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

[scoobs214]

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

Yeah @DC3 , no leaving airport and no transit hotel. Lounge access when it's open but sleeping on a bench from 10pm to 6am. Brought a blanket and pillow. All part of the fun!

 

[Anna]

I haven't flown JAL for about 15 years but I have fond memories of discovering wasabi peas, and tasting different sakes. They didn't hand out PJs but there was a very comfortable unisex cardigan instead which I wore at home for ages after the flight (not continuously ). Have a good trip!

 

[scoobs214]

Next update - am now an hour and half into the flight, just me and another lady (whose slept the whole time) in business class. The crew are beyond attentive. So sweet and polite and have taught me some Japanese phrases already.

Lunch was delicious, I went with japanese option. Tasting tray then rice and spicy chicken. Chicken was a little fatty so a left a bit and the crew noticed and asked me if I wanted anything else, salmon etc. I was fun so continued on with the Ayala champagne

The sky suite is lovely, very comfy, and they have made a bed up next door for me.




We have jist left Aussie shores off the coast of QLD.



I asked my flight attendant if they sold those little chopstick crane holders and she said I could keep mine, she said they don't generally allow it but would make an exception.
She then came back with 3 more and a fluffy stuffed jal plane in a little bag with a bow tied on it! So sweet of her! Just amazing.



We are at cruising altitude and thick cloud still outside


Now for a nap before the next update.
Thanks everyone for following along with me!

 

[scoobs214]

I haven't flown JAL for about 15 years but I have fond memories of discovering wasabi peas, and tasting different sakes. They didn't hand out PJs but there was a very comfortable unisex cardigan instead which I wore at home for ages after the flight (not continuously ). Have a good trip!

Thanks @Anna I'm actually sporting the JAL Cardy as we speak hehehe

 

[Mattg]

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

This being the case, the check-in agent probably also shouldn't have told the OP to go to the Qantas lounge in the first place.

Looks like you're having a great flight though, @scoobs214!

 

[scoobs214]

This being the case, the check-in agent probably also shouldn't have told the OP to go to the Qantas lounge in the first place.

Looks like you're having a great flight though, @scoobs214!

Thanks @Mattg ! Really enjoyable flight and the dreamliner is a wonderful machine. There has been quite a bit of turbulence, but it's fine by me, I enjoy the bumps. Be interesting to see what the 777 J class is like on the HND-LHR leg. Apparently you go from day-night-day? Have you. experienced that before?

 

[RooFlyer]

Enjoying the TR @scoobs214 . Re the cardy - they were always too small for me! 'Before' - they had little rollers you could use to massage the soles of your feet.

Loved flying JAL.

 

[craven morehead]

Yeah @DC3 , no leaving airport and no transit hotel. Lounge access when it's open but sleeping on a bench from 10pm to 6am. Brought a blanket and pillow. All part of the fun!

Great attitude

 

[kelvedon]

Photo of the menu ?

 

[craven morehead]

Photo of the menu ?

And the food

 

[RooFlyer]

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.

Is it a published policy - 'No OW J pax in Flounge while J lounge is closed'? Or is it being published and clear asking too much of Qantas?

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

Do you mean its known that they have refused to pay for lounge access of their pax (which would be odd)? I think the OP to your reply meant that in the ordinary course of business, other airlines having their pax in Qantas lounges would pay, so QF refusing access is possibly losing revenue (assuming QF knows to charge enough to cover 'foreign' airline visitor costs).

 

[scoobs214]

Photo of the menu ?

Here you go!









3.5hrs til Tokyo, weather is nice out the window, Cardy is off as cabin is a bit warm with the sun but the darkened shades have helped.
Just had a nice fresh black coffee.
Will send pics of food when I get to Haneda as it is on my camera.

 

[Mumanddad]

Yeah @DC3 , no leaving airport and no transit hotel. Lounge access when it's open but sleeping on a bench from 10pm to 6am. Brought a blanket and pillow. All part of the fun!

At least the airport should be clean! Can you get early morning access to a lounge in Haneda for a shower and breakfast?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Is it a published policy - 'No OW J pax in Flounge while J lounge is closed'? Or is it being published and clear asking too much of Qantas?



Do you mean its known that they have refused to pay for lounge access of their pax (which would be odd)? I think the OP to your reply meant that in the ordinary course of business, other airlines having their pax in Qantas lounges would pay, so QF refusing access is possibly losing revenue (assuming QF knows to charge enough to cover 'foreign' airline visitor costs).

As it’s currently only the F lounge that is open, QF would have individual arrangements with airlines that will be CIC for access to the F Lounge.
It’s been widely reported elsewhere, definitely Facebook but not sure if I have read any other posts here, about pax in J on other carriers but not OWE not having Lounge access.
QF isn’t obliged to give lounge access at SYD for OW J / OWS as they don’t have a J lounge open.
OW Lounge access rules by COS are published on the OW website and on the QF website. F lounge is no access for OW Int J.

They won’t be losing revenue as the operating carrier won’t pay if the pax isn’t eligible for F lounge access.

 

[DC3]

As it’s currently only the F lounge that is open, QF would have individual arrangements with airlines that will be CIC for access to the F Lounge.
It’s been widely reported elsewhere, definitely Facebook but not sure if I have read any other posts here, about pax in J on other carriers but not OWE not having Lounge access.
QF isn’t obliged to give lounge access at SYD for OW J / OWS as they don’t have a J lounge open.
OW Lounge access rules by COS are published on the OW website and on the QF website. F lounge is no access for OW Int J.

They won’t be losing revenue as the operating carrier won’t pay if the pax isn’t eligible for F lounge access.

Thank you for posting. This makes some sense of the way that it works in practice.

 

[cosi]

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 .

Totally agree especially using the Royal Park Hotel at Haneda as it prefect for this situation and is located within the terminal.

Sure you have to clear customs but is so simple and easy to find in the departure level.

 

[RooFlyer]

As it’s currently only the F lounge that is open, QF would have individual arrangements with airlines that will be CIC for access to the F Lounge.
It’s been widely reported elsewhere, definitely Facebook but not sure if I have read any other posts here, about pax in J on other carriers but not OWE not having Lounge access.
QF isn’t obliged to give lounge access at SYD for OW J / OWS as they don’t have a J lounge open.
OW Lounge access rules by COS are published on the OW website and on the QF website. F lounge is no access for OW Int J.

They won’t be losing revenue as the operating carrier won’t pay if the pax isn’t eligible for F lounge access.

Not disagreeing with anything you are saying, but Qantas managed to let its own non-F, non-OWE pax into the Flounge as an interim measure, so its not totally sacrosanct (not sure if I like that concept ). 'Not obliged' doesn't really cover it; Covid has brought in all sorts of interim or other measures.

Now, Qantas wants to look after its own pax first, so maybe there was no room, but I reckon an airline like JAL (unlike, say, AA or BA) would want to pay a premium for its J pax to have a lounge. Remember there were only 2 J pax on the OP's flight!!

If QF could say "OK we will allow your J pax in, cost is $X/head" (and they could, if they chose to) then they would lose revenue in not doing so, if it was at a rate the visiting airline agreed to pay. Hey, if they put the rate way up, they would either make a tidy profit, or have a clear concience that they offered it!!

But as the Lounge guardians bounced the OP on the basis of JAL not being in OW the whole thing is moot.

 

[Mattg]

Totally agree especially using the Royal Park Hotel at Haneda as it prefect for this situation and is located within the terminal.

Sure you have to clear customs but is so simple and easy to find in the departure level.

You can't enter Japan at the moment (unless a Japanese citizen etc.) so if the hotel is past customs, it's not an option.

 

[RooFlyer]

You can't enter Japan at the moment (unless a Japanese citizen etc.) so if the hotel is past customs, it's not an option.

They have a transit part:

トランジットホテル -【公式】ザ ロイヤルパークホテル 東京羽田 - 羽田空港第3ターミナルビル内 - 東京のホテル

ザ ロイヤルパークホテル 東京羽田のトランジットホテルページです。「ザ ロイヤルパークホテル 東京羽田 トランジット」は、羽田空港第3ターミナル出国エリア内にあるトランジットホテル。客室、リフレッシュルーム、ラウンジがございます。乗り継ぎの合間や出発前に、ご搭乗のお時間までごゆっくりおくつろぎください。

www.the-royalpark.jp

 

[Princess Fiona]

If QF could say "OK we will allow your J pax in, cost is $X/head" (and they could, if they chose to) then they would lose revenue in not doing so, if it was at a rate the visiting airline agreed to pay. Hey, if they put the rate way up, they would either make a tidy profit, or have a clear concience that they offered it!!

What QF chooses to do with its own FF is up to them.
How do you know that such access wasn’t offered to JAL but they didn’t take up that option?