JAL HND FLounge - Renovations + COVID19

[Andyc]

Travelling over the last week has certainly been a unique experience. I thought I would share an update on the JAL First Class Lounge at HND.
The main JAL First and Business lounges are currently closed for refurbishment (website says completion end of March 2020). So we were directed to the JAL Sakura Skyview Lounge, which is their temporary first class lounge prior to QF26 HND-SYD.

I've read a few accounts online that the lounge isn't as nice but that the food & drinks are still quite good.
Unfortunately the spread of COVID-19 has changed that a little. As a precautionary measure, JAL are only serving single-serve F&B in the lounge. So there is a (mediocre) slection of food on individually glad-wrapped plates in the food area. Free-pour drinks have been removed. You can still access self-service beer & soft drink machines but all liquor is by request only and seems to be individual bottles (like the wine bottles you get on QF Domestic). The quality isn't the same, but thats certainly understandable - it's not quick to source high quality wines in 190mL bottles.

Certainly a bit different to the Sydney FLounge experience!

 

[zenyattamondatta]

Certainly a bit different to the Sydney FLounge experience!

For now.

 

[Max Samuels]

The main JAL First and Business lounges are currently closed for refurbishment (website says completion end of March 2020).

Again??? They were closed for months for a complete refurb in 2014... maybe Qantas can take a page out of JAL's book with regard to how frequently lounges should be updated...

 

[Batterytraveller]

Amazing they are refurbishing that lounge, it hardly seems a moment since they last did it. I hope it gets a whiskey bar like the new NRT F lounge.

 

[Max Samuels]

Amazing they are refurbishing that lounge, it hardly seems a moment since they last did it. I hope it gets a whiskey bar like the new NRT F lounge.

Oh yeah - the new NRT lounges are amazing! I spent 7 hours there recently - didn't even bother going to EK the JAL lounge was so good.

 

[Andyc]

Also worth noting that there are no showers in the temporry first lounge but they book you a shower in the temporary business lounge one level below.
The temporary business lounge has same food offer as first but was a lot more crowded, with seats a lot closer together.

Overall, not a bad experience. Just not the usual stanard.

 

[Hillbilly64]

Hope it's ok to ask this....
Would I have access to a lounge on arrival (for a spot of breakfast).... Arrive from SIN on JAL J .fly out 10 hours later JAL F

 

[AIRwin]

Would I have access to a lounge on arrival (for a spot of breakfast).... Arrive from SIN on JAL J .fly out 10 hours later JAL F

Are you intending to leave the airport?

 

[Hillbilly64]

Are you intending to leave the airport?

Yes. Thought we would grab a bite and a shower first.

 

[Batterytraveller]

First and business passengers arriving on Jal at HND can use the showers in arrivals for free (it’s not too expensive even if it isn’t free). Turn left once you come out of immigration and it’s next to the coffee place. There can be a long wait in the morning, though.

 

[Hillbilly64]

Thanks

 

[Himeno]

Amazing they are refurbishing that lounge, it hardly seems a moment since they last did it. I hope it gets a whiskey bar like the new NRT F lounge.

The terminal opened in Oct 2010 and an extension (gates 14x, the CX and newer JL/NH lounges) opened in March 2014. The older lounges that had opened with the terminal in 2010 got an update after the extension opened.
I assume the lounges that opened in 2014 will get a refurbishment once the other lounges reopen.