Ted Thornhill, Mailonline travel editor
07:54 30 July 2024, updated 09:20 30 July 2024
- Video review courtesy of travel site The Points Guy
- Japan Airlines finished sixth in this year’s Skytrax “Oscars of Aviation” awards.
- So it’s no surprise that a globetrotter is impressed by many things
- However, there are a few snags…
- READ MORE: Eurostar versus two planes in the London to Paris race
Four travel experts, four cabins, one plane.
Welcome to a review video from travel site The Points Guy of each type of seat on the Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000.
The quartet of flyers gathered at Tokyo Haneda before dispersing into Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class and First Class on the JAL to New York JFK flight.
Japan Airlines came sixth in this year’s Skytrax ‘Oscars of Aviation’, so it’s no surprise that the globetrotter has plenty of things to impress, including headrest speakers and epic flat beds.
However, there are a few hiccups – with a complaint of slow service in one of the cabins. Read the full verdict. What do you think of Japan Airlines? Vote in our poll…
ECONOMY. TPG PAID: £701 ($901)
Economy class was put to the test by senior editor Ben Smithson.
He told MailOnline Travel that “legroom and overall seat comfort were excellent for a regular economy class seat” and that he “arrived in New York feeling fresher than expected”.
He continued: “There was a big, crisp in-flight entertainment screen with handy modern tech features such as USB charging from the screen and bluetooth connectivity to connect your own wireless headphones.
“The lavatory was the largest I have ever seen in economy class and there was plenty of room to change inside.
And the cons? A little.
Ben said: “The in-flight entertainment screen kept freezing when selecting the moving map and the crew had to be called to manually reset it, which was frustrating for a brand new aircraft.
“There were also limited non-Japanese movie options and the food options were unusual unless you have an adventurous palate.”
PREMIUM ECONOMY. TPG PAID £1,878 ($2,415)
Premium economy was tested by video producer Lauren McCay.
What were the ups and downs?
MailOnline said: “The premium economy seat was well thought out. Very customer friendly in that it had plenty of pockets and compartments along with good use of tech options like USB and USB-C chargers.
“The seat was comfortable and reclining was easy.”
And the food? ‘Delicious.’
Any cons? Japan Airlines was found to be lacking in the service department here.
Lauren said: “The service, although friendly and helpful, was a bit slow and not as attentive as you’d expect in premium economy.”
BUSINESS CLASS. PAID TPG: £2,896 / $3,724
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Liam Spencer, senior marketing manager, boarded and turned left – to try out Japan Airlines business class.
And he was full of the highest praise for the cabin – even declaring that it might just be the best business class on the planet.
He gushed: ‘JAL’s new business class product rivals Qatar Airways’ QSuite for best in the skies. With a deep suite and sliding doors, there was a ton of privacy, unbeatable comfort and an elegant wardrobe. My experience was even better when the seat turned into a fully flat bed.”
Any other positives? Indeed.
Liam continued: “My suite was full of innovation and advanced technology. In particular, I was able to play the sound of the in-flight entertainment through the speakers in the headrest – something I have never seen before on an airplane.”
Liam also praised the food.
He added: “Dining on demand helped my experience feel more like first class than business. The food was fresh and immediately gave me a taste of Japanese culture. I would highly recommend the pork chop sandwich.”
And the downsides of a potential world beater? Nightwear, it turned out.
Liam said: “The pajamas supplied were extremely thick, hooded and basically looked like a towel dress. After a few minutes of wearing it, the cabin was too hot.’
FIRST CLASS. PAID TPG: £5,871 / $7,550
Nicky Kelvin, Editor at-Large, settled into first class.
There were no downsides to the experience, he told MailOnline, just a long list of positives for the cabin, which he sums up in the video as “spectacular”.
He said: The new first class of “Japan Airlines” has one of the widest seats and beds in the sky. With a thick mattress and luxurious bedding, I was able to have the kind of sleep usually reserved for beds on the floor.”
The travel guru continued, “The suite’s high walls and doors made the space incredibly quiet and private.”
And we suppose dining is tempting.
Nicky confirmed: “The food and drink offering is incredibly top notch and a true Japanese experience and event in itself. I loved the rich dining experience, but actually the ‘snacks’ later in the flight, like curry katsu, were delicious.”
For more from The Points Guy visit thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. To see the full video, click here.