JAL Improves Meal Service in Business Class

Japan Airlines is improving its meal service in JAL Executive Class SEASONS, the airline’s version of business class so that passengers can chose when they want to eat their second meal, in what JAL calls “Free Style Dining’’. Up to now business class passengers have been served their second meal at the same time.

From now, passengers on JAL flights on certain Japan-Europe routes in JAL Executive Class SEASONS will be able to take their second meal at any time they wish, up to 90 minutes before landing.

JAL generally serves two full meals on medium and long-range international flights, with the second meal served about two hours before landing. But from September 1st, JAL will introduce this new “Free Style Dining” system in business class on flights between Tokyo/ Osaka-London, Tokyo/ Nagoya-Paris and Tokyo-Frankfurt (excluding code share flights operated by partner carriers).

Any time after the first meal and 90 minutes before scheduled arrival time, passengers can choose what they want to eat and when, so that they can enjoy their time on board in a more relaxed way.

Passengers can choose from a menu consisting of 13 different items including a pasta dish, soup and sandwiches and an assortment of Japanese dishes including beef curry Japanese style, Chinese “Ramen’’ noodles, Japanese “Udon’’ noodles in soup, simmered eel on steamed rice, braised beef and mushrooms on rice, “Oden” – fish cakes and vegetables simmered in a soy-based broth and other Japanese rice meals.

JAL will continue to offer both Western and Japanese-style breakfast menus to its passengers traveling on overnight flights departing from the above mentioned European cities.

JAL is now considering expanding “Free Style Dining” on other routes, such as transpacific flights to the U.S.A.

“Free Style” Dining for second meal service was originally introduced to the JAL First Class service in April 1998.

For the first meal, JAL offers its business class passengers a choice of Japanese or Western full-course menus. Passengers choosing the Western menu can select from two entrees, one of which is a JAL Healthy Menu Selection: a low calorie, nutritionally balanced option for the health-conscious. Western meals in business and first class on all flights departing Japan excluding those to Korea have been carefully prepared under the guidance of the Association des Disciples d'Auguste Escoffier du Japon. Members of the association are chefs of French cuisine at some of Japan's finest hotels and restaurants.

Alternatively passengers can savor the seasonally changing flavors of the ‘haute cuisine of Japan’: the traditional Kyoto-style menu known as kaiseki-ryori. Kaiseki-ryori uses the freshest seasonal ingredients and usually includes a number of small dishes that have either been steamed, simmered or grilled. In both first and business class on flights from Tokyo to London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York and Chicago, and in first class from Tokyo to Bangkok and Singapore, this meal option has been specially created under the supervision of the Kyoto Cuisine “Mebaekai”. Found throughout Japan, ‘Mebaekai’ are special associations of long-established restaurants set up with the purpose of maintaining and promoting traditional Japanese cooking techniques and cuisine.

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