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This Japan Airlines Business Class Review on the 777-300ER from Tokyo HND to New York JFK is from a site inspection trip to Japan earlier this spring. Hoping to visit Japan after the Japan Travel Ban is lifted? See our posts tagged Japan.
Prior to boarding, we had access to the JAL Sakura Lounge Skyview at Tokyo Haneda Airport.
On board, after settling in, I was offered a choice of orange juice or champagne. I chose orange juice, since it was still late morning.
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We pushed back from the gate on time, and took off in beautifully clear skies.
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JAL Business Class Sky Suite Cabin on the 777-300ER and Seat Selection
Japan Airlines' Business Cabin on the 777-300ER consists of 49 open suites across 7 rows in a 2-3-2 seat configuration. Row 5 is a mini cabin right behind JAL First Class, while the other 6 rows, rows 7-12, are separated from row 5 by galleys and lavatories.
We highly recommend selecting a window seat, because these are incredibly private due to the narrow egress to access the space, and the slightly staggered location of the neighboring seat, as well as the high privacy divider. Plus, window seats have 3 windows–just don't select 11A or 11K, as these window seats are missing a window.
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More typically a window seat will have three windows:
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JAL Business Class Sky Suite Seat, 777-300ER
Each JAL Business Class Sky Suite seat is 25.5 inches wide, upholstered in maroon, and comfortable even in the take-off position. Each seat had a menu, pillow, blanket, headset, slippers and headphones on it.
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The seat controls allow a full range of recline, down to a 74 inch long flat bed.
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The power outlet is just below the armrest, within easy reach, even if not quite as convenient as the shoulder height position found on Cathay Pacific Business Class, EVA Business Class, Air France Business Class, etc.
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JAL Business Class Sky Suites also have some of the largest IFE screens, at 23 inches, helpful as there's quite a distance between the seat and the screen.
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JAL Sky Suite Menu and Dining, Tokyo HND to New York JFK
JAL doesn't offer meal pre-order, but the menu has both Japanese and Western options. Both are very solid, although personally I prefer to order the Japanese option, at least for the main meal. For champagne on our flight, JAL served Delamotte Blanc de Blancs.
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We were offered pre-meal drinks; I chose some refreshing cold tea for mine, which was served with pre-meal snacks of mixed nuts and olives.
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I usually enjoy the appetizers for JAL's Japanese meals as much or more than the main course, and this was true for this flight as well. Favorites were the miso black cod, sea urchin, and prawn cake. The red crane makes a very cute chopstick rest.
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The main course was actually a trio of tastes: braised beef with chrysanthemum, curry, and salmon. These were served with rice, Japanese pickles, and miso soup. All very straightforward and perfectly fine, if not memorable.
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For my pre-arrival light meal, I chose the Western option, which was beautifully plated and included a maitake barley salad, hummus, asparagus, warm bread rolls courtesy of Maison Kayser, and fromage blanc with strawberry and granola. I added a portion of yogurt with cherry compote. Everything was as delicious as it looked.
Here's our Japan Airlines Business Class Sky Suite 777 YouTube Video Review:
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JAL Business Class Cardigan, Slippers, Amenity Kit
JAL Business Class doesn't provide pajamas, but on our flight did offer a cardigan as lounge wear, as well as grey slippers and a quite basic Maison Kitsune amenity kit with a toothbrush, sleep mask, ear plugs, lip balm and tissues.
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JAL Business Class Sky Suite Flat Bed
JAL's Business Class Sky Suite flat bed, at least for window seats, remains our favorite business class bed, thanks to three factors. First, even though the suite doesn't have closing doors, the narrow entrance to the window seats and high privacy dividers essentially makes it as private as Qatar Qsuites Business Class. Second, the bed offers an airweave mattress pad that is thicker than any other business class product (most airlines' business class seats don't even come with a mattress pad, which is usually reserved for first class). Third, because of the design, the footwell area offers more room and isn't annoyingly cramped the way it is with most reverse herringbone seats.
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The Verdict
JAL Business Class Sky Suite is currently our favorite business class airline product, if we're in a window seat. Although these are open suites, the window seats are essentially closed suites as there's such a narrow access path to the seat. We also love the bed, both because there's an airweave mattress pad provided that makes the flat bed more comfortable than other business class beds (most of which don't even provide a mattress pad) and because the design offers ample room for legs and feet, unlike the cramped footwell found with reverse herringbone seat designs.
While JAL doesn't offer meal pre-order as Singapore Business Class and some other business class products do, both Japanese and Western meals are very good for business class, especially the Japanese appetizers (my appetizers featured miso black cod and sea urchin with abalone, among others). Bread, courtesy of Maison Kayser, is exceptional. And service was always prompt and courteous.
If you've flown JAL Business Class, what was your experience?
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