I had only flown on Air Nippon Airways (ANA) once and it was in premium economy. It was a very pleasant experience and so I decided to try their business class hoping for a more elevated experience on my flight to the US. I was scheduled to fly out from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to Chicago O’Hare airport during May of 2024. Since I was flying business class, I had access to the ANA lounge at Narita International Airport and decided to spend a little time over there.

The lounge was located one floor above the one with the terminal gates. There was an escalator that led up to the entrance. As I walked in, I noticed that there were several attendants at the check-in counter. Everyone was politely greeted and ushered into the lounge after their lounge access was verified. The lounge area was quite large but I was taken aback by the sheer number of people. The main hall had plenty of seating but all were occupied. I walked over to the food section to check out the offerings. The food was average but there was a lot of variety. It did not matter much to me since I was hoping to indulge in some good food on my flight. Not finding any available seat, I decided to freshen up in the restroom.

I was immediately appreciative of the organized setup of the restroom. The lighting was modest and not overly bright. I noticed a separate room with sinks for washing. All the sinks were placed at a slight angle with enough room and barrier for some privacy. Walking past that was a room with only urinals. Toward the very end was a hallway with the bathrooms. I was intrigued by how privacy was taken into account for the bathrooms. All the bathrooms had bidet installed in them for hygiene. There were shower facilities for passengers who wished to freshen up before their flights.

Once I left the restroom area, I did find another hall opposite to the main hall. This was a little smaller but also had a food section with the same selection as the other side. I did manage to find an empty seat and got some snacks and drink. Service was good as there was always someone ensuring used plates and glasses were not piling up. There was a monitor indicating flight departure times and upon viewing that and ensuring my gate number, I headed out soon after to catch my flight to Chicago.

The boarding process went smoothly. Business class passengers were assigned to Group 2 and passengers formed queues based on their group numbers. The entry to business class was through a separate bridge. I got my seat assignment in the furthest section of business class right before premium economy. My preference is not to sit this far back in the aircraft due to the increased engine noise and the obstructed view due to the wing.

My biggest surprise was the placement of the seats on the aircraft. My particular seat faced backwards which was indeed a strange phenomenon to me. I also noticed that the seat behind me was facing forward. It appeared that this set up was done to maximize seating capacity. Although it felt awkward, it did not bother me too much. Also, this section of the business class only had one other passenger besides myself and I essentially could have chosen any seat that I preferred. I decided to just keep the assigned seat since it was close to both the lavatory and the galley. There are usually snacks left in the galley for grabs and I wanted easy access to that.

The seat in business class was large and comfortable and could fully recline into a flat bed. The wider seats also meant one could roll around a bit while lying down. The entertainment screen was wide with generous space between it and the seat. There was a small cabinet for storage which came with charging ports. It also had a mirror on the door of the cabinet which was a nice touch.

The amenity kit along with headphones, slippers, blanket and mattress were already left on the seat for all passengers. The amenity kit was very basic and included a couple of moisturizing creams and a foldable bag. I expected a little more than these items and there is definitely room for improvement here.

The lavatories were of acceptable size and I liked the color combination that they used. I know it is a trivial point but the colors in the lavatory did have a calming effect on me. The toilets had the bidet system which was a nice touch and expected from a Japanese carrier. Toothbrush kits were also provided in the lavatories along with mouthwash that came in sachets which were easy to tear off. I felt this was a very thoughtful addition. A very important point to emphasize is that the lavatories were always clean. I noticed that the flight attendants were quite vigilant about it and would constantly check, clean up and tidy all the amenities inside. However, they would do it very fast and efficiently so as not to get in the way of any passenger who might need to use the lavatory.

Once the fight reached the required altitude, the flight attendants came by to offer refreshing towels. We also got to order drinks. I chose the ANA Original Drink Aromatic Kabosu and it was one of the most refreshing drinks I ever had. The taste was unique and tantalizing and was unlike anything I had before. I fell in love with this drink and had to order more. I even chose this drink for my meal which was served shortly afterwards. The meal choices included either a Japanese cuisine or an international cuisine.

I opted for the international cuisine and got the steamed golden threadfin bream with tomato confit sauce and herb butter. The appetizer included citrus marinated shrimp and scallops and a few other items delicately placed with care on a single long plate. The presentation was so aesthetically pleasing that I spent a good moment appreciating it. My meal also came with a piece of baguette and a cherry blossom bread which looked so pretty. There were options for other types of bread as well. I ordered both the strawberry mousse and fruits for dessert.

Everything I had for my meal was superb. The fish for my main course was done just right and was quite flavorful. Some of the things I tasted were very foreign to me but I loved everything about them. The meals were served with utmost care ensuring they were at the right temperature and the timing in between the appetizer, main course and dessert was sufficiently spaced. I never felt rushed and could enjoy the food at my own pace. What I particularly noticed and appreciated among the flight attendants is that they are not intrusive. They make themselves easily available if you need them but they do not invade your privacy. The whole meal experience on ANA was nothing short of amazing and I loved every bit of it. The wonderful view of the sunset outside my window only heightened that experience.

After the meal, I started to feel very relaxed and decided to lie down and catch some sleep. I asked a flight attendant for help in setting up the bed and she happily did everything for me. The seat had a couple of panels on the aisle side that could be activated with buttons and it turned my seating area into a little enclosed space for privacy. It made complete sense why ANA called it “The Room”. When I lied down, the mattress felt good and supportive under my back. I had a pleasant sleep for a couple of hours and woke up without any sore muscles or back pain. Although I was not particularly hungry, I was quite curious about their light meal and decided to try a few items. I asked for the corn soup along with some cheese. In a short time, the flight attendant brought over a hot bowl of corn soup and a plate of cheese. I am so glad that I ordered this meal. The corn soup was thick and hearty and a fantastic choice for a late-night meal. The cheese was fresh and was a great selection for my overall light meal.

The final meal on this flight was a breakfast before touchdown and included both a Japanese cuisine and an international cuisine. I chose the Japanese cuisine which included some tasty tidbits and a deep-fried red rockfish as the main course. The fish was prepared with a soy-based sauce and came with steamed rice. Needless to say, this was another great choice. I finished off everything with some coffee which was of very good quality.

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience flying with ANA. I loved their business class product. The selection of food items offered was very good and of high quality. The width of the seat was impressive and provided good support while lying down. The entertainment system was more than sufficient and provided an ample selection that included both Hollywood hits and international movies. However, I was most impressed with the dedication of the flight attendants. Not only were they extremely polite, friendly and professional but also were attentive to every detail. It was very pleasant interacting with them. I loved the experience with ANA so much that I will definitely consider flying with them again on my next trip to the US.