We chose Japan Airlines during our recent trip was due to the number of luggages allowed in economy. As we were going snowboarding, I had 2 medium sized luggages other airlines serving the Singapore to Tokyo route such as ANA only allowed 1 check in bag. This Japan Airlines economy review is based on our experience, no sugar coating.
For context, this is the route we took:
SIN – HND: JL038, Boeing 767, usually scheduled for 2.20am departure
NRT – SIN: JL711, Boeing 767, usually scheduled for 6.10pm departure
For this return journey, we paid $814.10 each and we booked approximately 2 months before the trip. It’s definitely more expensive than a budget airline like Scoot, but Scoot’s price came up to around $700+ after add-ons like baggage. Japan Airlines also would be more comfortable with better leg room and seats. Hence, we decided on Japan Airlines.
Tip: choose seats on the left side of the plane for a view of Mount Fuji!
In This Japan Airlines Economy Review
About Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines (JAL) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Tokyo, mainly operating out of Narita and Haneda airports. Japan Airlines has been certified a 5-star airline by Skytrax and is part of the oneworld Alliance.
Baggage Allowance
All Japan Airlines flights come with free baggage allowance. These are the general allowance (though it may be more if you’re a JMB member):
Premium Economy and Economy: 2 x 23kg
First Class and Business: 3x 32kg
Carry-on: 10kg
Japan Airlines also allows for pet crate check in. Check the Japan Airlines website for more details, and also for information on bulky baggage check in.
Punctuality
Unfortunately, both flights we took did not take off on time. When checking the flight history, almost every flight took off from SIN late, though just by a couple of minutes, less than an hour. This is very common for late-night flights as the day’s delays end up affecting the last flights for the day, so it was not a big deal.
The flight from HND – SIN took off about an hour late, because the staff were trying to tally the number of passengers on board. This wasn’t necessarily the crew’s fault (probably a passenger was late) but it was still a little annoying.
Comfort
The seat layout of the flights we took were 2-3-2, which was great because we didn’t have to worry about getting the centre seat or sitting with a stranger. JAL also allows you to choose your seats for free.
Headphones, blanket and a pillow were already on the seat prior to boarding.
Leg room was great, but I’m just 152cm. However I think someone around 170 – 180cm would fit okay as well. The seats felt narrower than other planes I’ve been on and I think someone slightly bigger would not be comfortable in the seat. The headrest on the seat was firm and kept its shape when I folded it to support my head.
Entertainment System
The entertainment system, specifically the movies page, was designed in a rather weird way. There were 2 – 3 options for the same movie, each differentiated based on language. However, it was easy to understand after a few minutes of getting used to.
Cleanliness
No major cleanliness issue. The cabin felt clean, though I’m not sure if a feeling is tangible or not. However, sometimes you can just feel the cleanliness, if you get what I mean.
In-flight Meal
For the flight from SIN – HND, we were served breakfast around 3 hours before landing. I got the frittata, sausage and hash brown option, which was accompanied by a muffin, yogurt, fruits, and potato salad.
For the flight from HND – SIN, we were served dinner, around 2 hours after take off. I picked shrimp and scallop creamy pasta, which was served with colourful vegetables, squash salad and steamed chicken escabeche for sides. A small Hagen Dazs was also served for dessert.
Both meals were on the healthier side, the taste of both were not overly salty or heavy. They were not to my liking but it’s just because I am very picky and I hate capsicum, which was found in both meals. However, I remember enjoying my meal a lot when I first took Japan Airlines in 2019.
Japan Airline Economy Review – Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a pleasant experience with Japan Airlines, despite both flights not taking off on time. However, the track record for Japan Airlines is relatively good and I don’t think it’s right for me to fault the airlines for something not within their control.
Rating, based on our experience:
Punctuality: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
Food: 3.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
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