Japan Airlines  Passenger Reviews and Japan Airlines Passenger Trip Reports

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Appalling legroom. I'm statuesque and large framed and found the lack of legroom a real problem for almost 10 hours. Downgraded from premium economy when the product was withdrawn from the Sydney - Tokyo service. The domestic connection to Osaka was far more comfortable. Food was average and more for local tastes although the noodles were redeeming. Overall a very average experience.

BKK-YVR. 767-300. Food really excellent, ditto red wine. Lots of attentiveness from FA. Efficient airline, but a major negative is the seating in Business Class. Seats narrow and for me it was impossible to sleep because the seat does not lie flat and thus one 'slips' all the time. The airfare was ridiculously cheap, but the seating negates this advantage totally.

LHR-NRT-LHR. Flight was bumpy, which was due to the weather, but after eating we went through a particularly bad patch of turbulence and I became airsick. I used the supplied bag, which instructed you to hand it to staff when used. I got up to dispose of it and flight attendants avoided me for 5 minutes! Eventually a female attendant came over to me and took the bag. I asked for some water. 30 minutes later, still no water. My husband went and asked the hostess for the water, and she told him she'd forgotten and she'd just bring it over. 10 minutes later she came over with a bottle of water, by this time I was asleep anyway.

NRT-CTS in Dec 2012 with family. Retrieved bags from NRT T1 to JAL domestic terminal at NRT T2. Managed to get an upgrade to J class. Terminal was busy and we were whisked to the new B737-800 by bus. Terminal was congested and we were on the runway for an hr before take off. Seats were comfortable and we slept. Cabin crew served one round of drinks to the 80% full flight. Children were given JAL stickers. Drop down screens showed flight map. Headphones were provided for music entertainment. Return flight on same aircraft. Managed to get upgrade to J class. Check in staff was new and it took her 40 mins to check in our 4 bags + 2 strollers. To our surprise, she checked in our bags all the way to Singapore even thought our flight to SIN was not under One World (Delta Airlines). Arrived on time in NRT T2 with similar inflight service provided from NRT-CTS. Aircraft's were new and J class seats with leg rests were extremely comfortable.

Nagoya to New York via Narita and the check-in services were excellent. Flight was punctual, excellent on- board service with great food and beverages. Return from New York on March 31st was excellent too. This is my fourth flight on JAL having flown to Taipei last year and their services are very consistent across the board. Their WI-FI on the flight was very expensive at $11 an hour! I feel that all wi-fi costs should be built into the ticket prices.

JAL flight 8 from Narita to Boston, 27 Feb in business. 777 substituted for grounded 787. Everything satisfactory or good, but the first (main) meal service. There was simply no predictability to it. Some were served relatively quickly, but we and others throughout the cabin waited 2 hours for our first drink. Couple across the aisle were served a second drink, given their menus and had orders taken before we had a drink or a menu. We asked for a menu and were not given one for an hour after the first request. Food, when it came, was good and beautifully presented, as were the other meals available on request. Once poured, drinks were replenished frequently. Angled flat seat was relatively comfortable for sleep. Movie selection was disappointing, compared with AA which we took from US to Tokyo.

Flew from New York to Osaka mid Feb in premium economy, the food on both outgoing and incoming flights was awful, the low point being the fried chicken sandwich! Having flown JAL in the past I was appalled by the food selection! Otherwise as usual all went well and was a comfortable flight!

Very disappointed with the flight. I flew from Bangkok to Narita. Check-in was a disaster. The counter agent changed my airline and departure time without telling me about the change. I believed that I had a 3 hour wait for my flight departure, whereas, with the change I needed to get to the gate within 30 minutes, on a different airline, and I missed the flight. This meant that I had to wait 16 hours for the next flight! I finally left on JAL Flight# 718. Flight staff were very friendly. The food was all Japanese, which I can not eat. The seating was very uncomfortable, which made for a long flight. This is the first time that I have commented, but the eighth time that I have flown on the airline.

O'Hare-Narita-Bangkok. Boeing 777 Economy from Chicago delayed due to late arrival of our American Airlines flight, but still we arrived in Narita on time. Food excellent. I had travelled a few time with Japan Airlines and I noticed the food quality has increased. Staff very professional on all flights. Seat pitch is a little bit tight though. Hopefully the new economy cabin (to be available in the next few months) will provide more space. Upgraded to Premium Economy from Narita to Chicago and was quite impressed with the quality of the product (I have also travelled Business class with them a few years ago). Seat very comfortable (shell seat allowing to preserve your own space). Do not feel like going back to economy class. I will certainly fly JAL again in the near future with the new economy cabin.

I flew from Vancouver to Taipei via Narita. The first part of the trip was pleasant, entertainment was excellent but the food was poor but edible. Staff fluent in English and Japanese which was a big improvement since 2009. The second part of the trip was very hot and stuffy. Their food on the second leg was soggy and unpleasant to eat. I will definitely take this airline again.

I took an AF code share flight from LHR, JAL fight from CDG to HND. B772. Aircrarft was pretty empty in economy so managed to get a row of three to myself and stretch out. The all female crew were polite and gracious as to be expected. Eye contact and smile given at all times and each member seemed to be able to speak English fluently. Leg room in Economy wasn't great and if the plane was full it would have been a tight 11.5 hours. AVOD was average and small screens on the 777. I would fly JAL again but probably pay for the upgrade to premium.

I flew from Tokyo to San Francisco. The seats were more packed and less comfortable than any other airline I can recall. For the first time in over 100 cross-continent flights I have taken, the airline did not offer a proper meal until 6 hours after departure! Shortly after departure a sorry snack was offered - pack of nuts and a cheddar toast. Inflight entertainment was the least elaborate I have seen with small screens. The cabin crew were nice and smiley but airport staff were extremely unhelpful. I won't fly JAL again.

SIN-HND, NRT-SIN. First time on this airline. Both flights were 787-800. 2-4-2 seating configuration for economy. Check-in was fast and smooth at both SIN and NRT airports. However, check-in counter staff at NRT had problems conversing in English. Flights were able to depart and arrive on time. Seats were rather cramped with barely sufficient leg space but still acceptable. Cabin attendants were attentive and respond to calls promptly. Unfortunately, their English proficiency was not up to standard and most of them spoke mostly in Japanese to even non-Japanese passengers. Also, despite being an international flight, all the announcements were made in Japanese before English. Food was palatable which comes in a main course, 2-3 side dishes and fruits. The drink menu was standard. IFE included variety of games, television shows, movies from various regions around the world but many of them were rather outdated. Other than the language proficiency of the staff, the overall experience was good.

Business class KUL to ORD via NRT. KUL to NRT was on old 767 with seats that could not lie flat at all. The IFE was new and had a good choice of programs. Service was good. NRT to ORD on new 777-300ER with almost lie-flat seats. IFE was older that 767 flight. Food was excellent. The Japanese menu was extensive. It is catered to those used to Japanese food and the American sitting next too me could not eat most of it. Service was good and flight smooth.

My wife and I flew from Nagoya to Taipei on JAL. The check-in, seating, food and service was very good. We think the food was better than even ANA which is our preferred airline on long haul flights. I plan to fly on JAL from Nagoya to New York next year.

Avoid the carrier and the 787 from Boston to Tokyo. It was so bad that I would rather change planes than take the direct from Boston to Tokyo and back. 1st flight canceled (mechanical issue on 787, no parts). Spent night in airport hotel (JAL picked up tab). 2nd attempt delayed (entertainment system failed to operate). Flight leaves two hours late. No entertainment system on 14 hour flight, no power for laptops/ipads, seats were without power for 1/2 of trip. Land in Tokyo and I'm offered $70 compensation on $7500 round trip. Flight from Tokyo to Boston delayed boarding due to "entertainment system issues". Keep in mind this is a brand new 787 and it didn't have lay flat seats in premier class. Nearly all premier passengers were saying they would not fly the airline again.

TPE-NRT, 14 Nov 2012. Wonderful experience. First time with JL and was impressed. The seat, although it only reclines, was very comfortable. In flight entertainment wasn't as good as CX. However both the on-board catering and cabin crews were fantastic. JL staff really managed to make me feel special and well looked after.

SYD-FUK via HND/NRT, JL772/771, B777-200ER, Domestic JL313, B777-200/JL3054, B737-800. FA were friendly and helpful. I also didn't expect much from the meal, but actually it was nice. FA's frequently walk around and offer drinks and snacks. Inflight entertainment was of course AVOD. Flights departed on time and arrived earlier than schedule. Friendly fare and service. I will take JAL again.

NRT to ICN. The service was good but the cabin was outdated. The food was not great- only Japanese meal available on my flight. The portion was not generous. The duty free selections were very limited on Tokyo-Seoul route. After meal, a small bottle of Japanese liquor was offered with one bag of rice snack and one bag of nuts. The flight attendants were very knowledgeable to introduce all kinds of liquors they had and kept having them coming if you wish. I ended up trying three different Japanese liquors (shochu, Sake and Umeshu). I enjoyed all of them. The service manger even wrote me a small note of how to make Japanese cocktail. In short, a good trip with good service but less competitive cabin product.

My wife and I travelled London to Sydney via Narita using JAL all the way travelling Premium economy. The most disappointing aspect of the JAL flights was the very poor food - options and quality. It was substandard relative to what is available elsewhere and for the price (either in terms of FFPoints or money) of a Premium economy flight . We were disappointed. Also, the in flight entertainment system gave very limited options for films. Having moved about Japan internally on occasions, the food and the film options were intended more for a Japanese customer base and not for a global community of travellers.

HKG NRT 767-300 in business class. Flight left and arrived on-time. The flight attendants were very attentive. The lunch served was very good. My wine was always topped off. The crew could not have been better. The IFE was excellent with a forward camera for take-off and landing. I had not flown JAL in a few years but was very impressed and will try them again.

Paris CDG - Tokyo HND. Everything went smooth from check-in to landing. The one-year old service from Paris to downtown-located Haneda airport is extremely convenient. Moreover, the new Int'l terminal at Haneda is state-of-the-art and very clean. The cabin was quite old but the service and the IFE were excellent. The system is very smooth and quick and offers plenty of contents. The food was great and the large choice of drinks was refreshing. No delay, great service, great product, friendly fares.

NRT to TPE on Thursday evening. Check in was smooth and quick at the JGC counter. The exclusive "Special Security Gate" was very convenient for Business Class and JGC passengers to pass the X-ray check. The Sakura Lounge was just outside the immigration-check counter, which is convenient. The dining service was very good in the lounge and the working environment was also very well. The flight was on time. Cabin attendants were really nice. The food and services were excellent. It was overall a very nice experience.

Nagasaki to Osaka with JAL my flight got cancelled (had to return to Nagasaki) due to tech problems. I needed this flight to catch a European connection next morning early from Osaka. In Nagasaki, the ground staff of JAL went out of its way to help me. Booked another flight for me with ANA from Fukuoka to Osaka Kansai early next morning, reserved a hotel for me in Fukuoka, arranged a taxi to bring me to Fukuoka airport, gave me money for dinner/breakfast. Things can go wrong with every carrier. But I have never seen a carrier solving a problem in such a superb way!

Flew JAL from Bangkok to Tokyo, on a 6-hour flight. Enough room for most people to have whole row to themselves. Pillows and blankets for everyone which were very good quality. Food was good, and they served green tea. In flight entertainment was AVOD which was nice.

SIN-HND and NRT-SIN. Aircraft for both flights were new 767s with MAGIC V entertainment and new Recaro seats. Both flights departed and arrived on time. Flight to Haneda was a night flight, so a little snack and drink was served before the lights were switched off for a good four hours. Breakfast was a Japanese-style omelette with rice and noodles (only one option), which I did not particularly enjoy. Staff were friendly and polite throughout. The flight from Narita to Singapore was a day flight, two snacks as well as a lunch were served. Service was fantastic on this flight as well and there were two options for lunch which were both quite tasty. Inflight entertainment was average, the large MAGIC V touch screen was great, however there was a limited number of movies and the music selection was poor compared with that on my connecting flight to Australia with Qantas. Despite some minor drawbacks, where this airline excelled was its customer service, which was excellent from beginning to end. Overall my experience with JL was great and I would have no hesitation with flying them again to and from Japan.

Traveled SFO-SIN with transit at HND. SFO-HND plane was a pretty old plane and full as well, in-flight entertainment was OK. Service was generally courteous and food was pretty decent. HND-SIN on a newer, more spacious plane with newer entertainment system but programme was exactly the same. It was an overnight flight and we were served breakfast a bit too early at just after 4am. Arrived half an hour ahead of time.

Initial leg HNL to TOK, B767. As a Sapphire Member in one world alliance, the check in process at HNL was very smooth, orderly and efficient. The Sakura Lounge was average, but allowed for a good working environment. Boarding was also no issue. Flight attendants were very pleasant, spoke fluent English and were available through out the flight. Numerous refreshments offered, including soup, tea, water and coffee. Meal service was very good. Hot, ample and tasty. AVOD system offered many options and the screen size acceptable. Aircraft was an older 767, but in good shape and comfortable. Second Leg TOK to PVG. Able to use the Sakura lounge in TOK. Very comfortable, good food service, as well as call brand refreshments. Boarding was again efficient and smooth. Food service quick and ample good tasting portions. Flight attendants were very nice and always available. Did not use the AVOD, as a nap was certainly needed. Overall a fine experience and would certainly recommend the carrier, except that they do not credit your account with 100% miles, unless one is paying full coach or better fare. That's a drawback.

I went on a domestic flight from OKA-HND. The flight was very comfortable. Since I was tourist in Japan I requested the air hostess to teach my daughter Japanese paper folding 'Origami' and she squatted down for 40 minutes and taught my daughter with a smile and in the end presented her with an ice-cream. The service was great for a domestic flight.

We experienced the cancellation of our flight Narita/DME. Sincere thanks exceptional service and support we received in the business lounge. The cancellation was annoying but unavoidable. Assistance and courteous support meant no hardship resulted and we arrived at our destination with gratitude.

777 SYD-NRT and 787 HND-PEK. Food was good but not fabulous on both legs, IFE was good but other carriers have a much broader selection. Where JAL truly stands out is customer service. From the moment the boarding pass is scanned at the gate to the exit onto the jetway, one gets the impression that these employees care about superior service. How refreshing after the take-it-or-leave-it attitude on most US- based carriers! 787 was a nice experience with the oversized windows which darken at the touch of a button, and the ride is slightly quieter than other aircraft's, but cannot see that the individual passenger experience is greatly improved. My only criticism of JAL is that the cabin is kept a little warmer than I would like, as others have commented - still, it wasn't bad enough to deter me from flying them again.

Vancouver-Tokyo-Bangkok. The service was outstanding, the food the same. The seats on these flights are outdated and have not been upgraded in years. Other airlines for the same price or lower provide better seats. It is a long trip and for the cost of a business class ticket better seats are expected and should be provided.

Still at Tokyo NRT Admirals club, waiting for connecting AA flight to Dallas. First leg New Delhi to Tokyo. In New Delhi, after priority boarding was over, everyone else was waiting when suddenly a Japanese official turned up and started moving a few people from the back of line and few late comers towards the priority entrance. He kept shouting – with no one understanding and shrugged others off. Awful inflight service, it seems as if staff are forced to serve passengers, they want to get it done as soon as possible and don't respond to calls. I saw calls from multiple passengers left unanswered. Most of the food was ok. Twice, they provided empty cup for tea/coffee as part of meal tray but my cup went empty both times. On the other hand, admiral club facility at NRT proved to be a great experience. Much better than those in Chicago. After today's experience, I would not travel JAL, unless I am forced to.

I had two flights - one from Beijing to Tokyo and a connecting flight from Tokyo to San Francisco. Both were excellent. Flight attendants were polite, helpful and made sure blankets and pillows were available. FA's responded quickly when I needed water for medication. Meal service was excellent with good food on both flights and real silverware. Seats were more comfortable than you usually find in economy. Overall, I was very pleased and will definitely fly them again.

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