787 -- Only two years late, but ANA pleased

[matsuki]

LAX....ughhhh, just hopped over here with my schoolgirl lemur and had some of the shittiest ANA service ever. I'll spare you a mile long rant but dayam have their standards dropped in food/service/staff.

[Coligny]

Let me guess... they ran out of condoms in mid-flight and you had to watch rerun of Police Academy on the inboard 5 inch passive matrix LCD screen...

(last flight(z) with China Airlines nearly drove me insane with the food... nearly punched the obaachan NOISILY cleaning her teeth for 15 minutes covering the engine noise... but I recognized on of the bonerworthy flight attendant on the Taipei Nagoya evening flight... so it wuz okay...)

[matsuki]

Overpriced, overbooked flight with Chinese flight attendant (with Chinese style service and attitude) and they forgot to load half the meals...was left with some sort of inedible runny egg and crab crap. "Sowwy, no choice, here, you eat!" Thank Allah for J-men lacking any balls...or else I wouldn't even have been seated next to my lemur.

[Coligny]

So in fact... welcome to the SkyAlliance clusterfuck... bet yer plane was not even written ANA on the side...

Those commercial alliances are wonderfull... you pay the price of a real company (Air Frankreich, Luftwaffethanza, ANALKAMIKAZE) expecting a real plane, say Airbus or them overpriced plastic toys from Boing. And you end up with PakiPaki airwayz on a Tupolev 104 sitting on a haystack between two sacred cows... YAY kapitalism...

[2triky]

LAX....ughhhh, just hopped over here with my schoolgirl lemur and had some of the shittiest ANA service ever. I'll spare you a mile long rant but dayam have their standards dropped in food/service/staff.

Fly Singapore Air instead and save yourself the agony.

[Coligny]

Fly Singapore Air instead and save yourself the agony.

Like you can still choose your company...

[Sa_Race]

Hmm last time I booked a trip I was able to check if the flights were code shared or operated by another company. But that was in Europe so there's probably some kind of law to protect us, old continent superior peoples, from taking it to deep in the arse.

[2triky]

Hmm last time I booked a trip I was able to check if the flights were code shared or operated by another company. But that was in Europe so there's probably some kind of law to protect us, old continent superior peoples, from taking it to deep in the arse.

The same applies when booking a ticket online (i.e. Expedia, Travelocity, Ortbitz, etc.) departing from the United States.

[Coligny]

I might haz to pay moar attenshiun next time...

[2triky]

I might haz to pay moar attenshiun next time...

Here's an example from Orbtiz. I just entered a random date to illustrate the point.

[Taro Toporific]

ANA unveils Star Wars Dreamliner aircraft
kyodonews.jp/ | 2015/Apr/17
All Nippon Airways Co.’s Star Wars-liveried passenger jet with iconic R2-D2 design. ANA will operate the aircraft on international routes from autumn 2015.
More...

r2d2-ana-star-wars-boeing-dreamlinerjpg.jpg

[kurogane]

I noticed they are replacing the geriatric 767-300 they have on the Vancouver-Haneda route with a 787 as of July-ish. While almost anything will be an improvement over an aircraft that still has working ashtrays and ridiculous half-broken Barca Lounger style seats even in Busyness I am worried that these newfangled 787s are the ones that kept going Pop! and Kaboom!

Tell me it ain't so.................

PS The ANA cabin and departure lounge service this past trip was most copacetic, and Ms. Arakawa's bottom simply splendid. The menu was gayer than should be legal, but there was always ramen or rice & miso with tidbits for those of us that like their food uninfused and free of excessive sauces, exotic meats and silly continental vegetables. Highly recommended for those that might prefer to avoid the Land Whale Airlines whilst returning to the Lands of the Free-tards

[Coligny]

ANA unveils Star Wars Dreamliner aircraft
kyodonews.jp/ | 2015/Apr/17
All Nippon Airways Co.’s Star Wars-liveried passenger jet with iconic R2-D2 design. ANA will operate the aircraft on international routes from autumn 2015.
More...

r2d2-ana-star-wars-boeing-dreamlinerjpg.jpg

Seriously, that's a super lame paint job... Like if it was done by someone who simultaneously hates planes and star wars...

[Tsuru]

I noticed they are replacing the geriatric 767-300 they have on the Vancouver-Haneda route with a 787 as of July-ish. While almost anything will be an improvement over an aircraft that still has working ashtrays and ridiculous half-broken Barca Lounger style seats even in Busyness I am worried that these newfangled 787s are the ones that kept going Pop! and Kaboom!

Tell me it ain't so.................

PS The ANA cabin and departure lounge service this past trip was most copacetic, and Ms. Arakawa's bottom simply splendid. The menu was gayer than should be legal, but there was always ramen or rice & miso with tidbits for those of us that like their food uninfused and free of excessive sauces, exotic meats and silly continental vegetables. Highly recommended for those that might prefer to avoid the Land Whale Airlines whilst returning to the Lands of the Free-tards

It aint so

The 787 seems to have outgrown its teething troubles and is awesome and good. I'm only hearing good things about it.

[kurogane]

Cool to hear that next time all will go tsutru tsuru.........

I agree with Coligny on that fatuous R2D2 theme gag, but I'll be inside the plane for most of it. I hope!

As an Obvious Plane Guy I hope you can relate to my bemusement at paying Busyness Class fare to fly in what should be a retired machine. The working ashtrays aside it was the not working seats that kind of got me huffy. Of course, when there's only 3 or 4 passengers it's easy enough to just change, but still.

Thanks.

[matsuki]

PS The ANA cabin and departure lounge service this past trip was most copacetic, and Ms. Arakawa's bottom simply splendid. The menu was gayer than should be legal, but there was always ramen or rice & miso with tidbits for those of us that like their food uninfused and free of excessive sauces, exotic meats and silly continental vegetables. Highly recommended for those that might prefer to avoid the Land Whale Airlines whilst returning to the Lands of the Free-tards

LOL, was it an actual ANA lounge or just the generic Star Alliance lounge? (which are pretty good)

As much as I love Singapore, my recent return flight was the the stuff of nightmares. Elbow to the face by some baba who ended up collapsing in front of me. (looked serious and they had the O2 and all the shit out but turned out they had just given her a few too many and she couldn't hold her shit...literally...yuck) I had water dumped on me during that ruckus...which they shoganai'd and left me sitting in dampness the rest of the flight. Was stepped on again and again, and the final straw was getting knocked in the head by an apple. The bitch didn't even realize when she entered the aisle, her spin had sent apples flying and nailed me in a couple places. She ran to the back where she started serving them and the smug smile on her face went straight to confusion when she approached and saw me holding 2 apples and looking pissed off. Fucking clueless....

[kurogane]

Ouch. That sounds like the stuff of an Air Travel SUCKSSSSSsssssssssssssssssssss blog

Which airline was it? I have heard from Insiders In The Know that they are really pushing the YVR-HND route as a hub to North America, so that explains the fawning service, and as of July the fancy R2D2 plane. Well, that and 2 obviously professional stewardesses for 4-6 customers. They were bored to frantic distraction. And seriously dude, Miss Arakawa's bottom was worth the fare premium. Even my Inner Cynic can't believe that's all posture and wiggle skirt. Nice English, too, actually. I have heard from both Jpn and FGs that ANA is on the downward slide on other routes. I haven't flown JAL since the taxpayer paid so I can't compare, but at least neither are Great White Land Whale Air level.

I don't know if it was an ANA lounge or a generic. It's at Haneda. Upstairs. When I checked in they told me I could go there. So I did. Well appointed, very comfortable, good strong wireless connection, edible munchies (nothing frou frou or alarmingly fresh) and a delightful draught beer pouring machine that gave even me an Only in Japan!! moment (an electronic arm tips the glass to pour your beer).

[matsuki]

Singapore...which is bizarre as I've have nothing but excellent service from them a million times before. Just a really shitty/careless flight crew I guess. I paid an extra fee for the emergency row so I could stretch out and get some sleep...instead, I was literally assaulted and kept awake by those clueless fucks in every way imaginable. After 10+ hours, I was pretty tired and pissed off so while descending, I wrote/sent their customer service department a pretty detailed description of the shit service and what trouble that extra fee bought me. We'll see what they do. In the past, I had someone snatch one of my carry on bags (was no room near me and FA put it in an overhead way behind my seat) and they replaced it and the contents.

ANA from Narita to various NA places has been pretty shit for me over the past 15 years. I had to use them for work for an entire year...between fucking up/losing everyone's luggage, sending us on even shittier united flights at ANA rates, and charging insane prices for additional baggage while reducing the allowed carry-on allowance....I had nothing but trouble from them. Every time we had trouble, I had to speak for the group and file claims (friend at ANA said that earned me a place on some fucked customer list) and they were totally useless and unwilling to do anything to ease any situation besides teeth suck and bow. Manager after higher manager just gave the same "our policy is" hands-tied, shoganai, sorry you used us and got fucked excuses. (and the times I had to complain in person, there were lines of other disgruntled customers with the same issues) That being said, The first few years I came to Japan, it was all on ANA and the service was great in every way. Friend that works there confirmed it but bunch of policy changes occurred starting right after that...and they are definitely not for the customer's benefit. I think they basically ended up charging more and giving less when they figured out a big deciding factor in J-customers choosing them is simply "anshin because Japanese."

[kurogane]

Singapore...which is bizarre as I've have nothing but excellent service from them a million times before.

Yeah, I have always heard good things about them, and those advert stewardesses look delicious. Ohhhhh, you were coming from NA!!???? Was it one of those joint operation flights? Those seem to be shitshows.

ANA from Narita to various NA places has been pretty shit for me over the past 15 years.

This is what I have heard. I have also heard that ANA dishes the flight off to Land Whale airlines whenever possible. I hate those arrangements. I always flew JAL because the Jpn government seems to book JAL when available, and once I got Busyness Class important I never noticed any problems, other than being stuck in a cigar tube for 10 hours. I don't know what I will do if I can't finagle a Busyness Class ticket. Cargo hold, maybe? Apparently Alaska airlines is experimenting with that idea

BTW, I hardly saw anybody that wasn't Jpn on any of my 4 flights last visit, and the 3 I remember were all in Busyness, and we all agreed that the comically old plane aside the service was nothing short of superb. But like I said, that might be the new YVR-HND route Ganbaru ethos at work. We'll see what happens when they switch to the 787 Tai fighter.

One thing I noticed last July was how many routes from west coast NA have been curtailed even out of bigger hubs like LA and San Fran. I wonder if it is just another sign of the decline of Japan as a destination? I didn't see a single Busyness type passenger in Busyness other than the white folk; just obviously loaded tourists.

[matsuki]

BTW, I hardly saw anybody that wasn't Jpn on any of my 4 flights last visit

Which is hilarious, considering I've never seen so many ANA commercials running...so generic and lame that I doubt anyone is paying attention. (though maybe it's just nobody wants to go to safety cuntry numbaaawan!)

[Mock Cockpit]

The 787 seems to have outgrown its teething troubles and is awesome and good. I'm only hearing good things about it.

ANA are only an OK airline but the 787 is great. The electronic window dimming thing works a treat and it's lovely and quiet. Definitely going to choose it when able.

[yanpa]

One thing I noticed last July was how many routes from west coast NA have been curtailed even out of bigger hubs like LA and San Fran. I wonder if it is just another sign of the decline of Japan as a destination?

I have no idea how they get here or where from, but Tokyo is heaving with tourists, you can barely swing a cat without hitting a fair-skinned longnose, and it's tougher shooting a fish in a barrel than bumping into Chinese/SE Asians. I was walking home down the Shotengai outside my crappy 23ku kakueki-teisha station and was somewhat bemused to see a bunch of western (looked Southern European) tourists (or at least obvious non-residents) wander in to the local pachinko place (well, one of the three pachinko places).

[Samurai_Jerk]

One thing I noticed last July was how many routes from west coast NA have been curtailed even out of bigger hubs like LA and San Fran. I wonder if it is just another sign of the decline of Japan as a destination?

I have no idea how they get here or where from, but Tokyo is heaving with tourists, you can barely swing a cat without hitting a fair-skinned longnose, and it's tougher shooting a fish in a barrel than bumping into Chinese/SE Asians. I was walking home down the Shotengai outside my crappy 23ku kakueki-teisha station and was somewhat bemused to see a bunch of western (looked Southern European) tourists (or at least obvious non-residents) wander in to the local pachinko place (well, one of the three pachinko places).

I have to agree. Also more people I know back in the US are starting to vacation in Japan and a lot more are expressing interest in coming. I think it's partly because American is becoming a nation of wannabe foodies and the foodie obsession with Japan is unparalleled. The Japanese booze obsession is growing too. The prices that shochu, sake, and Japanese whiskey command in the US are pretty outrageous. The weaker yen has definitely helped too.

[dimwit]

I was in Kyoto last weekend and I would guess about a third of the people I saw foreigners.

[Coligny]

Same in Nagoya...

Toyohashi still safe. Have to check the booby trap charges on the bridges though... Never too carefull...

[matsuki]

The weaker yen has definitely helped too.

Probably the biggest factor in the people I know that "always wanted to go to Japan" pulling the trigger. That being said, flights going the opposite way are reasonable as well.

[kurogane]

Yeah, I don't know WTF I was thinking when I wrote that bit Yanpa and SJ replied to about "the death of Japan as a destination". Which only makes the cutting of west NA to Japan routes more interesting. After I read their replies I remembered how I couldn't believe the number of tourists I saw in Tokyo and even down in Ishigaki. In Tokyo it seemed moostly Asians and a surprising number of Iberians and Balkanoids, especially nearer to Akihabara. My impression of the latters was definitely an animetard influence. Shocking how dorky and miserable a lot of them were. I get the language issue, but feck, man...........read a guidebook first. They looked like they were reeancting the Bataan Death March.

I think if there is a rise in NA or Anglophone tourism it will definitely be Foody Kulchuralists; all my such friends are simply quimming over the idea. Which should keep Ishigaki safe enough. And judging by my recent Kayak.com surfing getting a mid-range hotel in any city worth visiting looks as hellish in mid and late May as it would be for the Golden Shower. Feck I hate Anime and Sooshee. And Saki as well.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I think if there is a rise in NA or Anglophone tourism it will definitely be Foody Kulchuralists; all my such friends are simply quimming over the idea.

I made sure to put the last group that came for a visit to the test. We had cod cum, natto, pig liver sashi, pig tongue sashi, chicken sashi, horse sashi, and all kinds of grilled entrails. They actually did pretty well. The funny thing is that even raw organs and jizz were more palatable to them than natto.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

PS The ANA cabin and departure lounge service this past trip was most copacetic, and Ms. Arakawa's bottom simply splendid. The menu was gayer than should be legal, but there was always ramen or rice & miso with tidbits for those of us that like their food uninfused and free of excessive sauces, exotic meats and silly continental vegetables. Highly recommended for those that might prefer to avoid the Land Whale Airlines whilst returning to the Lands of the Free-tards

LOL, was it an actual ANA lounge or just the generic Star Alliance lounge? (which are pretty good)

As much as I love Singapore, my recent return flight was the the stuff of nightmares. Elbow to the face by some baba who ended up collapsing in front of me. (looked serious and they had the O2 and all the shit out but turned out they had just given her a few too many and she couldn't hold her shit...literally...yuck) I had water dumped on me during that ruckus...which they shoganai'd and left me sitting in dampness the rest of the flight. Was stepped on again and again, and the final straw was getting knocked in the head by an apple. The bitch didn't even realize when she entered the aisle, her spin had sent apples flying and nailed me in a couple places. She ran to the back where she started serving them and the smug smile on her face went straight to confusion when she approached and saw me holding 2 apples and looking pissed off. Fucking clueless....

I did an overnight ANA flight from SIN to HND last month (SQ was CRAZY priced...double the NH flight) and although it said it was the dreamliner on the itinerary, they must have done an aircraft swap last minute. old plane, not much recline in the seats up front. Service was average at best, had to ask thrice for landing cards and she looked confused as to why I needed them.

I've truly become an Emirates snob...

[matsuki]

I did an overnight ANA flight from SIN to HND last month (SQ was CRAZY priced...double the NH flight) and although it said it was the dreamliner on the itinerary, they must have done an aircraft swap last minute. old plane, not much recline in the seats up front. Service was average at best, had to ask thrice for landing cards and she looked confused as to why I needed them.

On the Narita <-> NA routes I normally take, ANA is usually 120-300% higher. Not sure if you guys noticed that lawsuit I posted but ANA actually admitted to price fixing while Singapore and others were settling while not admitting any wrongdoing.