Review of Japan Airlines first class lounge at Narita: a little sanctuary

The beauty of having the right status, when you fly into certain airports, is that it doesn't matter if you're traveling in the first or last row, on the ground you are treated better than those who travel in business. It does not happen often, but it is one of the features of the oneWorld alliance, which allows holders of Emerald status, the highest level among those in the alliance, to have access to first-class waiting rooms.

There is a small "however" you have access to all first class lounges except for two companies, British Airways' Concorde room, this lounge is only accessed if you fly first class with British Airways and no other airline and in Doha where you cannot go up the escalators of Qatar's Al Safwa.

After more than 3 years, one of the best lounges in the world has reopened: The Pier Cathay First Class

I have no idea why there is such a difference, not least because at the level of First Class companies such as JAL, Qantas and Cathay have nothing to envy BA and Qatar, quite the contrary.

Access

As mentioned in this lounge can be accessed by first class passengers with a flight departing from Tokyo Narita aboard JAL and all elite members with Emerald card regardless of travel class And who have the status printed on the boarding pass.

Location

The hall is located in Narita terminal 2., past customs control just head toward Gate 40 and you will see the entrance to the two different lounges. A total of First and business class passengers are housed in the same block on three different levels.

The lounge

The hall is spread over two floors, the upper floor is the main floor, while the lower level houses the showers and whiskey bar, a feature that is also present in the sister lounge in Haneda Airport.

The heart of the lounge is the dining room, which is divided into two. On one side is the sushi bar, here two masters freshly prepare dishes that are ordered via the digital menu.

On the other side is the area that we might call Western.

There is a lot of seating and three distinct rooms as far as the dining room is concerned.

On the opposite side are the areas dedicated to relaxation, from the booths where you can make phone calls without disturbing or being disturbed. There are several seats, massage chairs all in a very, very, neat, clean, quiet and not at all crowded environment.

The Wishky room is a room for true connoisseurs, so not for me. The ambiance is speakeasy model, in complete contrast to the brightness of the other rooms, everything here is dark and a bartender is on hand to cater to the guests' palates h24 and of course there were those who were sipping a drink because as I always say at the airport, all passengers are on a personal time zone and not necessarily aligned with their neighbors' or place.

Food & Beverage

I have already visited JAL's first-class lounge at Haneda, and with this I made en plein. The treatment and quality of service is on par. As my flight to Hong Kong was departing at 10 am, I hadn't had breakfast at the hotel specifically to savor the time in this lounge. Service is at the table, you order from the app what you want and are served by the staff.

I don't think I have ever been served a breakfast in such an elegant and orderly manner. You can see all the manic constant pursuit of Japanese perfection. One only has to compare the two dishes to see how everything is taken care of down to the smallest detail. Of course, it was not only beautiful, but everything was also good.

If I wanted to, I could have had champagne, wine, a cocktail but I restrained myself and only had orange juice and water. Alternatively, there are also the iconic automatic beer tappers, with glass to be taken strictly chilled in the nearby fridge.

In conclusion

There is nothing to make you say wow, there are no massages, play rooms, or pool table. Actually, there isn't even a particular view. But what it offers is accurate and level-headed.

The verdict

The twin in Haneda Airport has more personality and even a hint of design, but here it is pure Japanese rigor. Service is impeccable and without any smears.

7.5

Rated Location

8

F&B

8.5

Services

7

Pro

• The service
• Gastronomic offerings
• Location

Against

• It lacks that imaginative touch
• Essential services only