Japan Airlines to fly Boeing 787 on Sydney-Tokyo route from December
By David Flynn, August 21 2013
Qantas partner Japan Airlines (JAL) will start a Boeing 787 service between Sydney and Tokyo from December 1st as part of the airline's expansion of its Dreamliner flights.
The daily JL771/772 flight will move from the current Boeing 777 to a factory-fresh Boeing 787 in a 'third wave' of JAL's Dreamliner destinations, along with San Francisco and Moscow (beginning September 1st) and Bangkok (December 2nd).
JAL's Boeing 787 fleet has been grounded since mid-January, but will resume flying in June following upgrades to the jet's lithium-ion battery system.
The first 787 flights to resume will be from Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports to Beijing, Boston, San Diego and Singapore beginning June 1st, with Delhi and Helsinki following in July.
Qatar is still odds-on favourite to pip JAL at the post for Australia's first Boeing 787 service, with its Perth-Doha run expected to commence soon.
Jetstar will likely find itself in second place once the Qantas offshoot takes delivery of its first Boeing 787 in the second half of the year, while China Southern is also tipping Australia as one of the destinations for its 787s.
Inside JAL's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
JAL's Boeing 787 follows a simple two-class configuration of 44 seats in 'Executive Class' (in a 2-2-2 configuration) and 144 in economy (arranged 2-4-2).
The pointy end of the plane gets JAL's new Shell Flat Neo seats with a 60 inch pitch, 21 inches width and a 171 degree recline – so they're not a true fully-flat bed.
Each seat has a 15.4 inch touchscreen panel hooked up to an in-flight entertainment system running on Google's Android platform.
JAL is also playing up the inclusion of a warm-water Toto Washlet toilet in the Executive Class loo. (If you've visited Japan you'll appreciate the importance they place on toilets...)
The economy class seats have a 31 inch pitch and are 18.5 inches wide, and fitted with a 10.6 inch touchscreen video display.
Every seat from tip to tail on JAL's Boeing 787 also gets an AC power outlet and a USB socket.
JAL has also invoked its own twist on the 787's LED lighting "to create a soothing in-flight atmosphere that would evoke a sense of the four seasons in Japan, such as pink hues of cherry blossoms in spring."
Another nod to local culture are the digital editions of over 30 Japanese comic titles on the in-flight entertainment system's SKY MANGA channel.
Fancy a walkthough? This video clip was shot by our friends at FlightGlobal.
For more on JAL's 787 Dreamliner, visit http://www.jal.co.jp/en/787 – or go for a virtual walkaround at http://www.jal.co.jp/jal_panorama/787_kinai.
Keep up to date with the latest news for business travellers and frequent flyers: follow @AusBT on Twitter.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
17 Apr 2013
Total posts 11
While i think the 787 is a nicer place; would be a dream to fly, but isnt this a downgrade in terms of seats as im sure the 777 has much more seating cap. if im not mistaken JAL 787 only has about 200 seats while the 777 has around 300+?
maybe they could do a double daily with the 787 from the reduction ot seats?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Excellent ... 2-4-2 in Y. Well done JAL.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
I think you're being sarcastic Tronix?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
No, not at all. 8 across is the Boeing "recommended" configuration, yet other unfortunate airlines like JQ will be 9 across. Width is important.
06 Jun 2012
Total posts 7
Tronixstuff you just beat me!
Its great to see a more spacious 2-4-2 economy layout!
i hope QF will do the same on their mainline flights. No hope of anything less than 3-3-3 on JQ though...
19 Mar 2013
Total posts 38
Excellent news! With JAL being a Qantas partner through OneWorld does anybody know how to work out how many Qantas points it will take to book a seat on this SYD-NRT flight?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Aug 2012
Total posts 130
Hi JamesM, it should take 36,000 points on Y and 72,000 points for J One-way as SYD-NRT falls under Zone 6 of the redemption table.
26 May 2011
Total posts 62
What's the point of a new aircraft if they're installing angled lie flat beds in J? I'd rather fly in a flat bed on an older aircraft, thanks!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Aug 2012
Total posts 130
I guess there are tradeoffs for people flying this aircraft. Nothing special for J except the slightly newer seats and cabin. Y class passengers will benefit alot from decent seats as well as a nicer and newer airplane. Would be great if they introduced their PE product on the 787.
QF
23 Aug 2013
Total posts 2
It seems the two Japanese 787 operstord sre only ones with decent economy seats, but ANA's long-haul business class looks better than JAL's, with a 1-2-2, 1-1-1 arrangement, although still tilted!
QF
23 Aug 2013
Total posts 2
It seems the two Japanese 787 operators are the only ones with decent economy seats, but ANA's long-haul business class looks better than JAL's, with a 1-2-2, 1-1-1 arrangement, although still tilted!
03 May 2013
Total posts 679
This airline is a farce on the SYD_NRT_SYD route....total waste of money as JAL classes it as a "lesuire route" think Jetstar +.
I did a business class and had downgraded menu and Economy headphones and thin blanket(for a night flight)
Those seats are also horrible. Pay extra and use Qantas or Cathay via Hong Kong. If you want cheap do Jetstar star class. Cabin crew on JAL however are heard to beat.
03 May 2013
Total posts 679
This airline is a farce on the SYD_NRT_SYD route....total waste of money as JAL classes it as a "lesuire route" think Jetstar +.
I did a business class and had downgraded menu and Economy headphones and thin blanket(for a night flight)
Those seats are also horrible. Pay extra and use Qantas or Cathay via Hong Kong. If you want cheap do Jetstar star class. Cabin crew on JAL however are heard to beat.
03 May 2013
Total posts 679
This airline is a farce on the SYD_NRT_SYD route....total waste of money as JAL classes it as a "lesuire route" think Jetstar +.
I did a business class and had downgraded menu and Economy headphones and thin blanket(for a night flight)
Those seats are also horrible. Pay extra and use Qantas or Cathay via Hong Kong. If you want cheap do Jetstar star class. Cabin crew on JAL however are heard to beat.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Aug 2013
Total posts 4
I fly on QF 21 in economy ( B747 ) often and find this plane to be old , noisy and generally tired .
I'I remember to watch out for this new JAL plane and sevice , from Decmeber ..
Sounds great
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Japan Airlines to fly Boeing 787 on Sydney-Tokyo route from December