Shining in the moonlight, the signature brushed-metal exterior of American’s 777-200 was readying itself for the 12-hour journey back to the U.S., and at this early hour (the flight departs at 6:50 a.m.), business-class passengers in the Japan Airlines (JAL) Sakura Lounge have an excellent view of the plane parked at the gate just below.
Despite the early hour, many passengers were connecting via JAL-codeshare flights from Asian cities like Bangkok and Singapore. The lines to board were minimal and, once on the plane, I was pleased to learn that the seat next to me would be empty. Juice, fruit smoothies and Champagne were on offer and—since it’s never too early to sip Champagne—I indulged in the latter while boarding continued. Newspapers and Michael Eames amenity kits were distributed along with slippers for lounging in-flight.
American’s 37 business-class seats on this aircraft were angled lie-flats, each 21 inches wide, although the airline has announced an overhaul of the business-class cabin beginning with its new Boeing 777-300s, which will boast fully lie-flat seats, each one with direct-aisle access. On my flight, the seat was comfortable; however, I did feel a bit of pressure on my feet as my body slid a bit in the reclined position. With a seat pitch of 60 inches between rows, there was plenty of personal space—although, when someone in the aisle reclined their seat to a bed, it was an acrobatic feat to make a trip to the lav.
Just three days before my flight, American had announced a new in-flight dining and amenity program, so I was excited to try out the offering. Even the amenity kits were new: a useful, zippered toiletry bag in business and an attractive iPad case for first class. Since the flight left so early, service began with breakfast and featured a second breakfast before landing (touchdown at JFK was at 5:30 a.m.).
Once at cruising altitude, the carts rolled out in unison on either aisle. The tray table is quite large, with one part coming from the back of the seat shell in front of you while another extension comes from the armrest, giving plenty of simultaneous space for a meal tray and laptop. Service begins with a hot towel, beverage (yes, more Champagne) and an appetizer tray featuring fresh fruit and salmon with capers and lemon. It was all presented at once, but showcased the new, all-white china that the airline has recently introduced. Yogurt, warm rolls, croissants and jam were also part of the offering.
I am not a fan of airline breakfasts, because they are typically so boring. There are only so many ways you can serve a rubbery omelet or cereal. Luckily, American’s in-flight team decided to offer both breakfast and lunch options on the printed menu. I went with the beef short ribs, served over rice with a side of scrambled eggs. The combination was filling and served piping hot. The chilled Champagne continued to flow even after the trays were cleared. Unlike lunch and dinner services, this first service did not feature dessert, which typically arrives in grandiose fashion atop a three-tiered cart proffering made-to-order ice cream sundaes and sweet cakes with coffee or tea.
I was stuffed anyway and proceeded to work and watch movies. The 10.6-inch-wide screen was quite small for a business-class seat, but the screens will be enlarged significantly in the carrier’s new business-class product. A basket of cookies, nuts and salty snacks was set out by the boarding door, and hot noodle bowls and a bento box of sushi was offered mid-flight.
Next up for me was testing out the soft blanket and enormous pillow, which put me into a decent slumber for at least six hours. I didn’t want to wake up when the meal carts clanked through again an hour and a half before landing, but I never like to miss a meal. The choice for the second brunch was crepes with a sweet fruit filling or prawns served over a bed of couscous. The latter was served chilled, so I opted for the crepes and was not disappointed.
Strangely, the flight attendants collected the excellent Bose noise-reduction headphones more than an hour before arrival, which seemed unnecessary. Couldn’t this have been done just before landing? There were disposable headsets provided as a backup option, however.
It was a pleasant surprise to find the flight crew walking through the cabin, thanking passengers for flying American—something I had not seen before on AA. Clearly, there is an intense effort to up the ante on the airline’s international premium product and, with new amenities arriving in conjunction with new service, American is ready to compete with U.S. and foreign airlines.
The benefit of departing and arriving so early is little traffic on either end (avoiding the traffic-ridden ride to Tokyo Narita airport is always a bonus). As the only carrier traversing between Japan’s convenient Haneda airport and JFK, this is the answer to the harried business traveler who wishes to work a full day both in Tokyo and New York without skipping a beat.
Courtesy : Premier Traveler
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