20181005

20171006: AA176: NaRiTa » DallasFortWorth


Date: 2017/10/06
Flight: AA176
STD/ATD (Push Back): 1040JST/1028JST
STA/ATA (Touch Down): 0815CDT/0739CDT
Aircraft/Registration: 777-200ER/N772AN
Class: Flagship Business


Prologue


Years ago, I had flown between NRT «» SEA nonstop on AA27 and AA26.  These are now nonstop HND «» LAX flights .  There were a few years of a lack of nonstop NRT «» SEA flights till Delta stepped in.  As of 2017, ANA too, operates daily NRT «» SEA flights.

Due to some horrendous experience on multiple Delta flights years ago, I have and will continue to stay away from Delta.  (As soon as I get over the PTSD from those Delta flights, I'll give them a try.)  As for ANA, it was too expensive.

Going onto the AA.com, I was automatically redirected to its Japan-site.  I soon noticed something weird; I could get a restrictive business class flight on the outbound (from NRT) leg, but the inbound/return leg is always "no fare" or "not available".  For flexible fares of around USD9,000, there were plenty of seats.

By default, the "cheapest fare" option used in the search.  One had to go back to the front page, select "advance search," click on "flexible fares" to see it's results. I wonder why AA doesn't list all available fares on one screen.

Going to back to my "not available" return leg problem.  I thought that was weird because at the time of the booking, it was a few months before my intended trip.  Also, I tried going one week forward, then two weeks forward in search of available return leg with the restrictive fare. No go.  I'd even tried going a month forward, still no go.  I started to suspect it was my browser was acting up.

I tried another browser but got the same results.  I even tried changing the date of the outbound leg months later.  Same results, I could get the outbound leg for about USD2,000.  But the return leg was always "no fare" or "not available."

I then thought the Japan-site of AA.com was malfunctioning.  So, I selected its US-site and tried again.  This time, on the U.S. site, I found both outbound and inbound flights for about USD4.500.  Great!  Sadly, I couldn't book on the U.S. site because one needed a US billing address to book there.

Returning to the Japan-site, same situation.  Outbound is fine, but no inbound leg.

In the end, I book my flights via the AA.com Hong Kong site because I had a credit card with a Hong Kong billing address.

I can only speculate that AA doesn't sell the cheaper, restrictive fares to Japan-base customers.  I can further speculate that AA is doing this because of an agreement with JAL, that by not offering its restrictive business, people like me would go to JAL.  Let me be clear, I don't have any evidence of this so this is pure speculation.   I did look at JAL but at the time of booking, they didn't have good seats on the flights I was interested in.  Moreover, JAL was more expensive than AA's restrictive fares.

Once booking was completed, working with AA's website, and its mobile app was a pleasure.  It may not be a big deal, or the AA website is just the industry norm.  However, for an user coming from JAL's platform, the difference is heaven and earth.  Something as simple as selecting your meal, may it be vegan, kosher, halal-certified, etc, could be done on the web 24-hours prior to departure.  This simple task couldn't be done on JAL's website, or mobile app till November 2017. 

At the Airport

Check-in
AA check-in counters at Narita terminal 2 were deserted at this time, a little after 0900.  As a newbie to AA (in recent times anyway,) I had trouble locating the right counter as signage indicated "main cabin" or "Priority Assistance."  So, I picked one randomly.  The lady who helped me was efficient.  I didn't have luggage to check so I got my boarding pass very quickly.  I inquired about lounge access and she told me where to find the Admiral's lounge.  Unlike Asian airlines (e.g. JAL, ANA, Cathay Pacific,) she didn't offer me a printed map of sorts.  She verbally described where I could find it.  I then asked her if my gate (#74) was far away, i.e. on the far satellite terminal.  She said no, it was close by.  



Lounge
The lady at check-in said that the Admiral's Club was close to my gate (#74,) and that I should go down the escalators next to the "Channel" store.  After clearing immigration, I headed towards gate 74. The lounge was nowhere to be found.  I headed back to the post-immigration area.  The lady who had processed my check-in was on the way to the gate and she stopped to ask if I had found the lounge.  I said no and she gave me the direction.

I found a deserted Admirals' Lounge (around 0930HRS).  My NRT » DFW flight was the only AA flight leaving in the morning.  The lounge looked massive, and spacious.  Loud (possibly alcohol-fueled) laughter originating from the bar area echoed throughout the lounge.

Japanese Breakfast Items by JAL
The very limited selection of hot food was unappetizing. There was a small selection of Japanese breakfast items provided by JAL. For breakfast, I had some Japanese egg rolls (玉子焼き,) sausages, cherry tomato and white rice.

The food area needed attention. For example, I had to specifically searched for an attendant for a new bottle of ketchup. However, they (the JAL staff,) were too keen in clearing away the food. Because when I returned 15 minutes after getting my food, for a おしぼり (wet towel/tissue) the JAL staff had already cleared away the Japanese breakfast foods including the おしぼり that I was after. This was 0945, when boarding was expected to start at 0950.

There was an automated espresso machine but it didn't offer latte or cappuccino. The 'coffee' it offered was pretty bad but on par with the average massively brewed coffee found in most American offices.
Welcome Drink (Water in plastic cup,) and Amenity Bag by Cole Haan
Boarding
Main cabin boarding was done in groups. There wasn't a line for business and I breezed through it. The lady who helped me at check-in, and later pointed me to the direction in finding the lounge was at the gate. She apologized for giving me the wrong direction to the lounge. I responded that I was a fault as I was the one who misunderstood her instructions.

On Board

Once I found my seat, champagne was offered.  I declined and asked for water.  It came in a plastic cup.  Saw that the champagne for my neighbor also came in a plastic cup.

Bose Headphones
Touch-screen Seat Control
Seats, IFE, etc.
The seats were fantastic.  On first look, they looked similar to JAL's claustrophobic "Sky Suite III"; same reverse herringbone layout, same fixed huge video screen.  But as soon as I sat down, I knew it was a much better product.  No wonder other airlines (e.g. China Airlines) have also adopted this seat.  For details, check out the links in the "bibliography"section.

There is one improvement they could make though; the edge of the fold-out table isn't tilted up, i.e. there is not a barrier to prevent things from slipping off the surface.  I had a glass of orange juice slide right off during a slight turbulence.

The wide selection of movies, videos, etc. on the IFE was overwhelming for yours truly.  Overwhelming in good way.  I was most impressed by the availability of live-TV (e.g CNN, CNBC, etc.) over the Pacific.  I thought technology like that was for Air Force One only.  And the quality of the live cable news was pretty good.  No start-and-stop, stuttering of the video etc.  In fact, it was better than a lot of in-house TV systems in some hotels.

I was most impressed by how AA handled the seat-belt-signs-are.  When it comes in in the middle of the flight, the IFE is interrupted briefly visually a message on the bottom 1/4 of the screen telling us to wear seat-belts. But the video program would continue.  No freeze-framing of your video.  The audio announcement played over the P.A. and IFE, was pre-recorded, automated.  That's infinitely better than JAL's, or Cathay Pacific and others, way of having a human do unnecessarily long-winded announcements in different languages.  Pausing and restarting the video every time. 

Warm Nuts and Sparkling Water

Food
I'd pre-ordered an Asian Vegetarian Meal.  Having seen the same vegetarian meal from JAL for the last few flights, I was half-expecting the same meal.  Alas, it was different and delicious. The main course had an Indian influence.  Beans, rice, lentils, with a hint of curry.  Yummy!

Main Meal (Lunch,) Appetizers

Main Meal, Asian Vegetarian Main Course.
In between meals, there was the snack buffet.  I got addicted to those fruit cups.
In-between Meals Snacks Buffet

In-between Meals Snacks Buffet

In-between Meals Snacks Buffet

In-between Meals Snacks Buffet
Hot Breakfast

Instead of the cold oatmeal and yogurt, I opted for the hot, non-vegetarian breakfast.  Nothing to write home about but it was satisfying.  I particularity like the danish.  I liked it so much that I asked for seconds. 

Flastware
Service

Flight attendants were attentive and yet not intrusive.  In short, great.Other than the above mentioned seat-belt-sign announcement, I also liked who the flatware was one-sized; two forks and two knives were provided provided for a meal. But all the forks and knives were of the same size. There was no butter knife. Similarly, there was only one type of spoon provided. It's the same size for stirring your tea, or for their signature ice-cream Sundae. Just for comparison purposes; on a long-haul business class flight on JAL, I recall using at least 3 types of spoons; a teaspoon, soup spoon, and one for appetizers.  I think AA's way is ingenious.  Keep things simple, to keep costs down.







Epilogue


Good flight, great service.  I would love to fly AA again.  The only problem is that they somehow hide their best-priced tickets from Japan-based passengers.


Bibliography

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