JAL First Class to San Francisco
Japan Airlines First Class Toyko to San Francisco
My wonderful day with Thai ended abruptly as I deplaned. Unlike pre-Covid, there was no Thai First Class escort to security (since Thailand is not a clean country according to Japan) and to the bus gate.
The long, long, long walk to International Transfer security,
What a mess. Hundreds of connecting passengers in queue.
And this is the Priority Lane. LOL.
Some 45 minutes after deplaning my Thai flight, I'm at the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge, the 2nd worst First Class Lounge in the world after the Star Alliance LAX First Class Lounge.
Naturally, the best part of the lounge is CLOSED, just like the damn country.
Upstairs in the part that is open, crappy worn out instituational seating. This is not even a good Business Class Lounge. And indeed, that is what it is and most of the folks here are not flying First Class but gain access due to One World's ridiculous let-even-middle-tier-elites in policy.
And crap food options.
At around T-50, I headed to the gate. Not that this was any better. NRT gates are narrow, poorly designed and today loaded with gate lice.
Simply chaotic boarding as no JAL employees seemed to know what they were doing.
First Class get their own jetbridge at least for a while... until JAL decided to close 2L early and funnel half the plane thru First Class. Sheesh.
Nice cabin... pics from earlier in the week.
Pre departure beverages were offered. When I asked for and inquired about a glass of champagne, our flight attendant admitted that it wasn't the good champagne. She poured the changpange in the galley and delivered it passengers. I guess I was only one that inquired what we were being served and she went to retrieve the bottle. Delamotte is just OK, but I was glad they served it on the ground because no wanted any more champagne in the air. LOL.
In the air, an amazing $600 bottle of Salon 2007 Le Mesnil but sadly JAL only loads one bottle per flight. Really?? I drank it quickly in hopes that I could get at least one more glass. That's when our flight attendant told me that I was only one drinking champagne today. OMG - what a treat!
Showtime, JAL First Class style.
And today's menu...
I went with Japanese again today, knowing that ex-Tokyo would be pretty darn good.
I happily finished the entire bottle of Salon... and then moved on to the Japanese Whisky of the Day. Wow, the wonderful Hibiki Blender's Choice.
The Hibiki was a nice nightcap and I moved up to 1A and slept for four hours.
About 90 minutes from San Francisco, my morning snack.
Deep fried Junwakei Chicken over Rice. Delicious.
And delicious Jean-Paul Hévin macarons.
SFO in the distance as we prepare to turn around and land.
Once on board and once the door was closed, it was another marvelous JAL First Class flight. Flawless service from a lovely cabin crew.
More Instagram vidoes of my day...