20170327

20170214: JL723: NaRiTa » KUala Lumpur


Date: 2017/02/14
Flight: JL723
DEP/Actual Push: 1105JST/1112JST
ARR/Touch Down: 1810MST/1758MST
Aircraft/Registration: 787-9/JA846J
Class: Business (Used Miles to upgrade from Economy)
Seat: JAL SKY SUITE 787

Prologue


I'd considered using Malaysian Airlines for this trip.  JAL won  because I could buy an upgrade-able economy ticket and use miles to upgrade to business class.  And that's what I did.  Booking was done on JAL's website which is a pain to use.

Pre-boarding


 Getting a Special Meal
Since the in-flight meal menu wasn't appetizing.  I thought I would give the vegetarian meal a try. The JAL website allows long-haul business class passengers to pre-select their main meal choice. Sadly, one can't pre-order a vegetarian meal or any other special meals on the web site.  I later saw from their instructions in Japanese that one could indeed order a special mail during the booking process but once that's done, one has to phone their reservation phone lines.  But then, their phone lines aren't toll-free and are only opened from 0800 to 1900. I recall years ago, when I flew Northwest to HKG, I could order a vegetarian meal upon check-in. So, I gave that a try.

Check-in
Business class check in counters were empty when I arrived around 0930.  Once the check in lady handed me my boarding pass and checked-bag tag, I asked, if I could request a vegetarian meal.  She told me that special meals must be ordered at least 24 hours before departure.  I countered that I couldn't order it on the web and she countered that it must be done by phone.  She made a show of referring to a manual and called someone.  A minute or two later, she informed me that my request was granted.  I thanked her and apologized for causing her trouble.

Security
As a JGC sapphire member, used the priority, JAL-only security line.  There was an attendant checking people's qualifications.  But she was too busy chatting with someone else to pay me too much attention.  Apparently, there were 3 x-ray machines people could use.  I was queuing behind a gentleman who was taking his time.  I saw people coming in and went to the other available x-ray machines.  Too bad I didn't notice that earlier and that no staff members were there to guide me.

Lounge
The lady at check-in didn't provide me with lounge info.  My gate was 98, in the satellite building. I recall from years ago that there was a Sakura lounge in the satellite building and that's the one I went to.

Grilled mackerel.  Empty Plate off Tamagoyaki
The satellite lounge was a lot smaller than the main lounge in the main building.  With limited space, only a fraction of the hot food was on offer.  In fact, only a limited Japanese breakfast was offered.  My guess is that the satellite lounge was catered mainly for Japanese passengers. I wish the check-in lady would have told me about the watered-down breakfast service and I would have gone to the main lounge. It was crowded too. The Japanese breakfast wasn't bad, grilled mackerel and tamagoyaki (Japanese scrambled egg rolls.) The problem was that I got the last of the tamagoyaki and they ran out after that.  Note to myself: Do NOT use the satellite Sakura lounge when hungry.


At the Gate
Gate 98 had limited space for people to queue.  There were the usual 2 lines for boarding.  Business class and those with priority boarding rights, and economy.  We were squeezed into the queues and the lines had to literally turn a corner.  Boarding started on time at 1045.

On Board

Inactive Power
Seats
Welcome Drink
It was a 787-9, with the JAL 787 Sky Suite, a product unique to JAL.  Aisle access for all seats but window-seats have more privacy.

Seeing the unlit LED on the universal a/c power source was deactivated.  Tried charging my phone and no joy.  Asked the flight attendant about it and she was more surprised than me and tried to re-confirm that I had already know, no power.  From past experience, the cabin crew may have to throw a switch somewhere to activate the power source.  She returned a few minutes later. and indicated I was the only one having this issue.  Really?

Around 30 minutes after take off, I noticed the LED came on and there was power.  10 minutes after that, when the chief purser came around distributing a bottled water, she said she had 'fixed' the power problem for me.






Salad and slightly stale bread.

Main Course
Brownies

Food
My vegetarian meal started with a delicious, fresh salad.  The bread was a bit stale though.  Salt and butter was offered on separate dishes and pepper was in a bottle.  Not sure why it was presented like that.  Perhaps the salt was special?   The mail course was a hamburger patty made from soy. a small ball of potato salad, and saffron rice.  It tasted good though nothing to write home about.  Desert was chocolate brownies in raspberry sauce.

This was an 8-hour flight.  Yet only a light snack was offered before landing.  I was given a onigiri (Japanese rice ball) and a vegetarian sandwich. The onigiri was OK.  A rice ball is a rice ball.  The sandwich contain cheese and lettuce.  It reminded me of those horrible vending-machine sandwiches I had in college.

Pre-landing Snack.


Service

Before, during, and after the first meal, a total of three hot towels were offered.  The first two smelled heavily of chlorine.  The third one smelled more like the usual, slightly scented.  The fourth one was offered just before the pre-landing snacks and that one smelled best.

The business class cabin was about 85%.  Flight attendants were at times a little over attentive.  I'd hung my jacket on the coat-hook at my seat but I had to negotiate with a flight attendant a bit before she would let me hang it there.  I knew it was her job to offer to hang it in the closet but I shouldn't have to convince her to let me do what I wanted.  

JAL does not offer amenity kit of any sort on these Asian flights. Flight attendants came around and offered eye masks, face masks, etc.

The lack of a second meal was most disappointing.


Epilogue

Having only paid for an economy class ticket and used miles to upgrade to business, I can't complain too much.  If I had to pay even discounted business class ticket, I would have chosen Malaysian Airlines.  I haven't never flown on Malaysian but from what I can fine on the Internet, Malaysian Airlines seems to have a better product with a better value than that of JAL's.


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