Date: 2017/08/22
Flight: JL26
STD/ATD (Push Back): 1515HKT/1551HKT
ATA/ATA (Touch Down): 2015JST/2111JST
Aircraft/Registration: 777-200/JA701J
Class: Business (upgraded from Economy using miles)
Seat: JAL SKY SUITE III
Prologue
Date: 2017/08/22
Flight: JL26
STD/ATD (Push Back): 1515HKT/1551HKT
ATA/ATA (Touch Down): 2015JST/2111JST
STD/ATD (Push Back): 1515HKT/1551HKT
ATA/ATA (Touch Down): 2015JST/2111JST
Aircraft/Registration: 777-200/JA701J
Class: Business (upgraded from Economy using miles)
Seat: JAL SKY SUITE III
Prologue
Pre-boarding
I couldn't be bothered with the on-line check in, and printing out a boarding pass at the hotel. I know the printed boarding pas is a dying breed. But the JAL mobile app can't do no electronic boarding passes. Not for international flights anyway. Yes, this was 2017 and JAL's IT department had been asleep at the wheel for quite a while.
I couldn't be bothered because they (JAL) would stop me at the gate and demand to see my Residence Card (在留カード ) to ensure that I'm not trying to enter Japan illegally. This is despite the fact that the Japanese immigration officer had stamped in my passport saying I had left Japan only a few days earlier and was going to return soon. Yes, one could gather all this information from the Japanese immigration landing card which had been stapled to my passport by the Japanese immigration officer when I left Japan. JAL ignores this of course and assume that I would try to enter Japan illegally thus demanded proof that I had the right to enter Japan. It seems like their "print-your-own" boarding pass is only for Japanese nationals.
So, I went to the in-town check-in on Hong Kong side. Instead of partnering with your OneWorld partner Cathay Pacific, JAL operates their own, but only one counter for all passengers there. Fortunately, there was only one person ahead of me so there wasn't much of a wait.
Lounge
JAL customers were directed to the Qantas lounge. It is spacious, and always empty this time of the day (~14:00HKT) Ample hot foods and beverages.
SeatsI couldn't be bothered because they (JAL) would stop me at the gate and demand to see my Residence Card (在留カード ) to ensure that I'm not trying to enter Japan illegally. This is despite the fact that the Japanese immigration officer had stamped in my passport saying I had left Japan only a few days earlier and was going to return soon. Yes, one could gather all this information from the Japanese immigration landing card which had been stapled to my passport by the Japanese immigration officer when I left Japan. JAL ignores this of course and assume that I would try to enter Japan illegally thus demanded proof that I had the right to enter Japan. It seems like their "print-your-own" boarding pass is only for Japanese nationals.
So, I went to the in-town check-in on Hong Kong side. Instead of partnering with your OneWorld partner Cathay Pacific, JAL operates their own, but only one counter for all passengers there. Fortunately, there was only one person ahead of me so there wasn't much of a wait.
Lounge
JAL customers were directed to the Qantas lounge. It is spacious, and always empty this time of the day (~14:00HKT) Ample hot foods and beverages.
On Board
See my previous flights for more details on the "Sky Suite III"
Stormy Departure
At 15:32, Captain Ohata said we that we would be stuck at the gate for another 10 minutes to due heavy traffic. At 15:42, the captain said we would be stuck for another 10 minutes, at the gate, due to heavy traffic around HKG caused by the approaching typhoon. He added that push-back was then expected at 15:50.
Push-back was at at 15:51, just as a thunderstorm had started. Taxied to RWY25L in at times heavy rain. We queued for take off but then, at 16:12, we left the queue and headed to take off from RWY07R instead. Actual take-off was at 16:20. (See video below.)
Food
Just like the outbound flight from HaNeDa, the food situation was once again Déjà vu! It was the exact same Oriental Vegetarian Meal as that of JL26 in April. The only difference was that this time, the faux sweet and sour "pork" didn't come with green peppers, and that the bun this time was actually not bad. (NOTE: Non-vegetarian meals changes every month.)
Just like the outbound flight from HaNeDa, the food situation was once again Déjà vu! It was the exact same Oriental Vegetarian Meal as that of JL26 in April. The only difference was that this time, the faux sweet and sour "pork" didn't come with green peppers, and that the bun this time was actually not bad. (NOTE: Non-vegetarian meals changes every month.)
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| Oriental Vegetarian Meal |
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| Oriental Vegetarian Meal, Main Course: Sweet-and-sour-faux-pork |
The business class cabin was nearly full. For a change, the crew did not interrupt our movies by announcing the start/end of the in-flight shopping service. Service was OK, but nothing to write home about.
