International Check-in Counters

I arrived at the international check-in counters in Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3.

View from the Observation Deck

Before heading to the boarding gate, I stopped by the international terminal’s observation deck to watch the aircraft parked on the apron.

Red Suite

As a top-tier JAL member, I was able to use the First Class Lounge.

I entered the “Red Suite,” located at the far end of the JAL First Lounge. According to JAL’s official website, “It’s like a sophisticated hideaway for adults. Enjoy a special space composed of four themed rooms: the Library Room, Gallery Room, Play Room, and Bar Room.”

Display Case

This display case features historical items such as those once used by pilots.

The U.S. began developing supersonic passenger aircraft in the 1960s, but the project was discontinued in the 1970s due to changes in economic and environmental conditions.

Model Planes

These model airplanes are displayed in the First Class Lounge.

You can also see a globe beside them.

The JAL aircraft on the top left appears to be a DC-8 from the 1960s—the elegant jet that ushered in Japan’s jet age.

Pilot Case

This is a pilot case (flight or attaché case) once used by JAL pilots for flight operations. It was used to carry flight charts, navigation logs, and other essential documents.

History of JAL Aircraft

These are photos of past JAL aircraft.

Cockpit Equipment

Various cockpit instruments and equipment are on display.

Old Fare Chart

This display shows a fare table from February 1954 (Showa 29).

* One-way standard fare from Japan to the U.S. West Coast: USD 650
= ¥234,000 (based on the 1954 exchange rate of ¥360 per USD)
According to the Bank of Japan, the price index multiplier between 1954 and 2022 is 6.1×.
⇒ In today’s value, that would be approximately ¥1.43 million (¥234,000 × 6.1).

It really shows that air travel used to be something very special back then.

Library Room (1)

This is the “Library Room” inside the “Red Suite.”

The First Class Lounge library focuses mainly on photo books about travel and culture in Asian and Australian countries.

Library Room (2)

This is another bookshelf, which features many photo collections about Europe and Africa.

Wine and Sake

This is the “Bar Room” inside the Red Suite.

Wine Glasses

Fine glassware from the Austrian brand RIEDEL is available here. Guests can enjoy champagne, wine, and sake using these glasses. There was even a small card indicating which ones are specifically for sake.

Meal and Wine Enjoyed

The meal I enjoyed:

Second Serving

This was my second round from the buffet.

Alcohol Counter

This is the alcohol counter in the First Class Lounge (outside of the Red Suite).

Third Meal

This was my third meal. The dish on the black round plate in the front was prepared at the live kitchen by the chef.

Champagne

Being able to enjoy top-quality champagne as much as you like is truly delightful.

Shoe Polishing Service

Inside the Red Suite, there is also a shoe polishing service corner.

The service hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.

Seating Area

This is the seating area of the lounge, with the Red Suite located further inside.

The lounge appears to have been renovated in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, which were originally planned for 2020 and held in 2021.

Haneda Boarding Gate

As the departure time approached, I moved to the boarding gate.

This flight departs around 1:00 a.m.

In-flight

This is the view of the economy class cabin.

Arrival at Manila Airport

We arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.