I have relatives in Japan so I go visit them every 2-3 years. When I shop for my tickets, I have a lot of choices. One day I looked at a list and notice All Nippon Airways. Their Japanese name is "Zenikku" which means airtravel anywhere in Japan. And since I haven't tried them out, I opted with them.
Los Angelas
Don't you just love those lineups. At many airports you have to wait so long at the check-in desk. But at the ANA desk, there were only a few people. I was soon serviced kindly. My boarding passes were processed and I was given some intructions. And they topped it off with a smile. It gives you a warm feeling especially when coming off another flight.
When boarding was on, I went to the gate. One thing you notice is the helpfulness of the attendants. They were helping a family getting their carry on luggage onto the plane and helping an elderly lady get onto the plane. These attendants must be tired having to go on many airplanes trips back and forth, but either way, they didn't show it and they seemed to want to help out even more.
On-board
When I got on the Boeing 747-400 airplane, I was suprised. Considering the fact that this was a Japanese airline, you'd think maybe smaller seats to accomodate asians that are smaller than their western counterparts. But these seats were so spacious. Leg-room was plentiful. I could turn to the side and I wouldn't disturb the person beside me. When the plane took off, snacks and refreshments were provided. ANA was smart enough to serve almost any kind of beverage to meet asian and western tastes. You could have many things such as Green Tea, Coffee or a soda. Wine was sold in one serving bottles at 500 Yen. (about £2.50) They were showing John Q and Shrek. Also was the evening news and some sitcoms. Meals were array of Japanese delicassies as well as the Western Cuisine. Somethings on my plate included small Japanese Salmon Sushi rolls, Soba (buckwheat noodles with soup), beef stroganoff, a crisp salad, coffee and a peach cake. I couldn't quite finish it. The attendants didn't mind and took your tray once you were finished. During the long night, some of the attendants stopped by to chat. They were friendly and spoke english very fluently. And when we arrived at Tokyo, they all greeted goodbye to us and I was off.
At Narita(Tokyo)
From here I came to a shock. Because Narita is a international only airport, I had to get to Haneda, another airport in Tokyo. The people at the ANA desk saw my problem and got me free tickets onto the shuttle bus which runs between the two airports.
Tokyo-Tokushima
Because Haneda is a domestic airport, I naturally thought I would need to speak a bit of Japanese. When I went to the ANA desk and started to speak my amateur Japanese, the lady at the desk replied, "Don't worry. I speak english." To say that was a relief. She checked my bags in and I was off. At Haneda, the security screening was very smooth and fast. Normally you'd think it take for ever with 1000's of people milling around. But all went smooth.
Onboard the Smaller craft
On the plane this time was a bit different. Because this was a domestic flight, only a few attendants were able to speak in Fluent English. I was kind of glad this flight was only 1 hour. At the take off and landing, they showed the front view of the aircraft and you could see the mountains and cities. Snacks were provided twice on the short flight. The TV showed many Japanese programs, unforunately with little English.
Overall
Although the small english problem on domestic flights, ANA is truly one of the best. Many airlines should follow ANA's example. So next time I go visit Japan, ANA will probably be my choice.
More details
Class flown most frequently
Economy
How often do you travel with this airline
First time
Where did you book
Travel Agent/Tour Operator
Safety
Very safe
How well does it cater for disabled people
Very well
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