JAPAN AIR 787 "DREAMLINER" REVIEW WITH NON-STOP SERVICE BOSTON TO NARITA, JAPAN
Oct 27th, 2013, 12:51 AM
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JAPAN AIR 787 "DREAMLINER" REVIEW WITH NON-STOP SERVICE BOSTON TO NARITA, JAPAN
Our over all rating is about 80%. There are some issues however.
The plane is very small with 200 or so seats only. Very attractive inside with a 2X4X2 seating arrangement in coach and only business class up front with partial lay flat seats.
The lighting is unique and changes from time to time but never gets fully dark for sleeping.
The flt averages 13 3/4 hours. The tv and entertainment pkg is good with large seat back screens. there is one UBS port and 2 others I did not recognize... there were about 10 movies on demand and plenty of games, although K reported the joy stick did not work well.
we were in seats 26 A&C, 5th row of coach. K was very comfortable in C, but I did not like A all that well. I had the entertainment box on my side taking away some foot room, but there was not a center support for the seats in front which was very nice.
Thw windows are a whole new concept: larger and no pull down shade. In place of the shade is an electronic dimmer/brightener which does not do total blackout. Added to this the A seat is right up tight to the bulkhead leaving no room for an elbow to hang over. But the thing i really did not like is that the window is no longer recessed. It has a plexiglass cover flush to the wall. Mine heated up to a fairly warm degree and stayed that way until the last 2 hours of the flt. This added to a warm cabin made it not that comfortable, plus the tv gives off a lot of heat.
The seat itself was comfortable enough however. i sit straight up so am not perhaps the best judge of the seat.
\
The bathrooms are huge, big enough for 2 people really.
The food was ok, a bit odd for westerners. Drink service, free booze, was offered about 45 minutes into the flt. take-off was 1300. lunch was served right afterwards. my tray was crowded: 4 3" square covered dishes: 3 shrimps and lettuce, delicious noodles with a bottle of noodle spice on the side, 3 fruits, and finally a small salad.
The main course was "hamburger" or fish---we choose fish---I think it was pork... i ate the rice only and the good sauce from the "fish"... real silverware---YEA!
Rock solid ice cream hoodsies were pased seperately---vanilla only... I held mine near the window for 10 minutes to soften it.
They served drinks again at least once.
Later, maybe 4 hrs, they served a large roll with a delicious custard creme inside...odd but good. drinks again i think.
3 hours before landing a rice and mushroom hot meal was served with drinks. there was fruit too and a 3" dish of a noodlie/veggie dish---i liked, K did not.
NOW, my main complaint... if you site on the A/C side of the plane, the light from the sun/moon is so bright it is difficult to totally relax/sleep. I think this might affect the mid rows too. As we were right over the wing, the sun/moon reflected heavily from the shiny wing too. BRING BACK THE SHADES...
I asked our friendly flt attendant how she liked this plane and she just shock her head.
Give me a 777 or 340/330 and i am happy.
The staff on japan both on the ground and in the air could not have been nicer or more attentive and they were very organized.
we would take this flt again as boston direct service is very much appreciated.
The plane is very small with 200 or so seats only. Very attractive inside with a 2X4X2 seating arrangement in coach and only business class up front with partial lay flat seats.
The lighting is unique and changes from time to time but never gets fully dark for sleeping.
The flt averages 13 3/4 hours. The tv and entertainment pkg is good with large seat back screens. there is one UBS port and 2 others I did not recognize... there were about 10 movies on demand and plenty of games, although K reported the joy stick did not work well.
we were in seats 26 A&C, 5th row of coach. K was very comfortable in C, but I did not like A all that well. I had the entertainment box on my side taking away some foot room, but there was not a center support for the seats in front which was very nice.
Thw windows are a whole new concept: larger and no pull down shade. In place of the shade is an electronic dimmer/brightener which does not do total blackout. Added to this the A seat is right up tight to the bulkhead leaving no room for an elbow to hang over. But the thing i really did not like is that the window is no longer recessed. It has a plexiglass cover flush to the wall. Mine heated up to a fairly warm degree and stayed that way until the last 2 hours of the flt. This added to a warm cabin made it not that comfortable, plus the tv gives off a lot of heat.
The seat itself was comfortable enough however. i sit straight up so am not perhaps the best judge of the seat.
\
The bathrooms are huge, big enough for 2 people really.
The food was ok, a bit odd for westerners. Drink service, free booze, was offered about 45 minutes into the flt. take-off was 1300. lunch was served right afterwards. my tray was crowded: 4 3" square covered dishes: 3 shrimps and lettuce, delicious noodles with a bottle of noodle spice on the side, 3 fruits, and finally a small salad.
The main course was "hamburger" or fish---we choose fish---I think it was pork... i ate the rice only and the good sauce from the "fish"... real silverware---YEA!
Rock solid ice cream hoodsies were pased seperately---vanilla only... I held mine near the window for 10 minutes to soften it.
They served drinks again at least once.
Later, maybe 4 hrs, they served a large roll with a delicious custard creme inside...odd but good. drinks again i think.
3 hours before landing a rice and mushroom hot meal was served with drinks. there was fruit too and a 3" dish of a noodlie/veggie dish---i liked, K did not.
NOW, my main complaint... if you site on the A/C side of the plane, the light from the sun/moon is so bright it is difficult to totally relax/sleep. I think this might affect the mid rows too. As we were right over the wing, the sun/moon reflected heavily from the shiny wing too. BRING BACK THE SHADES...
I asked our friendly flt attendant how she liked this plane and she just shock her head.
Give me a 777 or 340/330 and i am happy.
The staff on japan both on the ground and in the air could not have been nicer or more attentive and they were very organized.
we would take this flt again as boston direct service is very much appreciated.
Oct 27th, 2013, 01:12 AM
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K adds that she thought the flt was very quiet...
The overhead bins are very large. We noticed that the japanese carry very little onto the plane too. our flt was perhaps 95% japanese.
The pilot never spoke to us once--odd.
flt was smooth with some minor turbalance... we flew NW from Bos over Montreal, across Northern Canada, north of fairbanks, alaska, down the coast of russia and the coast of japan.
narita was very quiet, perhaps because of the 2 typhoons off the coast of japan... Immigration was quick too.
We took the bus limo into Tokyo which took 1.5 hrs (5PM) and cost $30 each. Great attentive, organized service as well. Sales counter right out side customs and p/u right outside the door adajacent to the counter.
Our narita gate was very close to immigration too. luggage was on the carosel when we got there.
My main suggestion is to sit on the G/K side of the plane.
The overhead bins are very large. We noticed that the japanese carry very little onto the plane too. our flt was perhaps 95% japanese.
The pilot never spoke to us once--odd.
flt was smooth with some minor turbalance... we flew NW from Bos over Montreal, across Northern Canada, north of fairbanks, alaska, down the coast of russia and the coast of japan.
narita was very quiet, perhaps because of the 2 typhoons off the coast of japan... Immigration was quick too.
We took the bus limo into Tokyo which took 1.5 hrs (5PM) and cost $30 each. Great attentive, organized service as well. Sales counter right out side customs and p/u right outside the door adajacent to the counter.
Our narita gate was very close to immigration too. luggage was on the carosel when we got there.
My main suggestion is to sit on the G/K side of the plane.
Oct 27th, 2013, 04:52 AM
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Good point about losing the space from where the window shade would be on other a/c.
Cabins do seem to be kept warmer on Japanese airlines than on many others. I usually down to a T-shirt on them.
In business class seats are among the least comfortable ones out there -- no excuse for 10- or 15-year old seating technology on a new aircraft. But the food is excellent in business. For the first meal, you have a choice of Japanese kaiseki or two Western mains. After that, it's all a la carte -- have what you want, when you want it, from a surprisingly large menu.
By far, the biggest plus of this JAL flight is being able to fly non-stop, which means you don't have to get up at a ridiculous hour and you still arrive in the mid- to late afternoon.
Cabins do seem to be kept warmer on Japanese airlines than on many others. I usually down to a T-shirt on them.
In business class seats are among the least comfortable ones out there -- no excuse for 10- or 15-year old seating technology on a new aircraft. But the food is excellent in business. For the first meal, you have a choice of Japanese kaiseki or two Western mains. After that, it's all a la carte -- have what you want, when you want it, from a surprisingly large menu.
By far, the biggest plus of this JAL flight is being able to fly non-stop, which means you don't have to get up at a ridiculous hour and you still arrive in the mid- to late afternoon.
Oct 27th, 2013, 05:02 AM
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Thank you for the specific detail. I'm booked on this flight in March. I'll revisit my seating choices with your gracious advice in mind. (I've read that a tiny, USB powerered fan is very handy in this cabin.) Have a great trip.
Oct 27th, 2013, 06:07 AM
#6
After Japan Airlines got my checked bag soaking wet on my last trip to Asia I made a note to avoid them in future. Plus there were the seats in business class that did not go flat, and the pathetic excuse for breakfast.
I wlll also make a note to avoid the 787 - too bright, too hot, less foot room, less elbow room - sounds awful. Thanks for the warning!
I wlll also make a note to avoid the 787 - too bright, too hot, less foot room, less elbow room - sounds awful. Thanks for the warning!
Oct 27th, 2013, 07:46 AM
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Also, the business class seat issues seem to be particular to the Japanese airlines. I could have flown ANA for this upcoming trip, but the reviews of their seats in BIz are awful. We opted for United in First instead.
Oct 27th, 2013, 08:21 AM
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Learned this many years ago: sit on the starboard side traveling east to west and sit on the port side (door side) when traveling west to east. The sun is on the south side of the plane when traveling E/W, so sit on the opposite side.
Oct 27th, 2013, 10:02 AM
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ANA Biz seats are awful? They rank as the biz class experience I've ever had -- and that includes Singapore Airlines.
Kathie, are you talking about their 'old' biz seats (the angled lie flat ones)? The new fully-flat seats, in combination with their stellar service, is one of the highlights of my time in the skies.
Kathie, are you talking about their 'old' biz seats (the angled lie flat ones)? The new fully-flat seats, in combination with their stellar service, is one of the highlights of my time in the skies.
Oct 27th, 2013, 01:49 PM
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I totally agree about the lighting issues on the 787. I flew United from LAX to NRT last week, up front, row one seat D to be exact. It never really got dark. One Japanese customer had the FA put a couple of cloth napkins over the window he was sitting NEAR (not NEXT to). Hmmm I wonder how the person in the window seat felt about that!!!
Oct 29th, 2013, 08:11 AM
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Bob and Karen had a more comfortable flight on the JAL 787 than if they had flown on United's 787.
In economy, JAL has 8 seats across, and United has 9 seats across. (One more reason, as if anyone needed one, not to fly on United.)
In economy, JAL has 8 seats across, and United has 9 seats across. (One more reason, as if anyone needed one, not to fly on United.)
