Written by JALPak @ JAL Flyer
You want to experience the international Japan Airlines (JAL) Sakura Lounge, but cannot afford a ticket in the premium cabin and don’t fly enough to qualify for status? Here’s your chance. JAL finally starts offering paid lounge service to passen…
Author: JALPak
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New First Class Amenity Kits by Porsche Design
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| New JAL First Class amenity kits by Porsche Design. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Japan Airlines will roll out brand new First Class amenity kits by Porsche Design from March 28 2017. The new kits will come in 2 different colors with red one being offered on outbound flights with the grey one being offered on inbound ones.
The new kits will be available on all JAL international First Class flights, which includes routes between Tokyo and Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Paris. JAL has added hand & body cream together with facial spray from Porsche Design to the amenity kit contents. Currently cosmetic products from Shiseido and Clé de Peau Beauté are offered separately for male and female passengers respectively. JAL will continue to offer them with these new amenity kits.
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| Special Porsche Design pajamas. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Other than the new amenity kits, JAL will also provide a special pajamas by Porsche Design to its First Class customers for the first 3 months.
Source: JAL Press Release (Japanese, English)
Read MoreJAL may resume Tokyo – Dallas route in the near future
JAL to enhance lounge service at Kansai and Aomori airports
JAL to collaborate with MOS BURGER for the 5th time
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| AIR MOS BURGER★JAL SPECIAL. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Japan Airlines (JAL) will once again collaborate with Japanese burger chain MOS BURGER in its latest installment of the popular AIR SERIES, a special Economy Class and Premium Economy inflight meal which JAL collaborate with well-know restaurants and food chains. This will mark the 5th collaborate with MOS BURGER and JAL says this should be the most popular and classic hamburger since MOS BURGER was founded!
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| AIR MOS BURGER★JAL SPECIAL. Image by Japan Airlines. |
So what so special about this AIR MOS BURGER★JAL SPECIAL burger? According to JAL, the meat sauce alone is a result of hundreds of trial and errors. It has to find a way to pack the sauce for inflight serving and maintain the distinctive spiciness of this chicken and pork bone based tomato sauce made with red wine. On top of the tomatoes and diced onion are the same high quality ones used in MOS BURGER stores produced by its farmers who minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers. According to JAL, the acidity of the tomato and crunchiness of the onions are a complete harmony with the spicy meat sauce.
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| AIR MOS BURGER★JAL SPECIAL eating instructions. Image by Japan Airlines. |
And of course, it won’t be an AIR SERIES dish without the JAL original packaging and fun eating instructions. As indicated above, you will be able to make your own burger the way you like it! First you open the wrapping and remove the separates between the buns and meat patty. Then you can add the mayo and onion as you like. After that is the meat sauce. Finally put the tomato on top and you are done!
This AIR MOS BURGER★JAL SPECIAL will be available as the second meal in Economy and Premium Economy classes on select long-haul flights departing from Japan between March 1 and August 31 2015. So this is a longer 6 months cycle compared to the previous installments which usually last for 3 months only. And for the first time, JAL will introduce this on flights to Canada and Australia! Below are the complete list of eligible flights.
From March 1 2015
From Tokyo Narita to Los Angles (JL062), San Diego (JL066), Chicago (JL010), Boston (JL008), New York JFK (JL004, JL006), Frankfurt (JL407), Paris CDG (JL415), Helsinki (JL413), and Sydney (JL771)
From Tokyo Haneda to London Heathrow (JL043), Paris CDG (JL045)
From March 20 2015
From Osaka Kansai to Los Angles (JL060)
From June 1 2015
From Tokyo Narita to Vancouver (JL018)
A bit strange that Vancouver won’t get this until June. Let the speculation begin 😛
For more details, you can refer to JAL press release (Japanese, English)
Read MoreJAL to enhance inflight entertainment system from April 2015
Japan Airlines (JAL) will finally expand its inflight entertainment (IFE) offerings dubbed JAL Mooove! from April 2015.On top of the already announced JAL SKY Wi-Fi service expansion, JAL will add more hollywood and Japanese movies and dramas on its international flights equipped with the latest MAGIC-V and MAGIC-VI systems. On domestic flights, JAL will also expand its Wi-Fi video service to offer up to 10 video streaming programs from April 2015. This is most likely a response to the recent IFE enhancement announced by All Nippon Airways (ANA).
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| April 2015 video programs on JAL international flights. Image by Japan Airlines. |
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| March 2015 video programs on JAL international flights. Image by Japan Airlines. |
So exactly how much more contents we can expect? Unlike ANA’s announcement, JAL did not provide concrete numbers in this announcement. But below are the breakdowns of video contents for March and April 2015.
Below are the numbers for March 2015
– 38 movies (20 English, 13 Japanese, 2 Chinese, 2 Korean, 1 Hindi)
– 22 videos/episodes of TV dramas (3 English, 18 Japanese, 1 Chinese)
Compared to April 2015
– 44 movies (28 English, 11 Japanese, 2 Chinese, 2 Korean, 1 Hindi)
– 37 videos/episodes of TV dramas (8 English, 29 Japanese)
So the upgrade isn’t such big one unless you are into Japanese dramas (without subtitles?). In fact, even in the press release, JAL only emphasizes RYOMADEN — The Legend: Summarized”, a NHK Taiga drama (Japanese history drama) and all 2013 episodes of “Doctor-X”, TV Asahi popular drama as the new additions. Also I assume JAL will continue to provide 50 audio channels as there’s no announcement on such enhancement. And SKY MANGA will continue to be offered on 787s only.
So how does this compared to the enhanced IFE on ANA? ANA’s enhanced system has
– 52 movie channels
– 142 video channels
– 148 audio channels
And ANA offers contents in 13 languages! So this is a nice enhancement but hardly the answer to ANA’s much better IFE system. The enhancement is still gear towards Japanese passengers. JAL will continue to only offer a single episode of Western TV dramas as oppose to an entire season of the show. Not sure if this is a limitation of the Thales entertainment system JAL has on its plane but there are quite a bit of catching up JAL has to do if it wants to compete with ANA on its IFE offering. OK its JAL SKY Wi-Fi is much better but not everyone wants to pay for those Wi-Fi!
For more info, you can refer to JAL press release (Japanese, English)
Read MoreExpansion of JAL SKY Wi-Fi service from March 3 2015
JAL further enhances Business Class meal service from March 1 2014
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| JAL First Class menu designed by Chef Naoki Uchiyama: US Prime Beef Fillet with Black Truffle Sauce. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Japan Airlines (JAL) first rolled out the exclusive restaurant in the sky dubbed “JAL BEDD SKY AUBERGE” back in January 2013 to offer high quality inflight meals on flights to various destinations. From March 1 2015, JAL will further enhance its JAL BEDD SKY AUBERGE dining experience for those traveling from Los Angeles and Chicago, and those traveling on red-eye flights.
Enhanced Western Menu from on Flights Departing from Chicago and Los Angeles
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| JAL Spring 2015 First Class menu from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Chef Naoki Uchiyama, a former head chef at top US restaurants and hotels, has been in charge of the inflight menus departing from New York JFK since September 2014. JAL will expand this popular menu by Chef Uchiyama to flights departing from Chicago and Los Angeles from March 1 2015.
The First Class menu will feature US Prime Beef Fillet with Black Truffle Sauce, Veal Tenderloin with Sea Urchin Wasabi Compound Butter, and Chilean Sea-bass with Saffron Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis as the main dishes.
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| JAL Business Class menu designed by Chef Naoki Uchiyama: Corn Fed US Prime Beef with Madeira Sauce. Image by Japan Airlines. |
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| JAL Business Class menu designed by Chef Naoki Uchiyama: Sautéed Chilean Sea-bass & Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi with Green Pea Sauce. Image by Japan Airlines. |
In Business Class, Chef Naoki Uchiyama’s menu will feature Corn Fed US Prime Beef with Madeira Sauce and Sautéed Chilean Sea-bass & Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi with Green Pea Sauce as main dish choices. Note that the press release mistakenly labeled the sea-bass as the sea-bass from First Class (but still lists it as a Business Class dish). Below is the Western menu offered this Spring.
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| JAL Spring 2015 Business Class menu from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Smoothie on Red-Eye Flights
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| JAL will offer froosh smoothie on red-eye flights. Image by Japan Airlines. |
Business Passengers on red-eye flights will be able to wake up with a healthy and refreshing smoothie from froosh. Froosh is the No.1 smoothie in Northern Europe and is made from 100% fruit juice without sugar, preservatives, additives, or artificial coloring materials.
Froosh will be offered in Business Class on flights from Tokyo Haneda to San Francisco (JL002), Honolulu (JL080), Ho Chi Minh City (JL079), Bangkok (JL033), Singapore (JL035), and flight from San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda (JL001) and flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo Haneda (JL070).
Annual Japanese Sake Refresh
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| Japanese Sake offered in JAL First Class. Image by Japan Airlines. |
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| Japanese Sake offered in JAL Business Class. Image by Japan Airlines. |
As usual, JAL will announce its full year Japanese sake line up around this time. JAL has once again selected a fine list of sakes to be served on its international First and Business classes including some rare high-profile brands that are hard to get. Below is the sake list for First and Business Class for March 2015 till February 2016.
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| JAL Sake list for March 2015 – February 2016. Image by Japan Airlines. |