Japan Airlines JL123 crash remembered 30 years on.

August 12th marked the 30th year since Japan Airlines [JL/JAL] flight JL123, an ordinary domestic flight from Tokyo/Haneda [HND/RJTT] bound for Osaka/Itami [ITM/RJOO], crashed into Mount Osutaka in Ueno Village, Gunma. It claimed the lives of all but four of 509 passengers and 15 crew members aboard, making it the deadliest aviation accident in Japan and the deadliest single-airliner accident in history. Boeing 747SR-46 JA8119 was the aircraft involved.

JAL President Yoshiharu Ueki paid tribute at the crash site memorial, swearing safety would never be compromised again. Mr. Ueki has participated in the ceremony every year since taking office in 2012. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Last evening on August 11th, bereaved families and relatives floated lanterns on nearby Kanno River to honor those who perished and pray for aviation safety. On the following day today, hundreds of mourners hiked up the mountain to reach the crash site. Among them was Yoshiharu Ueki, JAL's current President. "I expressed my deepest condolence and apology to the 520 who died. I would like to apologize to the families and relatives for 30 years of suffering and sadness," said Mr. Ueki, adding "Lives come first. No compromise nor excuse is acceptable when it comes to safety. That is engrained in the hearts of the 32,000 employees at JAL."

A moment of silence was observed by participants at a ceremony that was held at the memorial facility near the foot of Mount Osutaka at 1856 JST, the exact time the ill-fated aircraft ended its short voyage. It was attended by 252 family members and relatives of the vitctims, as well as 104 officials from the local government, regulator Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), and JAL, including Mr. Ueki, Chairman Masaru Onishi, and Vice President Nobuhiro Sato.

The doomed 747 that departed Haneda at 1812 on August 12th, 1985 quickly ran into trouble when a loud bang was heard followed by decompression. JA8119 had been involved in a tailstrike incident at Itami seven years earlier as flight JL115, and faulty repair of the damaged rear pressure bulkhead was determined as the cause of it not withstanding pressurization on the 12,319th flight after the fix. When the bulkhead gave way, the resulting explosive decompression ruptured the lines of all four hydraulic systems and ejected the vertical stabilizer. With the aircraft's flight controls disabled, the 747 became uncontrollable. Desperate efforts by the crew to tame the plane were in vain, and the aircraft crashed into Mount Osutaka approximately 30 minutes later.

Source: Aviation Wire, August 12th. (in Japanese)

CoachFlyer DL283: NRT - BKK on Delta Air Lines' Boeing 747.

Travel date: November 2013
Flight: DL283
Route: Tokyo/Narita (NRT/RJAA) - Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS)
Carrier: Delta Air Lines (DL/DAL)
Aircraft: Boeing 747-451 N672US
Class: Economy
Direct distance: 4,649 km (2,890 miles)
Flight time: 6 hours 6 minutes

Being a weekday during a relatively off-peak travel period, no crowd was seen at Narita Airport (NRT/RJAA), the main international gateway serving Tokyo but situated in neighboring Chiba prefecture. From the train station underground, we strolled to Delta Air Lines' (DL/DAL) counters, located in the North Wing of Terminal 1 along with most other SkyTeam carriers. Having SkyTeam Elite Plus, we had access to the SkyPriority check-in lanes that are offered for Business Elite passengers, and with ample desks open, there was no wait. We had checked-in online on Delta's easy-to-use website the evening before and printed our tickets, but the staff reprinted our boarding passes anyway. Security was also a breeze with SkyPriority lanes, and we were quick through immigrations with just a handful of passengers.

Sistership Boeing 747-451 N674US taxies at Taipei's Taoyuan. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

We headed to the Delta SkyClub, the airline's lounge, located on the fourth floor of Satellite 1. Delta runs another lounge in Satellite 2, and these SkyClubs are shared with SkyTeam partners serving Narita except for Air France (AF/AFR) and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL/KLM), which use the AirFrance Lounge next door, Korean Air (KE/KAL), which has their own KAL Prestige Lounge, and China Airlines (CI/CAL), which still operates from Terminal 2 and runs a Dynasty Lounge there. Unlike the SkyClubs in Delta's homeland, complimentary food was available, ranging from finger bowls of noodles, small slices of sandwiches, sushi-style rolls, plastic cups of fresh vegetables, bite-size cakes as well as congee, western-style soup, and a variety of beverages. After a rest, we went down to the gates five minutes before boarding time.

Delta SkyClub at Narita is much better than those in the U.S.A. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Boarding at Gate 16 was not started until 1810, 20 minutes behind printed boarding time, but no explanation nor apology was given. Looking at the gate, there seemed to be a group of handicapped passengers being assisted for boarding. But the boarding that followed was disorganized. Gate agents called for Business Elite passengers, but when some SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers flying on economy tried to board, one staff rudely yelled "No! Wait! Step back!" Maybe she had a stressful day. So we waited, and they did call for other SkyPriority passengers in a few minutes, but with a huge crowd of economy passengers blocking the way, we weren't able to pass before staff quickly started calling for everyone else. And upon boarding, another dissatisfaction; an agent hurriedly took away our boarding passes and gave us new ones, with new seat assignments. We had reserved the seat three months before, but they changed, again without reason nor apology, and when I tried to ask, they simply forced me to go on as there was still a big crowd behind us.

The revamped economy cabin of our Boeing 747-400. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Sitting down in our new seats, doors were closed at 1859, and push-back started seven minutes later, more than 20 minutes behind our scheduled block-out time of 1845. The four Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines started to rumble, and we were moving at 1910, heading for the threshold of Runway 16R. However, this is one of the peak departure times of a day, and we had five aircraft waiting in front of us. At 1933, we finally took off from Runway 16R heading southeast, then banking right towards south. Our aircraft for today was Boeing 747-451 N672US, originally delivered to Northwest Airlines (NW/NWA) on July 19th, 1999, and inherited by Delta after completion of their merger in December 2009. Along with 15 other examples, the aircraft received an interior overhaul in 2012, refurbished with new seats equipped with Panasonic's Eco Series Smart Monitors throughout the cabin. It was also reconfigured with 48 Business Elite, 42 Economy Comfort, and 286 economy class seats (376 seats total). 

Originally delivered to Northwest, Delta's Boeing 747-400s are powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

10 minutes later, Captain Ronald Henning made his cheerful welcome announcement, telling us that our flight would be 6 hours and 5 minutes. On board were 12 cabin crew; three San Francisco (SFO/KSFO)-based Americans, one Narita-based Japanese, and eight Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi (BKK/VTBS)-based Thais. About half an hour into the flight, the seat-belt signs were turned off and the flight attendants began preparing for in-flight service, starting with handing out disposable hot towels. Immigration cards necessary for entering Thailand were handed out at this time as well. 15 minutes later, peanuts and drinks were offered, and dinner followed about an hour and a half into the flight.

The Japanese menu was 'Oyako-don'. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Choice was either 'Oyako-don' (chicken and eggs) with rice or chicken and vegetables on noodles, both served with a salad and a bun. Quality was much better than Delta's (or most other American airlines') food originating from the U.S.A., but it wasn't as good to leave any particular impression. While some cabin attendants were smiling, many others were not and looked more like 'handing out' food rather than serving it. After the trays were collected, duty free started, and soon after, the cabin was dimmed and remained so until one hour prior to arrival. After a day's of travel and a bit of anger caused by the service (or the lack of) especially at the gate, I was tired enough and went off to sleep. Our 'Jumbo Jet' cruised east of Taiwan, flying over South China Sea off the coast near Hong Kong, then entering Vietnam.

Chicken and vegetables served on noodles were probably meant to be the western meal. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

As we traveled above Thailand near Ubon Ratchathani, the lights were turned on and the cabin crew started collecting anything we wished to discard, as well as handing out Thailand's immigration cards to those who hadn't received earlier. As we descended through a clear but sometimes hazy sky, we passed over Nakhon Ratchasima where we banked south, making our final approach. As the suburb lights of Bangkok became visible, we passed over a few motorways, before touching down on Runway 19L at 2339, local time. Suvarnabhumi is located 30 kilometers east of Bangkok in neighboring Samut Prakan province, and the cityscape was not visible at night with this day's hazy air. We taxied to Gate F6 and came to a stop right at 2400, 10 minutes behind schedule. Bangkok is two hours behind Tokyo, making total flight time six hours and six minutes.

The Boeing 747-400's wings. Always beautiful. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Delta is one of four carriers serving the market from Tokyo to Bangkok, with one daily service. All Nippon Airways (NH/ANA) and Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) both serve three times daily, once from Narita and twice from Haneda (HND/RJTT), while Thai Airways International (TG/THA), or simply THAI, serves five times daily, three from Narita and two from Haneda. United Airlines (UA/UAL) terminated their service this past March, while Thai AirAsia X (XJ) is expected to enter the market from Bangkok's older airport at Don Mueang (DMK/VTBD) to Narita in July, as well as NokScoot, a joint-venture between Nok Air (DD/NOK) and Scoot (TZ/SCO), shortly after. Delta's flight is timed to connect with their Narita flights to and from the U.S., and with no partner flying the route, they will probably remain in the market, even in these recent times when many U.S. airlines are choosing to overfly Japan. However, with ANA, JAL, and THAI offering an obviously superior product and AirAsia and Nok Air/Scoot groups soon offering lower prices, Delta needs to improve if they would like to continue to get some local traffic feed, and not find itself caught in between them.

Thanks Jumbo: ANA's final Boeing 747 leaves Japan.

On April 16th, All Nippon Airways' (NH/ANA) last 'Jumbo Jet', Boeing 747-481/D JA8961, departed Japanese soil for the final time. The aircraft operated ANA's final B747 revenue service (End of an Era: ANA retires the Boeing 747.) on March 31st and also participated in the company's Initiation Ceremony (ANA's Boeing 747 participates in Initiation Ceremony.) on the following day.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8961 takes off from Haneda one last time on April 16th. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

As flight NH9432, JA8961 started moving from Tokyo/Haneda's (HND/RJTT) Spot 805 at 2102 JST and took off from Runway 34R at 2112, in front of a crowd of approximately 300 enthusiasts who were present at Terminal 2's observation deck to see the airplane off. It arrived at Anchorage (ANC/PANC) at 1034 AKDT, and after immigrations, departed again at 0257 on April 17th, and is currently (at the time of writing) on its way to its final resting place at Tupelo (TUP/KTUP) in Mississippi, U.S.A. Participants of 'Farewell Boeing 747 America Tour' (ANA announes final Boeing 747 farewell tour.) will greet ANA's last 'Queen of the Skies' at Tupelo, and take part in starting the dismantling of the jetliner. As with ANA's earlier examples, JA8961 is also being sold to Universal Asset Management for spare parts and eventual scrapping.

Boeing 747-481 JA8094 'Techno Jumbo'. (Photo: ANA)

JA8961 was manufactured back on April 13th, 1993, and delivered to ANA on May 13th. It has spent its entire life plying the domestic skies of Japan. I had an opportunity to fly on her (CoachFlyer NH126: OKA - HND on All Nippon Airways' Boeing 747.) in November last year. 'D' standing for 'Domestic', ANA's B747-400D seated 23 in Premium Class and 542 in economy (total 565) and was Boeing's answer to Japan's need for a new generation high-capacity short-haul airliner that would replace the B747SR, the 'Short-Range' Classic Jumbo. 

ANA's engineers produced this mosaic art. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Other than being the ultimate ANA Jumbo, JA8961 also flew ANA's first sunrise flight for 2014 (ANA and JAL's First Sunrise Flights.), a come-back flight to Osaka/Itami (ITM/RJOO) on January 12th (ANA Boeing 747 makes final visit to Itami.), as well as farewell events at Sendai (SDJ/RJSS) and Fukushima (FKS/RJSF) on March 15th (ANA operates 'Boeing 747-400 Graduation Flight'.) and operated farewell tours to and from Tokyo/Narita (NRT/RJAA) and Kumamoto (KMJ/RJFT) on the following day (ANA Boeing 747 flies Sayonara and Kumamoto charters.). It made its final visit to Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) and Sapporo/New Chitose (CTS/RJCC) on March 30th (ANA Jumbo bids farewell to Fukuoka and Sapporo.).

Boeing 747-481/D JA8961 makes its last visit to Itami. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

ANA's first Jumbo Jet was a B747SR delivered back on December 20th, 1978. Dubbed 'Super Jumbo', it entered service on the Haneda to Fukuoka and New Chitose routes on January 25th, 1979, followed by Okinawa/Naha (OKA/ROAH) on February 9th, and Kagoshima (KOJ/RJFK) and Kumamoto on April 1st. The first long-range B747-200B entered service on the Narita - Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) route on July 16th, 1986, followed shortly by Washington D.C./Dulles (IAD/KIAD), quickly becoming the international flagship for ANA.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8963 'Marine Jumbo'. (Photo: Boeing)

Their first B747-400 was delivered on August 28th, 1990. Named 'Techno Jumbo' by its employees, the glass-cockpit Jumbos entered service on November 1st initially on domestic routes from Haneda to Fukuoka, Itami, and New Chitose for crew familiarization, before being placed on long-haul routes to Europe and North America, augmenting the B747-200B. ANA's first high-capacity domestic B747-400D entered service on February 1st, 1992 on the Haneda to Nagasaki (NGS/RJFU) and New Chitose routes.

Boeing 747SR-81 JA8139 'Snoopy Go'. (Photo: ANA)

To commemorate their 500 million passenger milestone, ANA painted B747-481/D JA8963 in a 'Marine Jumbo' theme, originally designed by then-sixth-year student Yukie Ogaki, chosen from hundreds of applications. After a carefully-planned painting process at Boeing, the whale entered service on the Haneda - New Chitose route on September 12th, 1993. It became so popular that it prompted ANA to paint B767-381 JA8579 in a similar scheme dubbed 'Marine Jumbo Junior', so that it could fly to airports that cannot handle the B747. These were to be reverted to the normal scheme in January 1995, however, the Great Hanshin Earthquake of January 17th delayed plans, and they remained in service until May 31st that year.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8957 'Pikachu Jumbo' was retired on September 30th, 2013. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

ANA later put popular Peanuts character Snoopy on the B747 in the winters of 1996 and 1997. 'Pokemon Jet', which is derived from the popular Nintendo game 'Pocket Monsters' (Pokemon), entered service on July 2nd, 1998. As the game along with the TV animation series proliferated worldwide, ANA also painted an international B747-400 in the scheme and placed it into service on February 24th. Several versions were produced, including 'Pikachu Jumbo' (B747-481/D JA8956) from May 24th, 2004 and 'Ohana Jumbo' (B747-481/D JA8956) from December 5th.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8956 'Ohana Jumbo' was retired on November 30th, 2012. (Photo: Japan Airport Terminal)

However, with a growing fleet of B777s along with the introduction of the B777-300ER from 2004, the B747 gradually started to hand over its role to its younger more fuel-efficient twin-engined cousin. The last B747SR 'Super Jumbo', B747SR-81 JA8157, operated its final revenue flight on March 10th, 2006. Their first of the modern Jumbo, B747-481 JA8094, was sold off in April 2007, and four years later on March 21st, 2011, the last long-haul 'Dash 400', B747-481 JA8958, was withdrawn from service, leaving only a handful of B747-400Ds plying trunk domestic routes. And the B747-400D's last revenue service (End of an Era: ANA retires the Boeing 747.) was completed on March 31st, 2014, putting an end to 35 years of Jumbo operations.

Boeing 747-481 JA8094 in the final livery. It was sold off in April 2007. (Photo: ANA)

Japan saw its first B747 when Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) placed its first example in service in April 1970, opening an era of mass-transportation. JAL eventually acquired a total of 108 brand-new B747s from Seattle, while ANA also bought 45, and during the type's 44-year service in the 'Land of the Rising Sun', it became synonymous with, or even one of the icons of Japan's rise as an economic powerhouse. JAL retired its last B747 on March 1st, 2011, and now ANA as well. Although the commercial passenger 'Jumbo' is gone, Government of Japan's two B747-400s will keep on flying until 2018, while the freighter remains in service with Nippon Cargo Airlines (KZ/NCA), which operates B747-8Fs alongside B747-400Fs.

Farewell B747. (Image: ANA)

Thanks Jumbo. I'm sure she will keep on flying in the memories of all who loved the beautiful jetliner.

Nippon Cargo to fly all-Boeing 747-8F fleet by FY2018.

Nippon Cargo Airlines (KZ/NCA) will phase out the Boeing 747-400F and standardize its fleet on the larger B747-8F by fiscal year 2018, according to Nippon Yusen's Mid-term (five-year) Plan dubbed 'More Than Shipping 2018'. Often simply referred to as 'NYK Line', the Japanese shipping giant owns 99.97% of Japan's sole all-cargo airline.

A Nippon Cargo Boeing 747-8F takes off from Paine Field on a test flight. (Photo: Boeing)

Although the company sees demand for worldwide air freight recovering, they believe an increasing supply of cargo space in the bellies of passenger aircraft is putting pressure on all-freight operations. Plans call for more involvement in freight charters to reduce its dependence on scheduled flights, which currently account for most of their current operations, as well as look for partnerships to bring synergies and add more value. Additional cost-cutting measures will also be implemented.

Nippon Cargo currently operates seven B747-400Fs and five B747-8Fs, with another nine of the latter still on order. Along with Luxembourg-based Cargolux Airlines International (CV/CLX), they were the launch customer for Boeing's newest Jumbo freighter.

Source: Nippon Yusen, March 31st. (PDF; in Japanese)

ANA's Boeing 747 participates in Initiation Ceremony.

All Nippon Airways (NH/ANA) parent ANA Holdings held their Initiation Ceremony for fiscal year 2014 on April 1st at their Aircraft Maintenance Center at Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT). 261 freshmen and 828 freshwomen entering ANA Group's 26 companies participated in the annual ceremony, along with their last 'Jumbo Jet', Boeing 747-481/D JA8961, which retired, or 'graduated' on the day before (End of an Era: ANA retires the Boeing 747.) on March 31st.

Freshpersons pose in front of Boeing 747-481/D JA8961. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

"The airline industry is in the midst of risks and opportunities; foreign carriers are increasing capacity and LCCs are growing, while the Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics are coming up in 2020", ANA Holdings' President and CEO Shinichiro Ito said in his speech. He identified what he calls the 'five pillars' of ANA; strong individuals, a strong organization, a strong company, a strong brand, and a strong group. "It's not a 'we don't do' or 'we can't do', but 'what and how we should do'. It's important to make challenges. Don't be afraid of mistakes", he encouraged the 1,089 freshpersons.

ANA Group's 1,089 new staff pose for a photo with the retired 'Queen of the Skies'. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

At the end of the ceremony, they were given an opportunity to write their resolutions and messages on the retired B747. JA8961 is currently receiving its last maintenance checks prior to its sale to Universal Asset Management and ferry to Tupelo (TUP/KTUP) for part-out and scrapping. Penultimate sister JA8960 left Japan on March 28th and was ferried to the same destination for the same fate.

Freshpersons writing their resolutions on JA8961's belly. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

ANA will conduct a final tour of the 'Jumbo Jet' on April 13th and five-day 'Farewell Boeing 747 America Tour' (ANA announes final Boeing 747 farewell tour.) from April 16th to see the aircraft make its final landing at the Mississippi airport. All tickets have been sold out. JA8961 is planned to leave Japanese soil on April 16th.

Source: Aviation Wire, April 1st. (in Japanese)

End of an Era: ANA retires the Boeing 747.

On March 31st, All Nippon Airways (NH/ANA) flew the Boeing 747's last revenue flights, a round-trip from Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) to Okinawa/Naha (OKA/ROAH) and back, ending 35 years of continuous 'Jumbo Jet' operations. It was flown by their last remaining airframe; Boeing 747-481/D JA8961, which was delivered to the airline back on May 13th, 1993, and had been plying Japan's domestic skies ever since.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8961 departs Haneda with Tokyo Skytree in the background. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Flight NH127 departed Haneda's Spot 60 with 497 passengers and 17 crew (2 cockpit crew and 15 cabin attendants) at 0850, and took off from Runway 34R (C Runway) at 0902. The aircraft touched down at Naha at 1117. Return leg NH126, the final flight, departed Naha's Gate 32 about 24 minutes late at 1259 with a full load of 569 passengers (including four infants) and 17 crew, and made its last landing at Haneda at 1513. It was piloted by Captains Takeshi Kanda, who is retiring after the flight, and Hiroshi Fujimura, Chief of B747 Operations. Upon arrival, Chief Purser Yoko Chiba announced "From now, the beloved B747 will continue to fly in everyone's hearts".

A water-cannon salute greets NH126 as it arrives at Haneda's Spot 408. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

A water-cannon salute along with a number of ANA staff, including President and CEO Osamu Shinobe, greeted as JA8961 arrived at Spot 408 and came to a stop at 1530. At the subsequent retirement ceremony, Fujimura-san handed JA8961's logbook to Mr. Shinobe, who formerly worked as an engineer with the jetliner. "From anywhere you look, you know it's a B747. I would like to thank not only our customers, but our crew, engineers, ground staff, and all who worked with the jetliner for the past 35 years. And now, we will build on our experience with the B747", said Mr. Shinobe.

Passengers of NH126 take part in the B747's retirement ceremony. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

In the Captain's announcement aboard NH126, Fujimura-san told passengers "Thank you for flying with ANA, and Japan's final passenger Boeing 747 flight. For a very long time, the Jumbo Jet has been loved by everyone... and I would like to express our gratitude for your love with this airplane. Although it is the trend of the times, I regret seeing the retirement of the Jumbo Jet as I really love them. I have spent most of my pilot career with the Jumbo. So now, I would like to hand on my deepest love for this jet to the next generation". After arrival, he added "The Boeing 747 brought me up and made me what I am now as a pilot. The Jumbo is like a family member, like my parents. I guess it will take some time for me to get used to the fact that the final flight has been completed".

'Thanks Jumbo!' banner with numerous messages written by ANA staff at Haneda. (Photo: ANA)

ANA's first 'Queen of the Skies', a B747SR model, was delivered on December 20th, 1978, and inaugurated service on the Haneda to Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) and Sapporo/New Chitose (CTS/RJCC) routes on January 29th, 1979. Their first B747-400, dubbed 'Techno Jumbo' entered service in November 1990, and the high-capacity domestic B747-400D came on-line in February 1992. Japan saw its first B747 when Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) placed its first example in service in April 1970, opening an era of mass-transportation. JAL eventually acquired a total of 108 brand-new B747s from Seattle, while ANA also bought 45, and during the type's 44-year service in the 'Land of the Rising Sun', it became synonymous with, or even one of the icons of Japan's rise as an economic powerhouse.

Captains Fujimura-san, Kanda-san, and the 15 flight attendants wearing ANA's eighth-generation uniforms pose after the final flight. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

JAL retired its last B747 in March 2011, and ANA retired their last international-configured B747-400 in the same month. Although the commercial passenger 'Jumbo' will be gone, Government of Japan's two B747-400s will keep on flying until 2018, while the freighter remains in service with Nippon Cargo Airlines (KZ/NCA), which operates B747-8Fs alongside B747-400Fs.

Thanks Jumbo. (Image: ANA)

I've written a flight report on a recent flight on JA8961 (CoachFlyer NH126: OKA - HND on All Nippon Airways' Boeing 747.). I hope to pay a tribute to the B747 on this blog in the coming weeks.

Source: Aviation Wire, March 31st. (in Japanese)
Source: FlyTeam, March 31st. (in Japanese)

*Post edited/updated on April 1st.

ANA Jumbo bids farewell to Fukuoka and Sapporo.

Yesterday on March 30th, All Nippon Airways (NH/ANA) flew its last remaining 'Jumbo Jet', Boeing 747-481/D JA8961, to Fukuoka (FUK/RJFF) and Sapporo/New Chitose (CTS/RJCC) one last time. (ANA loads final Boeing 747 revenue flights.)

Boeing 747-481/D JA8961 seen off by ANA staff at Fukuoka. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Flight NH243 departed from Tokyo/Haneda's (HND/RJTT) Gate 66 at 0847 with 540 passengers and 15 crew (2 cockpit crew and 13 flight attendants) on board. The aircraft arrived at Fukuoka at 1036, greeted by dozens of ANA staff on the apron with the huge 'Thanks Jumbo!' banner and artificial sunflowers. The return flight, NH250, departed Fukuoka at 1153, 43 minutes behind schedule, with 564 passengers and 15 crew and arrived back at Haneda at 1352, roughly a hour late.

Carrying the 'Thanks Jumbo!' banner, staff who worked with the aircraft for years, or some even decades, couldn't help crying. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

After arrival from Fukuoka, JA8961 prepared for NH069, service to New Chitose. Carrying 538 passengers and 15 crew, it departed at 1535, 35 minutes behind schedule, and arrived at Hokkaido's capital at 1703. The airport greeted the final visit with a traditional water-cannon salute, and a Boeing 747 photo gallery was also held inside the terminal. NH074, the return leg to Haneda, departed Sapporo at 1820 with 557 passengers and 15 crew, and arrived back in Tokyo at 2000.

ANA staff at New Chitose bids farewell to JA8961 for the last time. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Thousands of aviation fans gathered at both airports to see off the 'Queen of the Skies', along with a number of ANA staff, some of who couldn't hold on to their tears. Today, ANA will operate the B747's final revenue flights, a round-trip to Okinawa/Naha (OKA/ROAH). Stay tuned.

Source: Aviation Wire, March 30th. (in Japanese)
Source: Aviation Wire, March 30th. (in Japanese)

BusinessFlyer KL671: AMS - YUL on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' Boeing 747.

Travel date: February 2014
Flight: KL671
Route: Amsterdam/Schiphol (AMS/EHAM) - Montreal/Trudeau (YUL/CYUL)
Carrier: Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KL/KLM) d.b.a. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 747-406/M PH-BFT 'City of Tokyo'
Class: World Business Class (Business)
Direct distance: 5,519km (3,430 miles)
Flight time: 6 hours 58 minutes

Boeing 747-406/M PH-BFT 'City of Tokyo' at Schiphol's Gate E17. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

As a SkyTeam Elite Plus member, having access to the SkyPriority check-in lanes at Schiphol Airport (AMS/EHAM) was a big advantage. Amsterdam being the hub for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL/KLM), there were ample check-in counters, and I was immediately served. Staff told me that I might be upgraded to World Business Class since the economy cabin was overbooked. I proceeded to immigration, where a priority lane was available and again there was no line. After immigration awaits Schiphol’s seductive ‘See Buy Fly’ terminal shopping complex, which has a range of stores from top-end brand shops to gift shops and bookstores to even a division of the Rijksmuseum.

KLM Crown Lounge at Schiphol. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

I strolled over to the KLM Crown Lounge, located on the second floor, where I was informed that I indeed had received a complementary upgrade. With a spacious, quiet atmosphere, the lounge offered a variety of free newspapers to major magazines, as well as a good range of foods; for that day was Massaman curry, fried chicken, fried rice, cheese, soup, along with snacks and a variety of drinks.

My seat for the next seven hours. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

At 1430, I traveled to Gate E17, about halfway down the corridor of the E wing, and noticed that the ship had been switched from a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 to a Boeing 747-400M (Combi). I was looking forward to flying on the Long Beach-born tri-jet, but I tried to tell myself the complementary upgrade to business was in exchange for that. The aircraft was B747-406/M PH-BFT ‘City of Tokyo’, delivered back in May 15, 1997, and one of 15 'Combi' Jumbos the airline currently operates. Schiphol carries out security checks at each gate instead of the immigrations area, and they had already begun with a very long line, but again, SkyPriority made it relatively hassle-free.

Appetizer for the first meal. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Boarding began at 1500, starting with groups with handicapped persons and infants, followed by World Business Class and SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers. KLM’s B747-400Ms seat 14 World Business Class seats on the upper deck, 18 at the front of the main deck, as well as 36 Economy Comfort, and 197 Economy seats, for a total of 275. My seat on flight KL671 was at the front, and as I was seated, a welcome drink was served, from a choice of water, orange juice, or champagne. As time passed 1525, the flight’s departure time, the crew announced that we would be 15 minutes late due to some paperwork. Was it due to a last-minute ship change?

Entering England from near Sunderland. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

At 1544, the door was finally closed, and two minutes later, the aircraft was pushed back. We headed to Runway 24 ‘Kaagbaan’, named after the Kagerplassen which lies at the end of the runway, for a takeoff at 1557 CET. How quiet it can be at the front end of the ‘Queen of the Skies’! Our aircraft banked to the left, then to the right over to North Sea, where we could see a Brocken phenomenon for a short time. Eight minutes later the seat-belt signs were turned off, and the flight attendants started preparing for in-flight service.

Our main course for the first meal; a Dutch treat. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

About 20 minutes into the flight, they started out with a mix of nuts along with a drink of our choice. I chose apple juice, which was very good. As the crew was getting ready, we crossed into Great Britain below us, south of Sunderland, about 35 minutes into the flight. As we were passing through Scotland, just south of Glasgow, we started encountering some rough air.

Dessert: pomegranate gateau. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Meal service, produced by Michelin award winner chef Sergio Herman, was started about 70 minutes into the flight. First came the appetizer, which was smoked salmon and an apple and fennel cream garnished with citrus jelly and served with wasabi yuzu vinegarette. This became my favorite for this flight; everything on the plate seemed to harmonize with each other on the taste buds. The wine selection for tonight was Malbec, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. As we were served, light turbulence continued to bother our dining, and the seat-belt signs had to be left on.

The General Electric CF6-80C2 engines. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Half a hour after the appetizer came the main meal; I selected the braised beef tartlet accompanied by mustard sauce, Oud Sluis-style lentils, and pumpkin mash, baby potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms. It came along with a pickled vegetable salad and warmed bread buns. The seat-belt lights were finally turned off about 40 minutes after we started dining, and at that time the flight attendants were ready to serve dessert. Passing south off the coast of Iceland, I chose pomegranate gateau, and had it with black tea. I did take some time to savor the cake, but the crew seemed to have forgotten that I still had a plate with me and didn’t come until I asked them to take it away.

Front cabin of our Boeing 747-400M. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

About 30 minutes later, the cabin lights were dimmed and everyone started to doze off. About three hours into the flight came the Captain’s welcome announcement, and soon after followed duty free sales. Half a hour later, we were able to see Greenland and its icebergs which seemed to have wandered from the coast. After clouds came in and started obstructing our view, I decided to take a nap.

Greenland and its icebergs. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

About one hour and a half hours later, or two hours before arrival time, we were served a light second meal, which consisted of a marrowfat pea salad accompanied by falafel and piccalilli cream. It came with a choice of chicken pie or a basil pie served with tomato and mozzarella cheese, and finished with raspberry cheese cake with vanilla sauce. As I became full and the flight attendants collected my tray, they came around handing out 'KLM Dutch House' blue delft houses, a Dutch specialty. KLM currently offers 94 different houses, and I chose Number 25, named 'Gouda'.

Our second meal. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Soon after, about half an hour before landing, our Captain announced that we had started our descent into Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL/CYUL). Flying along the St. Lawrence River, snow-covered houses started to appear below followed by the skyline of Montreal city, and we touched down on Runway 24R at 1655 EDT, completing an almost seven-hour flight. Montreal is six hours behind Amsterdam. We taxied to Gate 55 for an on-time arrival at 1700. We were off the aircraft in minutes, but with some other European flights arriving in as well, it took another 25 minutes or so to get through immigrations, which isn't too bad in North America.

Canada's vast snow-covered land. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

Having Elite Plus membership allowed me to breeze through what otherwise could have been a very stressful part of traveling. I only needed to line up at gate security, and in the end I was upgraded to business class. KLM offers efficient and consistent service, but its business class pales in comparison to top-class Asian airlines as well as the 'Big Three' in the Middle East. Except for the appetizer of the first meal, the flight left me with no particular impression; neither good nor bad. The two cabin crew serving our section were helpful, but present only when it was time to serve something, and for one of them I wasn't able to see a smile throughout the flight. The current World Business Class seats are showing their age, and KLM is in the process of refurbishing them, but if the flight attendants were smiling a little more and observant, walking around the cabin to see what each passengers is doing and think what the customer may need, it might help even more.