was proactively offered them when I asked for the bed to be made. My partner had to ask.

We were both given a second set to take with us after JL52 also

 

[DejaBrew]

It's an EF issue

https://loyaltylobby.com/2024/10/23...longer-showing-seatmaps-now-for-several-days/

Thanks, was aware of the issues with EF, but just hadn't observed them yet specific to JL. Fingers crossed they resolve it soon, but it's not looking great

 

[kpc]

That's strange, what was their reasoning?

Not sure..the JAL agent kept pointing to the normal F checkin, another (?more senior) agent came to investigate the "discussion", then took our passports and led us the F lounge checkin area and apologised for her colleague when I quered why I wasn't directed there in the first place.

 

[sudoer]

Not sure..the JAL agent kept pointing to the normal F checkin, another (?more senior) agent came to investigate the "discussion", then took our passports and led us the F lounge checkin area and apologised for her colleague when I quered why I wasn't directed there in the first place.

E-ticket on Qantas letterhead perhaps ..?

 

[kpc]

E-ticket on Qantas letterhead perhaps ..?

Never showed my eticket...just said we were on JL51 in F...

 

[masco131]

I was whisked away immediately to the private check in area by an agent when i did my F trip in September. Maybe the agent is new and does not know about the private check in area

 

[aaa99]

Been taking notes on this thread and I am finally doing the JL52 trip in the next few days. I guess departing from HND would have been nicer, but this is all I could get in terms of last minute availability.

I have a Qantas flight out of Melbourne booked as a separate ticket. Is there any hope of getting my luggage checked through? I have 2:30 hours between the flights which should be enough, I hope

 

[sudoer]

I guess departing from HND would have been nicer, but this is all I could get in terms of last minute availability.

The food and beverage is nicer but you're rushing to eat and then sleep. JL52 being a day flight means you can take your time! The SYD-HND menu in August included caviar on the snack menu, unsure if it still does.

I have a Qantas flight out of Melbourne booked as a separate ticket. Is there any hope of getting my luggage checked through? I have 2:30 hours between the flights which should be enough, I hope

If MEL-SYD is cash, yes but YMMV. Go to the international connections desk, ask nicely, and if you get any pushback show them the ^ fineprint on this link:

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect/global/en/policy-and-guidelines/baggage-information/interline-and-through-checked-baggage.html