JAL Return to Kona on September 15, 2017
Apart from the obvious cultural and language barrier, Japanese airlines really treat their inaugural flights specially. After leaving the Kona market seven years ago, Japan Airlines has finally returned with nonstop flights in both directions, which was used to be a triangular route, Narita-Kona-Honolulu-Narita on a Boeing 747-300, on a perhaps more appropriately sized aircraft, Boeing 767-300ER. In general, both ANA and JAL treat their Hawaiian flights as mostly leisure routes, and the emphasis is on more in economy class. Business class is more regional than premium international, so my expectation has lowered. With a late departure time, a one tray dinner was perhaps more fitting, but at least this inaugural flight feature some unique items. The service was obviously excellent as usual, and I was genuinely surprised at the grand reception on our arrival into Kona. I hope you will enjoy this report.
September 15, 2017
JL 770 Tokyo Narita to Kona Lv2125 Arr1010 Boeing 767-300ER Winglet JA607J
Photo link:
http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/Carfi ... tion/storyCheck-in:
My day actually started early in Taipei, as my ticket was a roundtrip Taipei to Kona. It was the cheapest business class ticket I could find and I pretty much checked every Asian market.
Not busy at all, but I notice that there is no longer a separate priority line for Oneworld Emerald and JMB diamond members.
I am not going to bore you with the details on a quiet Boeing 737 flight from Taoyuan to Tokyo Narita, and went straight to the segment on the resumption Narita to Kona flight.
Aircraft check:
JA607J was in charge of the inaugural mission today, and I went to gate 62 to snap some pictures of this Boeing 767.
The aircraft arrived earlier in the early afternoon hours from Honolulu and it was quiet.
Gate 62 – no sign of activity
First Class Lounge:
With more than four hours in transit, I did some duty-free shopping and spent some times in the JAL First Class lounge. While it was not a particularly spectacular lounge for an airlines’ home base, the food especially the sushi bar, really suit my personal taste. Knowing how these Hawaiian flights could be “hit or miss,” I ate a pretty full meal.
Sushi bar and plane – best combination
The lounge got busier as we hit the last bank of flights heading to Hawaii. Japan Airlines has more than four late evening flights to Hawaii, mostly Honolulu. There were many JAL Diamond members, especially elderly couples on these business class flights.
Celebration time at Narita
There were basically a full JAL PR team and many F/As and pilots (not sure if they were actors or trainees because they look pretty young) are going around taking pictures with passengers.
Photo-taking time with JL pilots and F/As wearing “I believe the old resort” uniform
Key figures of this inaugural event
Speeches were made mostly in Japanese again, so I did not know what was going on. However, I was impressed that none of them used a cheat sheet. They memorized their speeches and no teleprompter obviously too.
This lady was a JAL representative – maybe…
Then the cockpit crews of our flight this evening, Captain Yoneyama (along with second pilot, Captain Oda, and Captain specified that his colleague was a pilot as well) made a speech in both Japanese and English.
Photo of the both the cockpit and cabin crews working on this inaugural/resumption flight
Of course, the Hula Dance
Hawaiian Tourism table
Contents of our inaugural gift bag – some of the items – I had the inaugural gift bag content later in the report.
Final group photo of all the performers and staffs
At 8:55pm, all the performances and speeches were complete, and the stage was immediately removed and things were getting ready for boarding.
Boarding:
At 9pm, we began to line up and there was a separate diamond/emerald lane, and it was a long queue.
Gift bags were passed out during boarding, and there were lots of bowing.
Farewell banner with F/As and pilots
Cabin shot:
The flight attendants were warmly greeting passengers.
Kona inaugural decoration
Name plate of JA607J – I love this feature on all JAL planes.
Business Class Cabin – Suites II
Economy Class Cabin – Sky Wide seats
Each business class seats feature slippers, good night kit (a cheap version of amenity kit for regional flights), headsets, Tempur Pedic pillow, and blanket (really thin blanket).
Pre-takeoff beverage – Orange juice or champagne in plastic glass
Unlike boarding in other parts of the world, passengers boarded in an orderly fashion. On one was blocking the aisles doing stupid things. Everyone was civilized and I was still amazed how boarding was completed within 17 minutes. Door was closed at 9:22pm.
We pushed back at 9:26pm, and here was the farewell ground team saying goodbye to our plane.
They even cared to have two teams, so both sides would have someone waving. It was more impressive than Air Asia X’s Kansai farewell.
Narita was fairly quiet in the late evening hours, but since we had to taxi all the way to the other end of the airport, we did not take off till 9:50pm from R/W16R.