In July 2019, All Nippon Airways introduced spectacular-looking new first & business class seats with barely any lead time, as their first plane with these seats entered service just weeks later.
Continue reading: Review: NEW ANA 777 “The Room” Business Class
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Amazing.. patiently waiting for these to hit the west coast... obviously have not flown these yet, but agree looks like the qsuite may be #2. Although the color pattern of the qsuites are much more appealing imo. But I rather have room and service over color of seats and cabin.
Great review
I am truly impressed! I usually fly Qatar to Tokyo because of their QSuites, but I'm going to look into this option as soon as they offer this to Frankfurt.
Looks very spacious and stylish! Thanks for yet another great review. Are all ”honeymoon seats” and ”true window seats” (closest to the window) backwards facing, like in QSuites? That bugs me.
I also found the service of ANA to have somewhat decreased over the years? I flew ANA F from IAD in the old product last year and they didn't even pour all the drinks at your seat. The flight attendants did not speak English well enough to explain the drinks. There wasn't something extra special like in JAL F where they would check and make sure the bathroom is clean before you used it, personal note, etc. For F it was a bit underwhelming. These seats look as good as F, width-wise. I probably would pick this over many other F products like AA Flagship F.
It looks great, especially as a bed.
But ... what about armrests? I don’t see any, and they’re not mentioned in the review?
Ben, this may seem like a silly question all things considered, but was the lack of an arm rest on one side uncomfortable at all? It seems like an incredible seat, but this is something that has stuck out to me, for if you are working or lounging.
@ GuruJanitor -- Not a silly question at all! It didn't bother me one bit, and that may be in part because there were two pillows at the seat, so I could just put those next to me, and they acted as nice armrest substitutes.
Wonder if being left of right handed might come into the seat selection given there is only an arm-rest on one side.
Must admit - LOVE the look of this setup!
I sat in 13K which was an odd numbered row rear facing window seat.
"In odd numbered rows (seats “C,” “D,” “G,” and “H”), seats are rear facing and are further from the aisle, and window seats are closer to the windows
In even numbered rows (seats “A,” “E,” “F,” and “K”), seats are forward facing and are closer to the aisle, and window seats are further from the windows"
For those asking about armrests, yes they are there and you can see them in the pictures. Take a closer look. The seats are too wide for you to be able to use both armrests, if you really need a second armrest in that case you can use the pillows.
Lucky, no note on the HDMI port? The 24" and 42" displays in the J and F cabins are 4K resolution and being able to watch whatever content I want off my phone, tablet, laptop, etc, at high resolution is a huge win. I don't even care about the IFE on these planes.
@ Brandon -- Now that you bring it up, there was a specific announcement that the HDMI ports weren't working, so can't chime in on that. That's an awesome feature otherwise.
@ Ben -- Thanks for the review. We look forward to giving this product a try when First awards aren't available!
@ Eugene
Thanks — that’s helpful (and not brilliant in what looks otherwise like a great new seat).
I don't know why most reviewers fail to mention the HDMI ports on this product and qsuites - the most useful feature for a business traveller. Having a second screen increases the productivity significantly, and could be the sole reason for choosing this over JAL.
@The nice Paul - I really didn't see this as an issue. I'll take having armrests being too far apart due to seat being very wide over a cramped space any day. There are two pillows and a blanket waiting for you on your seat that in any other case you'd put in the overhead bin but because the seat is so wide you can just leave them there and use them as an armrest. Worse case if enough people complain ANA can always offer a rectangular hard pillow similar to what SQ used to offer with their A345 J seats.
Fantastic review! Looks like a spectacular product. Regarding the bed: How long would you say the bed was?
Waiting for this product to roll out on the LAX-NRT/HND flights!! Looks like it’s such a big improvement on the old J. Can we a late 2020 LAX route roll out?
Waiting for this product to roll out on the LAX-NRT/HND flights!! Looks like it’s such a big improvement on the old J.
Can we Expect a late 2020 LAX route roll out? Superrrrr excited!
Hope this comes to IAD soon.
NH's current business class product doesn't have any storage either, so it's too bad they didn't improve that
Great review as always. Did you notice the photo of Carlos Ghosn in the photo of the WiFi screen? Strange but quite topical!
Great review, and it looks like a solid product.
That said, I wonder about this one line:
"Sitting in one of the mini cabins is probably ideal in terms of minimizing foot traffic and privacy, though I chose to sit in the main cabin, since I was curious to observe the service flow."
I can see why you would want to minimize foot traffic, but I can't see why you would also want to minimize privacy. Maybe you meant to say "minimizing foot traffic and maximizing privacy"?
I recently had a chance to test out this product also. One thing I noticed is that the seat is very low. That's not a bad thing; I actually thought it was very comfortable. When the seat is in the dining position it is at its highest height and the back of the seat is almost 90 degrees upright.
I sat in 5A and my only issue was that after the main meal service, I had trouble sleeping because the FA's would sort out the plates and utensils in the galley area between rows 6 and 7. My flight was NH110 and it seemed like a lot of people must have been awake during the flight and ordering food because the sound of the plates being stacked and utensils being sorted seemed to go on for a long time and seemed louder than usual. I usually always sit in the mini business cabin and usually galley noise is not an issue so I don't know if this was just an isolated incident or something with the new seats.
I didn't realize that it wasn't standard to receive a PDB on Japanese airlines. I definitely got one flying KUL-NRT in NH regional business on the 787.
Nice seats! The champagne is middling but I would drink it anyway. But that St Michelle chardonnay is trash, yuck!
Wow, serving Noguchi Naohiko in business class is pretty amazing. That is one of the newest, most exciting (also most hyped), but also best Sake breweries in japan. Noguchi-san is head of the Noto toji guild and almost unique amongst master brewers does not drink alcohol, he’s almost a Beethoven if brewing.
I was lucky enough to visit his brewery outside Komatsu this summer, truly a magical little place and the tasting room is a thing of pure beauty, model on a traditional tea house but ultra modern in style with a vista over the rice fields.
Lucky, the Hakkaisan is acceptable but it pales in comparison to the Noguchi Naohiko. If you haven’t already taken your next ANA flight drink this sake on the plane, even if you have to call it up from business class.
I find it’s really rare in for a drink on a plane to be special and interesting like that.
I don’t have any good photos of the brewery, I screwed up there, howeveR here is a very reverent photo of some Noguchi Naohiko Miyamanishinki muroka namagenshu in our hotel room in Kyoto after visiting the brewery.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B22hMdsAZka/?igshid=1bftpxuuu2b73
I just checked out the first class menu for this month and they have a couple of really interesting sakes. Again, from Noguchi Naohiko the have the Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki Muroka Genshu which is really special (and bloody expensive). Try this but also call up a drop of the business class one because it would make a good comparison.
There’s also a kijoushu which is a rare and unusual form of sweet sake that is brewed using a method that is analogous to the solera method for making sherry. Would be lovely with dessert.
I’m very jealous and now I have a reason for switching my allegiance from JAL to ANA.
When will this cabin be available to SFO? Probably not in time for my May trip.
Carlos Ghosn welcoming you to ana WiFi? Hilarious!
While they offer a good selection of wines, why they limit to mass produced beers? I don't understand why many non North American carriers don't carry craft beers: they aren't much more expensive than mass produced beers.
Have to echo the sentiment of others: the HDMI ports may seem like an afterthought but are game changers. As someone who typically works on 2-3 monitors at the office, this would help keep my productivity at a high level.
It also helps with the issue of ANA having a lackluster entertainment selection. Just plug your device in and boom, access to all your favorites on the large 4K screen in front of you. Shame it wasn’t working on your flight.
"If there’s one place in the world you can travel where you can let your guard down when it comes to safety, it’s Japan. Obviously there are still some risks, but…" - Actually its that type of naive thinking that results in people becoming victims of crimes. Tourists who let their guard down are routinely drugged and robbed in places like Roppongi and kabukicho. You might also be interested in knowing that 95% of rapes in Japan go unreported and when it is reported the experiences of the survivors of sexual assault with the criminal justice system are often horrific. There is a reason why they have woman only cars on the subway. Its absolutely terrible advice to suggest that somebody should ever let their guard down in a foreign country. Many foreigners have experienced that the police are less interested in solving cases involving foreigner victims. I'm not saying Japan is the most dangerous place in the world (its quite safe compared to many places in the world) and they have indeed been taking steps to fix some of the issues with their system but when people let their guard down that is when they become victims.
@Ben
You are not bothered by the fact that one has to sleep at an angle? This always seem to be an issue for you on SQ. Here is it is completely passed over. Or that the seat belt is in the middle of the seat and can be a bit annoying when sleeping at an angle.
Do you have to sleep on the diagonal like in SQ biz? impressive square footage but looks very office-like...
Availability for Virgin Atlantic award space has been non existent. Great to see this new offering but pretty much impossible to book
Wow this is a huge upgrade! We just flew ANA biz this past July. I am definitely interested in re-booking with the upgraded seats.
Not sure what happened to others in ANA.... I recently flew ORD-HND, then two segments to BKK, and NRT-IAD. These were on 777 and 787, with the old style seats.
The service, on all four flights was personable, friendly and attentive. There were pre-departure meals. I only had the Japanese meals on all four flights, which were excellent. I never had any language issues, and could always communicate regarding any service items. On two of the flights the FAs were especially friendly and conversant. After having flown 3 million miles on United, it was refreshing to be appreciated and everyone seem to enjoy themselves. The boarding process was amazing , organized, polite and not the mad dash of most US departures.
OK, so only ONE gripe, which apparently they will be fixing. Almost all Asian airlines are stifling overheated, and hot, to the point of being very uncomfortable. I almost wanted to take off my shirt while sleeping just to cool down. A welcome addition to install air vents on the 777. Hopefully, over time, they will cycle in air vents on all aircraft, as they are replaced.
Bravo to ANA, can't wait to fly the new cabins.... Also, I will be moving towards more international travel, and will attempt to go through Japan as much as I can, just to escape UAL.
The catering doesn't look as good as that of JL J. A little disappointing- thought ANA would improve F&B while also improving the hardware.
@ Rich C -- I'm sure it will return to normal soon, but I think the lack of availability is expected given the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo.
@ Grenn -- Nope, you don't! So you get all that extra width, but you don't have to sleep diagonally.
@ Jesper -- Unlike on Singapore you don't need to sleep at an angle. The footwell is deep enough that you can sleep "straight" if you want, and you'll just have a lot of extra space on the side.
@ Michael -- For couples the center seats in the odd numbered rows are ideal. You don't get a "double" bed, but you can lower the divider so that you can sit right next to the person you're traveling with.
@ Rico -- SFO hasn't yet been announced as a destination, though I'm sure it will be on the route eventually. We just don't have a timeline yet.
And United has...Polaris. Already looks and feels dated and it's only 1/2 rolled out.
Can the HDMI evangelists explain why they find it so useful on a plane? I can play videos via USB from a phone or tablet much more easily (the quality isn't quite AS exquisite, but it’s still great.) Or are you using the aircraft TV as a computer screen while you type on your laptop? Unless you’re a hardcore gamer or a video editor, I don’t see why that’s such a game changer. Sell it to us?
@Ben
Yoiu are the first I have heard that finds the footwell deep enough to not sleep at an angle. You must curl up quite a bit, though the seat does allow for that. Even average height people normally complain that they have to sleep at an angle to fit fully.
Always appreciate different opinions. I have never flown Qsuites, but I was underwhelmed with the Room on the same route last month.
The seat was noticably lower to the floor than any other Y,J, F seat out there. Being 6'3, it was uncomfortable.
The seat is as flat as can be, with zero support anywhere. It felt like, and almost looked like, a bench seat on a yellow school bus.
Pillows were great, but the pad and duvet lacks. No armrest, and while you can 'create' one with pillows, it's not the same.
My dinner service was over 4 hours, and they wake you up 3 hours before landing. Both were with full blast lighting. No personalization at all, and the service was same as Eco class. (they have good service in the back!)
Yes there is a lot of room, but sometimes having a suite at a Hyatt Regency, is not as good as a standard room at the Mandarin Oriental.
Except for immediately during boarding, I have never felt the wow factor disappear so quickly in all my travels. In fact, it made me upset because they missed a golden opportunity, the lighting is obnoxious, and the food was average (I'm sure as Ben had, there are always exceptions, heck- even UA and AA can have the odd perfect main dish.
If JAL had air nozzles and kept it cooler, they win hands down. However, with JAL being too hot, and ANA uncomfortable, I'd wouldn't choose either. It's unfortunate, because the attention to detail on JAL is impressive, and similarly on intra Asia ANA flights. I prefer CX or EVA by a lot.
@UA-NYC:
Honestly, having just flown Polaris and ANA's old 777 business class back to back roundtrip, I would take the Polaris seat over the old ANA business seat. The angled entrance makes the window/honeymoon seats feel much more private and the seats are softer. The bedding is also better. I think the real issue though is that the ANA seats are just getting worn out on many aircraft, and the color palette hasn't aged too well.
It's by no means competitive with Qsuites or the new Delta cabins, but in a vacuum I'd take Polaris over the old ANA biz, though ANA has a better soft product (except their IFE offerings).
Thank you Ben for a great review! Question: the "thin pad" for sleeping, how thin is it? Is it thinner than the CX Biz class pad that you just flown recently? This seat definitely looked much better than SQ's biz class seats.
The shade is great if it works. I flew Emirates' First Class on A380, and one of the shade wasn't working. The FA tried to fix it but failed, so I basically had the entire flight in daylight. Trust me, that was not fun!
While I loved having such a suite in business class, the hard bed and the poor IFE (very limited choices and what is offered is of low quality) made a long flight feel that much longer.
"But stay tuned, because soon I’ll share my thoughts on whether I’d rather fly The Room or Qsuites."
Why do I get the feeling you will end up choosing the Qsuites, even though the The Room is a better suite...
I'm surprised they have partnered with Ippudo on the ramen, as it's one of the wrist chains in Japan imho. Ichiran is miles better.
Also, Japanese seem to like rock hard beds, maybe it had something to do with them sleeping on the floor (tatami)? I like a nice firm bed, but at times, is impossible to get s good night's sleep in Japan, because the beds are so hard.
Ben, I’m surprised with what you have mentioned about the pre departure drink service not being done on ANA. I flew YVR-HND recently and I was served a beverage before take off. Is the nixing of pre dep drinks recent of restricted to certain routes?
What I find surprising is that many people complain that there are not enough reviews on this blog. I don't know if number of comments is an indication of the number of people engaging about a post, but reviews do not get as many comments as other topics, such as the most recent Ukrainian plane crash or the American Airlines downgrade that Ben posted about.
@Thirsty Go
Interesting comments, did the seat have sufficient length for you in full sleep mode?
I'm 3 inches taller.
That ledge could potentially have housed a storage compartment although they probably didn't as there's most likely a lot of wiring in there so they didn't have the space.
I also know the Singapore first class drinks problem. I flew them once and I don't remember all of it because I was so drunk after about 3 hours that I think I just fell asleep as soon as the meal service had been cleared. I was so hungover when I arrived in London that the immigration officer said, quote you look f*****g horrendous
Ben, do you find the seat back a bit too steep and hard? In similar product, I have this issue with SQ's.
The seat is huge, but looks very upright and flat. I am sure being flat would be great for sleeping, but when seated I would imagine you wouldn't feel that well supported. And is that an edible spoon I saw?
Excellent review! This has quite a resemblance with A350-1000 Qsuites.
But the 71" seat length is little short for me, that's where 81" Qsuites might be better for taller travelers? Just a thought.
Still, I'd have to try this new business class while flying to BOM, although my favorite has been Qsuites all these years. A healthy competition is always good!
Do Virgin miles awards on ANA count as 'ANA' or 'Star Alliance' - on the ANA website there seem to be quite strict differences in how The Room can be booked on certain days. e.g. July LHR > HND can only be booked if under an 'ANA' award, not *A. So given Virgin is neither, I wondered how to use ANA's availability as a guide
if thats business class wtf is first?
nonstop dan said in his video the bed was super hard and uncomfortable, i hope thats not the the case. otherwise cant wait for these to roll out at LAX!!!!
Hey Ben! Traveling as a couple, would you recommend the two center seats? Wondering if that would be a better option than two windows or a window + center. Thanks in advance for your answer!
The flat bed looks amazing and it covers the whole of the floor, thus giving you more room. It is a ODD that the lights do Not dim during a night take off, this is safety measure that should be followed!
ANA has two outbound spots in London from Heathrow (LHR) and London City Airport (LCY)
04-14-2023 just flew the Room bus class from SFO to Haneda leaving at 1:45am. No dinner service only light menu. No turn down no pajama. Hard product amazing but soft products is not even as good as China Airlines. Disappointed
Flew The Room LHR-HND July 2023.
The seat is incredible, exactly as Ben describes. Huge, spacy.
The soft product is totally different story. I had an Argentinian guy taking care of me and it was a Ryanair style. Really, Ive never had so bad experience in C, maybe with the exception of AA.
But not only the service, also the amenity kit is really poor, no hot towel, the food (bot western and japanese) was average to poor. Pyjamas are available, but only on request and it is not mentioned anywhere.
Good wifi though.
All in all - superb hard product on par with F in many airlines, but only *** soft product.
The connecting flight HND-SYD in 787 was a great staff, the rest the same.
Have to agree with the recent comments here - soft product left me really disappointed on a recent flight.