FRI-18-DEC-2015
Departed on AA 1067 DFW-SJC (San Jose, CA) and then ground transport to SFO. What is sad is I booked four first class tickets in May 2015 and my US airline would not give first class DFW to SFO, they said the seats are not opened up and to keep calling back. So they booked me four coach seats to SJC with me figuring out how to get to SFO. I must have called 45 times since May checking if any first class seats opened up DFW - SJC or DFW - SFO and was told each time, sorry. Then I got on the flight and saw they had upgraded 5 people on the DFW - SJC flight. I was the one who paid for first class but I was not given what I paid for. That doesn't bode well for loyalty. But I paid for it. It is not like I was hoping for a free upgrade. I paid for it.
I guess it was a good thing we are not flying directly into SFO but into SJC, this does not look good. This is as of 1:30 PM CST and our flight leaves Dallas in 4 hours.
So we landed and met friends and chatted then took a uber to SFO. It only took 45 min and it was drizzling. The first rain they have had in months.
There are only 8 seats in first class and we have 4 of them. The other 4 people are standing in line in front of us. But then 4 people came and stood behind us. Where are they going to sit? Did they give our seats away? I am worried. What is going on.
The line for economy is very long. Hence the value of status. That is why I work so hard to maintain status.
Turns out the US passport system went down and everything is at a standstill until it comes back up.
30 min later, system came back up.
Interesting pattern began to emerge. The desk agent finished with passenger 1. Stood up. Walked around the counter and stood next to the passenger and went over the boarding pass etc. Passenger went off.
Agent then came to next passenger in line. Bowed down. Said hello in English and in Japanese. Bowed down. Extended arms and pointed to the counter and said please, come this way. We walked to the counter. Agent ran behind counter and sat down and extended both hands and grasped our passports and said thank you in English and Japanese and bowed twice and had a smile. A genuine smile.
When all done, he walked around the counter and stood next to us and went over the boarding pass, how to get to security, how to get to the lounge, etc.
He wasn't done. He then asked what carry-on did we have. He then took out special red first-class bag tags and another agent rushed over and helped him to hand-write our last name, flight number and seat number. I did not realize the significance of that, but I will shortly find out. We did not have any checked bags.
Interesting pattern began to emerge. The desk agent finished with passenger 1. Stood up. Walked around the counter and stood next to the passenger and went over the boarding pass etc. Passenger went off.
Agent then came to next passenger in line. Bowed down. Said hello in English and in Japanese. Bowed down. Extended arms and pointed to the counter and said please, come this way. We walked to the counter. Agent ran behind counter and sat down and extended both hands and grasped our passports and said thank you in English and Japanese and bowed twice and had a smile. A genuine smile.
When all done, he walked around the counter and stood next to us and went over the boarding pass, how to get to security, how to get to the lounge, etc.
Welcome to Asian service.
He wasn't done. He then asked what carry-on did we have. He then took out special red first-class bag tags and another agent rushed over and helped him to hand-write our last name, flight number and seat number. I did not realize the significance of that, but I will shortly find out. We did not have any checked bags.
So we got our boarding cards and they said first class so that means no one else got our seats. Sigh of relief. Phew. Don't know where the other 4 people (who were standing in line behind us) will sit. Very strange. It turns out, none of those men standing in line with us (in front of us or behind us) were in first class. There were two Japanese men and one American couple from Atlanta heading to Bangkok who actually sat in first class.
We headed towards security and it was 9:55 PM and noticed a long line. Where is TSAPre? We saw it was roped off. Why is TSAPre closed? Makes no sense. Long lines. We were able to get into the priority line but it was all a zoo.
The lounge is small. Really no food. Packed. Those items in black is salmon in the middle of rice and wrapped with seaweed. To the left are white bread sandwiches with egg.
They had 4 seats in a corner for us with our name on it and it said reserved. At check-in they must have called ahead or flagged us because she bowed and said you are first class.
They had 4 seats in a corner for us with our name on it and it said reserved. At check-in they must have called ahead or flagged us because she bowed and said you are first class.
Almost all seats taken.
Not impressed with this lounge.
SAT-19-DEC
Japan Airlines JL 1 SFO (San Fran) to Haneda Airport (HND) departing at 12:35AM
This is a 777-300 ER (extended range) and it has only two rows of first class and we have four of those eight seats.
There is JAL. The tail has the JAL logo and it says OneWorld. JAL goes out of its way to talk about OneWorld in announcements and in other ways.
Notice the curtains.
These are heavy curtains and they keep the noise out from the galley in front of us. Also, right behind our row 2, is another set of curtains with a sign to the business class folks that their bathroom is behind them and not to pass through this curtain.
Upon approach, the curtains were pulled back but as soon as we landed, the curtains were drawn again and a flight attendant stood guard at each curtain and an announcement was made that the forward cabin would deplane first and to please respect and be patient.
So we eight people were able to get our stuff out and do it calmly without people behind us staring at us, and then when we were all ready, then we left first, then the curtains were opened, then business class exited, then the other curtains were opened and the others exited.
The seats were amazing. They became full beds. Dilemma is to eat multiple meals that will be served during the flight or watch movies on the huge screen or to sleep or to look out the windows.
Here is a really cool link of the suites
This is row 2. Business class is right behind me. There are two seats in business class in the width that I have for my seat. In coach, there are three seats in the width I have to myself.
Look at the curtains behind us, they are thick and the business class can't see what we do or don't do. Very private two row cabin for us.
We were each provided pajamas. It is not like they have 8 in their hand and walk through and say here, then go to the next person and say here, and so on. It is one at a time. One pajama handed to you with a smile with two hands and a bow. They go back behind the curtain. Get another pajama. Come back to next person and smile and hand pajama with two hands and bow. And so on to each of the eight people.
Is that unbelievable?
She and the others came by probably 15 times BEFORE the plane took off. At boarding, she insisted on taking our bags and carried - not rolled - carried our bags to our seats and placed them under the ottoman or in the bin overhead.
And so many gifts. The menu in a leather binder. Newspapers. Headphones. Pajamas. Then escorted each of us personally to one of the two private bathrooms in the front of the plane. And opened the door and held it open and then closed it. When I opened the door, she was standing there and stretched out her hands and took my clothes and hung each one on a hanger and labeled it with my seat number (she had my seat number memorized). Then she went to the next passenger and did the same exact thing. Completely personalized.
Welcome to Asian service.
The slippers and shoe horn are in this bag. Note attention to detail. It is sealed with a foil.
Every single flight attendant had a smile when they interacted with us. Every single interaction. Never sat down. Never read a book. Never played on their electronic device. Always in the kitchen doing something or coming down the aisle to see how we are doing or if we are awake, asking (not intruding) if we need anything.
I was thirsty and pushed the call button and within 7 seconds she appeared. Later my <> needed something, I said watch this. I said press this and count to 10 and let's see how long it takes her to come. She pressed it and she appeared by the time we counted to 3.
She first brought these two drinks and hot towel to my <>. I was observing, hmm, why is there only one hot towel? Then my <> took one glass and the hot towel and I thought, what about me. The FA disappeared. She reappeared with two new glasses and a new hot towel, this time just for me. So then I started to to understand Asian service.
And so many gifts. The menu in a leather binder. Newspapers. Headphones. Pajamas. Then escorted each of us personally to one of the two private bathrooms in the front of the plane. And opened the door and held it open and then closed it. When I opened the door, she was standing there and stretched out her hands and took my clothes and hung each one on a hanger and labeled it with my seat number (she had my seat number memorized). Then she went to the next passenger and did the same exact thing. Completely personalized.
Welcome to Asian service.
The slippers and shoe horn are in this bag. Note attention to detail. It is sealed with a foil.
Every single flight attendant had a smile when they interacted with us. Every single interaction. Never sat down. Never read a book. Never played on their electronic device. Always in the kitchen doing something or coming down the aisle to see how we are doing or if we are awake, asking (not intruding) if we need anything.
I was thirsty and pushed the call button and within 7 seconds she appeared. Later my <> needed something, I said watch this. I said press this and count to 10 and let's see how long it takes her to come. She pressed it and she appeared by the time we counted to 3.
She first brought these two drinks and hot towel to my <>. I was observing, hmm, why is there only one hot towel? Then my <> took one glass and the hot towel and I thought, what about me. The FA disappeared. She reappeared with two new glasses and a new hot towel, this time just for me. So then I started to to understand Asian service.
This was our planned route but it was adjusted based on winds.
Here is a gift the women in first class received. This was hand delivered (with two hands) to the first woman with a smile and bow. Then the FA went back behind the curtain and picked up the second one. Hand delivered with a smile and a bow. Went back, got another one and then delivered to third woman with a smile and a bow. See the pattern? Not three in her hand, pass one out to woman 1, then go to woman 2 and hand it out and woman 3 and hand it out. Completely personal.
All eight of us received a lovely amenity kit. Again, each one personally delivered with a smile and a bow.
The bathroom was fully equipped with toothbrushes as well. There were no paper towels. There there cloth towels that you used and then threw away.
The faucet is touch-less. That is my pj on the right.
Toothbrushes and holiday napkins to liven up the bathroom
We were not handed a menu or forms. They are placed in a leather folder with menus and customs forms, dinner and wine list.
She came and delivered this to person 1. Went back and got the next one and delivered to person 2. Went back and got next one and delivered to person 3 and so on. Did not carry all 8 with her and go from one seat to the next and hand them out. They were handed out individually and with two hands and with bows each time.
Welcome to Asian service.
This is a blanket, which is different from a quilt.
I chose the hard mattress and it was lovely and I got a second pillow as well (different style and texture from the first pillow). Then she brought the quilt for me. There was a blanket as well if I needed that. Everything, every gesture, every encounter was with a smile and was genuine and with bows and arigato gozaimasu.
And here is the quilt. You can see my two sake glasses (the small ones) and a glass of water to the side. Each one has a napkin under it. Each one was placed there on purpose and carefully by the FA as she took them off my table, parked my table, then made my bed for me.
Here is what I did a day before we left. I took a look at scheduled departure and arrival times
12:45AM PST 04:50AM
Here are the actual departure and arrival times
16-Dec-2015 12:52AM PST 05:14AM 11 hrs 22 min
15-Dec-2015 12:53AM PST 04:41AM 10 hrs 47 min
14-Dec-2015 01:16AM PST 05:06AM 10 hrs 49 min
13-Dec-2015 12:47AM PST 04:26AM 10 hrs 39 min
12-Dec-2015 01:01AM PST 05:11AM 11 hrs 09 min
11-Dec-2015 01:06AM PST 04:53AM 10 hrs 46 min
10-Dec-2015 12:49AM PST 04:45AM 10 hrs 55 min
09-Dec-2015 12:55AM PST 04:36AM 10 hrs 41 min
08-Dec-2015 12:48AM PST 04:07AM 10 hrs 18 min
07-Dec-2015 12:53AM PST 04:43AM 10 hrs 50 min
06-Dec-2015 01:29AM PST 04:58AM 10 hrs 29 min
05-Dec-2015 12:53AM PST 04:29AM 10 hrs 36 min
I think the flight is too short (10 hours) to enjoy such a lovely seat. Wish it was like Dallas to Hong Kong which is 17 hours. I was in HKG this Sept, then again in Oct, then again in Nov. I transited Tokyo in Nov. just a few weeks ago.
I took a look at the scheduled flight path for the flight tonight. Looks like it will go over a few Alaskan islands. These ones are fairly large, they look small here on a map but I have flown over these islands probably about 10 times and they are really very large. Looking down at the land and at the islands during the day is amazing. They are so different. Some are barren. Some have high peaks. Some have snow.
This is the flight that left last night and is just landing right now. It went on a little different route.
The flight from last night is just landing right now, 1:45 PM CST which is 4:45 AM Japan time. Look at the tiny little plane near the destination.
But this is a night flight so I will spend my time looking out the window and looking up.
So the next thing to check is the weather. The solar weather. Here is the weather as of today. You can see the flight path will not take us into aurora territory. So sad. I find it amazing to look out the window and pull the quilt (not blanket, but a quilt) over my head for complete darkness (can't do that on a 787 because of the tinted windows) and watch the auroras dance in the sky.
Looks like I will be looking out the window for this. This why I sit on the right side.
It would look like this
Also, unfortunately, the Geminid meteor shower is subsiding as the Earth is exiting the gravelly debris stream of rock comet 3200 Phaethon.
Here is interesting radiation data as of Oct 22nd: flying back and forth across the continental USA, just once, can absorb as much ionizing radiation as 2 to 5 dental X-rays. A plane flying at 45,000 feet is exposed to 2.79 uSv/hr. At that rate, a passenger would absorb about one dental X-ray's worth of radiation in about 5 hours.
So you see, a flight is not a flight. It is an adventure. It is the lounge. It is checking the space weather. It is the flight itself. The bed. The food. The experience. The looking out the window. So much more. Wish it was longer.
The weather looks good in Tokyo
Wednesday is a national holiday as it is the Emperor's birthday.
Well I fell asleep for 5 hours as we passed through the aurora zone so I was unable to see anything. I did see a million stars and it was amazing. It was pure blackness down below but amazing above me.
Ottoman with my feet on it with my table pulled forward. You can see my coffee pot, coffee cup and huge TV monitor. The plugs are to the right, you can see my cable.
The ottoman doubles as a bench seat for a second person so you can have a meal or drink together (it has a seat belt as well) or you can just sit and chat. The two seats in the middle have a power divider can go up and down with a push of that button. The table moves back and forth.
These flight attendants do not chat with each other and do not discuss personal items or their trips amongst each other. I am saying that because on the other carrier I fly exclusively (I won't mention who), all I hear is these loud conversations between flight attendants that I really don't want to hear. I know all about their personal lives, about their vacations, about their complaints against the airline (they have a lot of gripes), blah blah blah. I really don't want to hear any of that.
That is the FA taking the mattress away and getting the seat back out of bed mode and freshening up.
SUN-20-DEC
Landed in Haneda at 5:00AM
And a wonderful handwritten thank you note (my finger is covering my name) from the purser and two senior flight attends who took care of us and are in the picture with us. They even made this little tiny envelope made of Christmas paper for us and a little origami is attached to it.
The Purser is in a white jacket. They are all so sweet and so humble. In the picture, they are crouching down so they are not not in the way of us. They were so short to begin with, we said no no no, please stand, they are like no no no, we crouch down.
Boeing 777-300ER
So we landed and walked inside, went through long lines of immigration and then customs. For a 5;00 AM arrival, there was a ton of arrivals at the same time. As you can see, it took 43 minutes to exit the plane and get outside.
Here is the arrival board. Our flight is the first one listed on the top left, JL 1 with codeshare AA8400 and MH9101
Place to get tickets if you have not already purchased them. I already bought my tickets ahead of time.
Meals
I must have had seven or more hot towels throughout the entire flight, each one the perfect temperature and the perfect amount of moisture. Notice the seat has a lumbar function.
The food was really good. I could eat whatever I wanted. The temperature of the food was exact. The texture was perfect. Nothing was over done (as on most flights I go on), nothing was schlepped together (as on most flights I go on). The airline I fly on has even eliminated table cloths on a lot of flights. The table cloth was laid with a smile and carefully. Each item was brought to me and placed specifically in a particular place on the table. It was all perfect. Wish other airlines would learn this type of service. Other airlines just transport people. This is perfection.
First the table cloth, then the chop stick holder firmly planted, twisted and then oriented in just the right direction. Then the chopsticks laid down straight with the edges as you can see. Then the soy sauce supplanted right there. That is the designated spot above the chopstick holder. Then the napkin just covering the chopsticks at the exact location. Then the food placed.
How did they make these pancakes on board and they are perfect?
An hour or so later, I was still hungry and asked if I could eat more, they said anything I want. Here is the menu.
Here are the grilled rice balls. The perfect temperature, texture and flavor. Miso soup in the background. Purple radish as a garnish. Two sakes to my left.
Two kinds of sake, she said the one on the right is very famous, so I tried both
Midflight treats. A corner was set up, very decorative and cute
Chocolates
1.5 hours prior to landing, I was asked which breakfast I preferred. Here is one choice:
I had the full Japanese breakfast before we landed
Again, the placement of each item on the table is deliberate and exact. I spilled the coffee and made a stain on the tablecloth.
Miso soup
Coffee. Notice the spoon is perfectly clean. No spots. On the other airline I fly, there are food particles stuck to the utensils and no one checks them.
This smoothie was out of this world
So you see, a flight is not a flight. It is an adventure. It is the lounge. It is checking the space weather. It is the flight itself. The bed. The food. The experience. The looking out the window. Being attended to. So much more. Wish it was longer.
NOV 2015 NRT - CGK on JL
My experience as a OneWorld Emerald
I boarded Japan Airlines 777-300ER two-class for an 8-1/2 hour flight from NRT-CGK (Jakarta, Indonesia). That is the same at Dallas to London. Long flight. I have no status on Japan Airlines and even though I am Emerald on OneWorld, they rejected my request for free business class upgrade even though the cabin was 92% empty. I just wanted the lie-flat seat so I could continue to sleep.
More food, it was fine
They were nice to me and give me the first row of coach which was an exit row and got an aisle seat and they protected the window seat to my left and so it was empty. That was very nice of them. Even American Airlines does not do that for me as an Executive Platinum.
28 NOV 2015 CGK - HKG on CX
My experience as a OneWorld Emerald
I got to the airport at 10:20 but found out the CX (Cathay Pacific) counter didn't open till 11:30. The line starts at 11 and I got in line at 11:15. The earlier you get in line, the earlier you get your boarding pass and you lounge access pass.
While you wait, I recommend you walk to one end of the terminal. There is a tiny foot massage place with 12 easy chairs, a 60 min massage is 135,000 and 30 min is 75,000. Do it. I didn't have time.
There are a ton of lounges. If you have CitiBank, there is a lounge for you but it costs 125,000 IDR. Every credit card has their own lounge. As a OneWorld Emerald, I was granted free access to Pura Indah. I was not allowed to the left, the first class side. It was pretty empty. I had to go to the right to the business class side.
While you wait, I recommend you walk to one end of the terminal. There is a tiny foot massage place with 12 easy chairs, a 60 min massage is 135,000 and 30 min is 75,000. Do it. I didn't have time.
There are a ton of lounges. If you have CitiBank, there is a lounge for you but it costs 125,000 IDR. Every credit card has their own lounge. As a OneWorld Emerald, I was granted free access to Pura Indah. I was not allowed to the left, the first class side. It was pretty empty. I had to go to the right to the business class side.
The food was pittyful. The first pot on the left was some sort of very skinny french fries. The second is sliced cucumbers. The third is green rice. That was about it.
There was some egg, green rice, and not much else.
It was hot, crowded, the seats were right next to each other, there were no plugs to be found, only 1 or two terminals for internet access. Pretty lousy.
I then went to the boarding area.
AA CX CGK - HKG
Had issue. Checked in at counter and got boarding pass. She didn't say anything was wrong or I owed money. No problems so far. Got to gate and about to board and they said I did not pay airport departure tax of 150,000 IDR and I need to pay in cash now. Thank goodness I had a printout of my receipt and it showed $207 paid in taxes but they said their computer does not show the airport tax was paid. They (Cathay Pacific) were just doing their job. I said call AA and talk to them. They said no time, flight is leaving in 15 minutes, I said you have plenty of time to call and talk to them. They said no. Either pay in cash or you can't go on flight. Thank goodness I had IDR cash with me. I paid the 150,000 and they gave me a receipt. It is the principal of it, not the amount. So I will have to argue it out with AA. What if I didn't have the cash? They don't take credit or other currencies.Took off at 2:10 to HKG.
4 hr flight on Cathay Pacific Airbus 330. Sat in 59C which was exit row. Two toilets in front of me. 4 hour flight. Lots of people had to use the toilet and I observed almost no one washed their hands. Flight attendant came by and said called me by name and said hello. I was shocked. Cathay Pacific is part of the OneWorld Alliance with American Airlines and they know I am Emerald status. Another one came by after take off and again said my name and gave me my very own large bottle of water and asked if I needed anything. I fell asleep for 2 hours and later a woman in different uniform came by (the purser) and said my name again and asked how was my sleep and asked if she can get me anything. I said I would love a blanket and some food. I really wanted to ask can I sit in first class or business or premium economy but I did not ask. I already tried at check-in and they said my fare class does not allow for upgrades. She brought me chicken and rice. I also noticed they had blocked 59A and it was empty so I had two seats. What an amazing Asian experience. This does not happen on the US airline that I fly.
Took the opportunity to watch a Chinese movie with English subtitles. And more sleep. That was a long 4 hour flight.
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