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Published: October 11th 2006
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All Nippon Airways First Class Los Angeles-Tokyo
The only way to fly!! Me enjoying the fantastic food and service of All Nippon Airways First class. So I have made it to Japan and had an absolutely fantastic flight with All Nippon Airways (ANA) in First class, I cannot praise the airline enough.
Both the food and service were absolutely top-notch, I have never seen so much food on offer onboard a plane, it was really a la carte service up in the air!
I left Dallas Sunday evening on the last evening flight to Los Angeles, due to two hours time difference I arrived in L.A only one hour later. I stayed one night in a hotel at the airport (Four Points by Sheraton) which was very convenient. Nothing remarkable about the hotel but they had a nice fitness centre.
On Monday morning around 10 am I caught the free hotel shuttle from the hotel to the terminals. All Nippon Airways uses the dreadful Tom Bradley International Terminal which is small, cramped and very dated.
What is really stupid is that the luggage needs to be screened before you check-in, so there were queues absolutely everywhere.
I checked-in at the ANA First class counter where they also had staff helping first class passengers with the luggage screening (the poor economy class passengers had
Singapore Airlines first class lounge at LAX
Singapore Airlines First class lounge at Los Angeles airport. Not one of their best ones, but a fairly good selection of drinks and light food. to stand in line for that). Very appreciated and the staff were really nice and courteous, a good start!
I also received an invitation to the ANA Signet lounge.
Security was surprisingly quick and I entered the transit hall where there was absolutely nothing of interest, almost no shops at all.
Having lots of time to kill I decided to visit some lounges. I had carefully read the rules and knew that as a Star Alliance first class passengers I could enter any Star Alliance first class lounge on the day of departure, and very conveniently there was a dedicated Singapore Airlines first class lounge in the terminal.
The lounge dragon wasn't too happy about my visit but "made an exception" and let me in (if not I had a printout of the rules in my bag to show). It was nice to get in there because I did not have much breakfast and they had plenty to eat in the lounge.
Afterwards I visited the ANA lounge which I was supposed to use in the first place but which was very small and crowded and had little to eat.
Finally it was time for boarding, the great
All Nippon Airways Signet lounge at LAX
All Nippon Airways Signet Lounge at Los Angeles airport. Quite small and crowded. I think I was one of three people there who were not Japanese, even the staff were Japanese moment!
Once onboard I was greeted by a flight attendant and escorted to my seat where my jacket was taken. After a little while the fligh attendant who would be serving me came to introduce herself and to welcome me onboard (by name of course!).
Two fligh attendants were serving the first class cabin, and as we were only six passengers in first class it meant a radio of one flight attendant for three passengers, i.e. very attentive and personalised service.
A pyjamas and other amenities were also offered, the pyjamas was actually really comfortable (especially the pants) and most passengers changed after departure. I have mine as a souvenir now!
The seat was really comfortable and could be reclined to a fully flat bed, for passengers who want to have a proper sleep the fligh attendants offered to make the bed with a mattress and duvet so you could sleep just like in a hotel.
After departure the menu was handed out in a nice binder followed by drinks. I asked for champagne which was the very nice Krug and I was offered several refills (five times or so I think) until I finally had to decline
All Nippon Airways First Class Los Angeles-Tokyo
The Boeing 777 of All Nippon Airways (ANA) at Los Angeles Intl airport. to save room for other things.
Then the meal followed with appetizer, salad, main course and dessert for those who chose the Western option (they had a Japanese option as well).
What was amazing about the service is that it was so close to a la carte service you can get, except that a la carte restaurants usually have fewer food options.
The menu had four A4 pages describing the food available onboard and everything could be ordered at any time during the flight and be mixed and matched as you wished (and not just on the paper, they really did it!!).
Some people ate four times during the flights and had both Japanese and Western meals, fruit plates and snacks and caviar (and god knows what else).
The service on the whole was absolutely fantastic, nothing was too much trouble.
The flight attendants seemed genuinely happy to attend when I asked them about something and there was never a slightest complaint about having two desserts with the meal or more drinks or whatever...
They were constantly checking on passengers and tried to think of ways of improving the comfort onboard such as giving me a blanket and
All Nippon Airways First Class Los Angeles-Tokyo
Welcome onboard! Pyjamas, slippers, pillows, blankets and various other amenities are offered. Unfortunately no pre-departure drink due to US regulations. a duvet when they noticed I tried to get some sleep and placing a bottle of water on my table so I could have something to drink when I woke up.
When I decided to change into my pyjamas they also offered to take of my clothes and then 30 mins before landing they returned the clothes to each passenger with 3-5 mins interval so each passenger could get dressed in the lavatory without any congestion.
These small things just make you really really impressed!
The 11 hours flight passed way too quickly, I dont even know what I did during all those 11 hours except for eating, drinking and watching a lot of movies on my 15 inches screen.
Before landing my flight attendant came to wish me good bye and thank me for flying ANA. I took the opportunity to thank her for a fantastic flight and the fantastic service onboard and she seemed genuinely happy to hear that and said she would be delighted to serve me again (well so would I.. 😉
It was a bit strange arriving in Tokyo at 4 pm, 10 hours time difference from Dallas, the city I had left
All Nippon Airways First Class Los Angeles-Tokyo
The Californian coastline after departure from Los Angeles 24 hours earlier, but strange enough I did not feel all that much jet lag.
We also passed the international date line on the way, so we left L.A Monday and arrived in Tokyo Tuesday, even though there was no night in between.
Immigration was fairly quick and the priority luggage handling (my luggage was tagged with both the Star Alliance priority tag and the first class tag) worked exceptionally well, both my suitcases were already on the belt when I entered the baggage hall, less than 20 mins after the plane parked at the gate.
I also took the opportunity to visit the arrivals lounge to have a shower and check my e-mails before going into Tokyo city centre.
First impression of Tokyo is very nice, the Japanese are just as nice and helpful as you would expect and lots of things are very high-tech.
The first difference I noticed was funnily that the Japanese stand on the left when using the escalator, in all other countries I have visited you stand on the right.
Really looking forward to checking out this country.
Sayonara!
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