JAL Reveals New Narita First Class Lounge

My problem with these changes to more substantial food offerings is that they come at the expense of finger food. Despite having been in most of the top rated first class lounges, my personal favorite first class lounge food are the tea sandwiches that BA services in the LHR First lounges. Simple, quick to eat, tasty and hunger curbing.

Lucky,

This newly renovated F lounge used to be the shared Sakura and Firsr Class Lounge on the 4th floor. According to local news, this is just the dining section as the current F lounge on the 3rd floor was subsequently closed also the same day as this new one re-opened as the former will be renovated and scheduled to open around Fall. My guess is there will be a grand staircase similar to the Sakura Lounge to connect the dining hall to the main lounge. So this is actually an enormous improvement as the old F lounge have been like a market place during AM and afternoon peak times.

More pictures of the new F dining lounge below as reported by local media (in japanese only)

https://travel.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1177450.html

Looks like they only renovated the 4th floor section, and are now continuing reno on the 3rd floor. Interesting to see what’ll look like fully refurbished. Also, they’ve been putting restrictions on partner access to both lounges in the main building even though only first was being reno’d.

Leo,

Restrictions to partner airlines were properly communicatrd by JL in accessing the said lounges in Narita until the renovation is completed by Fall 2019.

https://www.jal.co.jp/en/info/inter/181024.html

Excellent news. Can't wait to visit.

Something I've always found baffling about the Asian carriers is the rubbish lounges they generally offer, even at their hubs, doesn't correlate with the great onboard premium products. I exclude CX here as they have fantastic lounges. But it's just something they don't seem to put much effort into.

I haven't flown every Asian carrier in a premium cabin but out of those that I have for one reason (or reasons) or another found most of them to be a disappointment. I've mainly had access to the business class lounges (with the exception of JAL, CX and MH by virtue or Oneworld emerald and had access to the F lounges) but regardless of J or F lounges I've used I've just felt 'meh' at best disappointed at worst:

'Meh' - Singapore, JAL (F/J), MH (F/J), Eva Air, ANA.
Disappointed - Thai, Asiana, Korean, China Southern, China Eastern.

This is probably JL’s answer to ANA’s Dining H, an a la carte dining dinner service in their HND lounge.

I will be checking this out next Thursday. Looking forward to it as the old lounge was very cramped. Even as an add on restaurant it looks appealing.

@Duck Ling: I agree with you on the state of Asian carriers' lounges not living up to their on-board product. I've never flown F, but have flown J a bunch and noticed that too. Specifically, EVA, SQ, Korean and Asiana.

@Duck Ling : x2 on your remarks. Especially TG lounges. They are very very worn and dated. The lounge at BKK gate 63 is terrible.

I'll be flying LAX-NRT first class on JAL then transfer to another flight on JAL in business class (no 1st class cabin). My question, which lounge can I use at NRT? First or Business?

Lucky, the restriction @Paulo posted seems to speak of codeshare only, so I imagine this means they are referring strictly to cabin-based access, but not status-based access? Or across the board for non-JAL flights? Did your friends who accessed fly on another OW airline, but happen to be Emerald?

First class expert here. I'll try to give it a try soon.

I’ll be there is just a few hours. Will report back.

Flying SFO-HND round trip later this year in First, I dont suppose there's a chance of improving the SFO lounge?

I will be flying F out of there to LAX later this month. Look forward to seeing the improvements.

That food looks really good

I would take JAL F lounge at NRT over HND everyday of the week and twice on Sundays...just for the toro

In Japanese article, it’s said that all passengers who take flights of AA, CX, QF, AY, IB, MH, S7 and UL are not eligible to use the (JAL) lounges during the construction periods (except codeshare flight under JAL flight number)
https://www.jal.co.jp/info/inter/181024.html

It’s now under phase II construction period to update the first class lounge at 3rd floor in main terminal, so I believe unless you fly with JAL metal or codeshare flight under JAL number, no access to the JAL first class lounge even you have emerald status if you fly AA metal flight in J or F with AA flight number until phase 2 construction completed in sometime SEP/OCT 2019.

I am here now, accessing using BA Gold status and on an MH flight. Really like the expanded space here and food options. Gives the ANA HND lounge a run for its money!

Just walked in and was expecting the “old” JL F lounge and to my surprise I’m sitting across from a lovely hinoki sushi bar in a bright, calm, serene setting. Massive upgrade.

Is the Narita first class lounge sushi station still "all you can eat"? The webs shows images of the sign that says "set of 3 only" now.

Excellent. Just visited and was quite impressed.