While certainly niche, here’s an interesting thing I just learned, thanks to OMAAT reader Hiro. Did you know there’s an airline that offers lounge access to all economy passengers on one specific flight? Neither did I (I’m not talking about Bangkok Airways, which offers lounge access to all passengers, but in reality lounges are just the gate area with some free drinks and snacks)…
In this post:
Japan Airlines’ economy lounge access for one flight
Japan Airlines has among the more generous lounge access policies out there. While it’s standard for first and business class passengers to get lounge access, Japan Airlines goes beyond that. For example, premium economy and full fare economy passengers get access to the carrier’s lounges.
There’s one flight where the airline takes it to the next level, though. Japan Airlines offers all economy passengers on flight JL41 from Tokyo Haneda (HND) to London Heathrow (LHR) lounge access. Yes, even non-full fare economy passengers.
This is Japan Airlines’ last long haul departure of the night from Tokyo Haneda, and it typically departs at 1AM. There are some restrictions associated with economy lounge access:
- Lounge access is only permitted starting at 10:30PM, 2.5 hours before the scheduled 1AM departure
- Access is limited to the Japan Airlines Sakura Sky View Lounge, and not the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge; the lounge is just as high quality, but doesn’t have showers
- Economy lounge access is only offered on this flight, and not on any other flight, including the flight in the other direction (JL42)
What’s the logic for this generous lounge policy?
What’s Japan Airlines’ logic for offering lounge access to economy passengers on one particular flight? I imagine there are a couple of factors at play here.
For one, this is presumably intended to be a competitive advantage, and to get people to book Japan Airlines over a competing airline. Getting access to a great business class lounge on an economy ticket is quite a nice perk, and I have to imagine that all else being equal, some people would choose Japan Airlines over a competitor because of this (assuming they knew this was offered).
Beyond that, though, I imagine that this costs the airline very little, on a variety of fronts:
- This frequency is operated by the Boeing 787-8, Japan Airlines’ smallest long haul aircraft, which has just 156 economy seats
- This is the carrier’s last long haul flight of the night, so presumably the lounge has extra capacity at that hour anyway
- Because the airline offers lounge access, it doesn’t serve a meal after takeoff, but instead serves the first meal around eight hours after takeoff; economy passengers can avail themselves to some basic snacks until that point
For those curious, below is the economy menu for the flight once onboard, with a single meal served around eight hours after takeoff. Given the flight time of roughly 14 hours, serving a meal a little over halfway into the flight is sort of odd timing. But I guess at that point it’s a mealtime back in Japan, and most people will be hungry. For that matter, it’s not like most people get 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep in economy.
Bottom line
Japan Airlines offers lounge access to economy passengers traveling on the carrier’s very early morning (or late night, if you prefer) flight to London, JL41. This is unique, as I can’t think of any other airline that offers lounge access to all economy passengers.
I’m sure many economy passengers appreciate this perk. The catch is that inflight service is then more limited, and no meal is served after takeoff. I find this to be a fascinating product offering, and I’d be curious to know how many passengers are actually aware of this, and how much this drives economy bookings on this flight (vs. the other Japan Airlines frequency, or booking a flight with a competitor).
What do you make of Japan Airlines’ unique lounge access perk for JL41? Is there any other economy flight I’m missing that offers a similar benefit?
FYI, JAL do have some more mid to long haul service from Haneda around midnight - to DOH(23:30), to BKK and SIN (24:10), to SGN (25:25) but none of Y passengers on these flights would not receive lounge access.
JL still offer lounge access to all pax before Ukraine war
Not the only example of this!
Bangkok Airways has lounge access for all passengers at its BKK hub, and its Samui hub (owned by the airline) is set up like a lounge with free refreshments for all pax.
Tiered members of its frequent flyer program have a slightly nicer lounge.
For it to become competitive advantage, I wonder how many people realize they will be given lounge access at the time of booking?
For US domestic flights, I would prefer that cabin luggage be allowed, not just a personal item, even if that is offset by no drinks or snacks on the flight.
Methinks a longhaul Y review is in order to cover this full unique experience…
(It was a 2:45 am departure pre-pandemic & Russian Airspace closure so the policy made even more sense then)
I guess, if the lounge is just offering some food/drink that they otherwise would've received on the plane, the difference from sitting in the general airport waiting areas isn't that significant. The terminal seating areas at HND are relatively nice anyway.
Hey Ben, Bangkok Airways offers a lounge experience for their economy passengers too. It’s actually a cute little airline. White lotus 3 will probably get them some love as Koh Samui airport is owned by the airline.
What happens if you have a special meal request like halal or kosher? Would they serve you a meal in the lounge?
Most normal people wouldn’t eat at that time, hence the idea is that they would mostly sleep on board.
I’ve taken that flight and was pleasantly surprised to be offered lounge access as I was in economy. Therefore I ate in the lounge and slept for most of the time on board.
Personally, if a flight leaves after ~9pm, I'd rather they fed us on the ground so I can get right to attempting to sleep once we're in the air.
... I say looking at the 11:45pm departure I have tonight
If an airline provides a meal at the airport, I am more than fine with the airline not offering a meal after takeoff. This is the type of cost-cutting that I am completely fine with.
Porter Airlines has drinks and snacks for passengers in the gate area. Happy Hanukkah.
also relates to this flight being extra long and painful now that it cannot fly over Russia.
This is clearly set up to avoid serving a late dinner meal on the flight. On other JL flights that leave late at night - the food service is just a minimal, optional supper with the lights out - even in First and Business.
JAL have reversed the policy and now serves full meal (same portion as lunch/dinner) in all cabins for long haul late night departures (currently HND-LHR and JFK-HND are the only ones). Just not right after take off, where substantial dine-on-demand light meal menu is still available on request in premium cabins.
ANA on the other hand, could be disappointing on routes like HND-US West Coast-HND as they just have very minimal breakfast as the main...
JAL have reversed the policy and now serves full meal (same portion as lunch/dinner) in all cabins for long haul late night departures (currently HND-LHR and JFK-HND are the only ones). Just not right after take off, where substantial dine-on-demand light meal menu is still available on request in premium cabins.
ANA on the other hand, could be disappointing on routes like HND-US West Coast-HND as they just have very minimal breakfast as the main meal in premium cabins.
An interesting and innovative concept. Although the passengers will weigh more from the food consumed at the lounge, this extra weight is more than offset by less catering food and supplies carried onboard and perhaps less cabin service stress on the FAs.
You do pint out that the flight weight load is likely (more than) balanced out.
Try weighing yourself before a major meal, the actual weight gain is minimal. Any unusual weight gains are more likely related to fluids.
I wish more airlines would think logically about meal service like this. If I'm boarding a flight at 1am...the only thing I want to do is go to sleep...I don't need a meal at that hour and I certainly don't want the lights on for two hours while a meal is served, eaten, and cleaned.
yes, especially for situations like BA/AA from NYC to LHR, where they operate high frequency shuttles between 6pm and midnight. They should have a policy of no meals on flights taking off after 9pm. People who want meals can opt into earlier flights, and people who want sleep can opt into later flights. BA has done things like this from time to time.
Agree, for a while BA was serving dinner in the lounge and only a light optional meal on board on eastbound transatlantics, is that still the case?
AF until recently offered night service on the later flights from JFK and YUL to CDG where business class passengers could opt to have the meal they would have on board in the lounge.
@mark - You do realise that most people travel because they need to get from A to B and time travel has not been invented yet, right? You are always free to decline a meal if you don't want it, it's not compulsory to eat it. But removing that option and telling people to just take an earlier flight (which may not be an option for them) is ridiculous.
Based on the comments here, I think you would be outvoted, and I think BA could charge much more for J/F tickets on later evening flights specifically marketed as being without meals. Most people in J/F between NYC and LHR want 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep and have little interest in eating (and less interest in being disrupted by noisy meal service for a small number of others).
All passengers on Bangkok Airways receive lounge access when traveling on any flight, regardless of class of service.
As nice of a benefit as that is, the PG boutique lounges (and not their proper blue ribbon lounges) are just a step above an airport common waiting area with some cold snacks and some water/tea/coffee. Not the same as a Sakura lounge
@ Thailand Starts Here -- Thanks! Added reference to that in the post, but as noted by Rob, I'd consider this to be a separate concept, and in a different league.
Sky express in Greece used to offer lounge to all Passengers in economy as well... Now it seems only available to full fares (that include a checked bag)