By Shawn Gallagher
Good afternoon from Tokyo Narita! This is my flight home to Boston, which is scheduled to be a long 12.5 hour flight. Luckily, this is a night flight departing at 6:30pm, which will help with trying to get some sleep on the plane. JAL has a very high reputation with their economy class product. I’ve flown it many times on long-haul routes, and I’ve always found it to be comfortable for economy.
Checking In and Post Security
Check-in was all self service; I didn’t have any contact with an attendant whatsoever. Previously, I’ve sometimes had to ask them for help, but I got used to them and I’m now able to use them without any assistance. Fewer lines are a benefit to this system, but I do like the classic “go to the check-in desk” style, so I’m a bit split on this change.
I stopped by the observation deck before going through security. A lot of JAL planes, as this is their hub terminal at Narita.
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Security took some time, about 15 minutes.
I didn’t know about this food court post security in terminal 2. It seemed new, and many people were dining here killing time before their flight. I’ve always had an image of Narita having poor food options after security, so I thought this was a good improvement.
My flight was at gate 68, all the way at the edge of the terminal.
My aircraft today is JA866J, a 7 year old Boeing 787-9 delivered to Japan Airlines back in December 2016.
Boarding and Departure
Boarding was nice and efficient. We left the gate on time.
The lights were dimmed for takeoff since this was a night flight. Airlines often do this when they take off or land when it’s dark out, so in the rare case that passengers have to evacuate the plane, their eyes are used to the same light level as outside.
As we climbed out of Narita, I watched the last of the lights of Japan, wondering when I would be back next time.
Meal Service
Meal service began soon after. JAL always starts theirs off with a drink service. They also offer rice crackers, which I don’t usually get just based on choice. They do have a high reputation among frequent travelers though.
The food was okay. The main dish I got was what they called “dry curry.” It was better than I expected it to be.
Can’t go wrong with Haagen-Dazs ice cream!
Spectacular In-Flight Views
This flight had some of the best views out of all of the flights I’ve flown.
Next time you’re over a big body of ocean at night, look out the window and there’s a good chance you’ll see a sky covered in stars. A moonless night will make it even better.
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Northern Lights From The Plane
As I continued taking photos of the night sky, I began to notice a little green in my photos. I was trying to figure out what it was and kept taking pictures. And sure enough, it was the northern lights.
This was the second time in my life seeing them, the previous being on a flight from Tokyo to Chicago on business class.
Breathtaking. Flying can be magical!
Second Meal Service
The second meal service came a little over 2 hours before landing. Unfortunately, this meal left much to be desired. Of course, this could depend on personal taste. I sometimes think airlines try to do a little too much (or too little) with their catering when passengers just want to eat something everyone can eat. Having flown JAL many times internationally, I feel like they try to do a little too much with their economy class meals.
Before We Land…
Here’s a look at JAL’s 787-9 economy class cabin. Theirs is laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration unlike the 3-3-3 we often see. In fact, they’re the only airline to use this 8 seat layout on a Boeing 787. Although the difference may seem minimal, having one less seat in a small metal tube improves space by a lot.
I enjoyed the wing view as we got ready for our final approach, marking the end of a 12 and a half hour flight.
Concluding Thoughts
Just like that, I was back home in Boston. The views on this flight were spectacular, and I was very lucky to run into the northern lights for the second time in my life. Although the food could’ve been better, JAL’s international economy class is still one of the best in the game (especially on the Boeing 787). I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to fly them.
All photos taken by the author.