March 6, 2024 11:04 (UTC+9)
Terminal 2, Narita Int'l Airport, Tokyo, Japan Today we're flying with Starlux Airlines,en route to Singapore via Taipei. The first leg of the journey is on JX801, an A359 bound for Taipei.
Taiwanese Starlux Airlines' A359 is the only one in the country with a four-class configuration. Yes, that's right, it is the First Class.
And that's our target for today. The queue at the Starlux counter is already long, and they are about to open.
The counter is scheduled to open 2.5 hours before departure. Looking at the long line, I suddenly feel that the Starlux World Card might come in handy.
But today we don't need that card to check in first. Since we're already in First Class, there's no way they'd make us stand in line.
So, we bypass the line and inform the staff of our First Class status. First Class has been absent in Taiwan for some time now.
Starlux is currently the only domestic carrier offering First Class. But surprisingly, there's no separate line between First Class and Business Class here in Tokyo.
Passengers from Business Class keep crowding over, which doesn't look good. Quickly got our boarding passes and VIP lounge invitations.
And we've had dedicated concierge staff accompanying us since check-in began. First Class passengers are entitled to Fast Track services.
But since Fast Track is a bit far, the concierge takes me through the crew channel instead. So, about 10 minutes after check-in opened, we're already at the door of the JAL First Class Lounge.
Starlux's First Class uses JAL's First Class Lounge here in Tokyo. When it comes to drinks, they offer both hot and cold beverages, and the selection of alcoholic drinks is extensive.
Those who enjoy alcohol might be able to drink to their heart's content here. Red and white wines, spirits, and sake are all available. Champagne is essential, and the JAL lounge primarily offers two types of champagne.
The quality here should be better than what's available in the Starlux's cabin, right? Joseph Perrier Brut is priced around USD 85 per bottle in Taiwan.
It's a wine often favored by airlines in premium cabins. I rushed to order freshly made sushi but accidentally ordered from the vegetarian menu.
I ended up with a vegetarian menu instead. Luckily, the JAL staff was willing to remake the correct order of sushi with fresh fish.
The supply of freshly made sushi only lasts until 11:30, so you have to be quick. Unfortunately, there were no scallop sushi today, only three pieces in the set. As for the vegetarian sushi I just had, it was made with konjac.
It had its own unique flavor, worth trying something different. Currently, the JAL lounge is using mobile ordering. Just scan the QR code on the table.
This reduces contact with staff and food hygiene concerns. Although it was a mistake to order vegetarian,
it's responsible to finish it in line with the principle of not wasting food. The other champagne should be CHAPUY's TRADITION BRUT.
The price in Taiwan is also around USD 70. There's a wide variety of other alcoholic beverages, and you can try each bottle.
But we can't drink too much, so we'll just have a look. Though I usually use JCB's lounge which with only beverages.
I feel a bit nervous to upgrade to First Class and drink champagne today. The JAL First Class lounge is deserted at this time, with almost no other guests.
Perhaps everyone prefers to stay downstairs in the rest area. The dining area has all open seating.
But with fewer people today, it's fine to rest here. Arrived at the other side of the dining area, the rest area.
The seating here offers much more privacy. There are reclining seats in small compartments where you can take a nap. This area is purely a rest area, but the drink options are the same as in the dining area.
Everything is available. This area also has very impressive massage chairs.
I tried them, and it's really hard to get up. But we have a lot of unboxing to do, and we can't waste time in the massage chairs.
Let's continue to explore the JAL lounge. Back at the seat, I ordered the famous curry rice,
along with the main dish of the Japanese-style meal and a strawberry dessert. This Japanese-style meal set is meticulously prepared.
You can taste the dedication in every detail. It's worthy of JAL. The shower rooms and smoking rooms are on the third floor, accessible by elevator. The third floor has the Sakura Lounge for business class passengers, separate from First Class. You can use the shower rooms by presenting your boarding pass.
You can also make reservations in advance using your phone. The hot water is indeed very hot, and there's plenty of it.
Taking a shower before boarding the plane is really comfortable. You can still go out temporarily after entering the lounge, just inform the front desk.
This is the exterior of the third floor entrance. We went directly from here to the fourth-floor dining area earlier.
To catch the freshly made sushi, it's quicker this way. Coming out is of course because of shopping.
I suggest everyone reserve some extra time; the queue situation horrible. It's almost boarding time, so let's return to the lounge.
The attendant has already scheduled a time to come and escort us. However, just after sitting down for a short while, the attendant hurried over.
They said that due to a delay in boarding time, I should continue to rest a bit longer. And why did they bring another Calpis?
I'm sorry, I seem to have brought my frugal habits from the JCB lounge. (Just kidding) StarLux currently offers electronic boarding pass service, but the functionality is limited.
However, electronic and paper boarding passes can be used together. It's about time to go; let's go to the boarding gate with the attendant. Today's JX800-801 flight is operated by the B-58504, which AOG at SFO a few days ago.
After flying back last night, it picked up the Tokyo round-trip early this morning. B-58504 was delivered in October 2023 and is less than half a year old.
It's StarLux's fourth A359, flown back to Taipei by Chairman KW Chang himself. Currently, StarLux has received 5 A359s, with orders still being delivered.
The StarLux A359's cabin configuration is F4/C26/W36/Y240, totaling 306 seats. Next, there are still 8 A359s, 12 A35Ks, and 5 A350Fs to be delivered.
By then, the fleet size will exceed 50 aircraft. Currently, StarLux's fleet exclusively consists of Airbus products,
comprising A350s, A339neos, and A321neos. Flight JX800 arrived at 12:21L.
The reason for the delayed boarding is likely to adjust the schedule; the headwind isn't as strong these days. It seems we might be a bit late.
Boarding for economy class passengers has already begun. I'm the only passenger in First Class today, so I might receive better service quality. Today, I chose seat 1K on the starboard side.
Seat selection is free for all prices in First Class. StarLux's First Class features suite-style design. The First Class AVOD screen is a whopping 32 inches,
fully touchscreen with 4K resolution, incredibly luxurious. Then, they presented today's menu and wine list.
Although I've already pre-selected my meal, let's see what's on offer today. The First Class menu comes with an leather cover,
exuding a restrained and sophisticated vibe from inside out. StarLux is launching a French kaiseki cuisine.
It's themed "Exploring Meals from Unknown Planets." There are three main course options, and we pre-selected the Sous Vide Beef Chuck Steak.
If there's still room in our stomachs later, perhaps we'll try other options. At the same time, they also provided welcome towels, nuts, and welcome drinks.
They offer a variety of options including champagne and other alcoholic beverages. For our welcome drink, we chose the locally produced Weightstone Winery's pink sparkling wine from Taiwan.
This bottle is priced at around USD 120. Welcome drinks in First Class are served in tall glasses,
distinguishing them from the short, stout whisky glasses in Business Class. They also provide slippers.
It seems the slippers in First Class are a different style from those in Business Class. Actually, it's quite challenging to capture the entire First Class seat in one shot.
Even with a 13mm ultra-wide-angle lens, it's difficult to capture it in the narrow aisle. Wine is not our expertise,
so please forgive us if we don't hold the glasses correctly. 13:42L/04:42Z Capt. PA Before takeoff, the cockpit conducted a PA, first in English and then in Mandarin.
This practice bears a high resemblance to EVA Air. The expected flight time is 3 hours and 23 minutes, cruising at FL340 to FL400. Loading the cargo below seems a bit rough today.
We can constantly feel how rough the AKE containers being loaded into the cargo hold. After the cabin door closed, it was the turn of the cabin manager to welcome the passengers through the PA. 13:50L/04:50Z Push Back Engine Starting Up (2x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84) StarLux's safety demonstration video is presented in animation form and is a domestic production from Taiwan.
Themed "Star Wonderers," it has a science fiction vibe. This safety demonstration video was released before their maiden flight
and received considerable attention. Currently, the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB is only engine option of the A350 series.
The standard engine for the A359 is the XWB-84, with a thrust of 84,000 lbf. StarLux will introduce the A35K and A350F with the XWB-97 in the future,
increasing the thrust to 97,000 lbf. JAL, which uses the A359 for domestic routes, specially ordered the XWB-75
with reduced thrust to 74,200 lbf to accommodate a takeoff weight of 217 tons. It's said that this safety demonstration video took two years to produce,
with an investment of 1 million USD, showing a significant commitment. With the release of the safety demonstration video, character merchandise was also introduced,
bringing in additional business opportunities. 13:54L/04:54Z Taxi to RWY Finishing these nuts seems quite challenging;
the portion is unexpectedly generous. Unlike China Airlines, which plays advertisements during boarding music,
StarLux's approach is much better.They play advertisements during taxiing. Today, the headwind isn't as strong as it was a few days ago, so we can expect a shorter flight time.
This is probably why there's no rush to depart. The cabin lights have been dimmed, indicating that we're preparing for takeoff. 14:04:24L/05:04:24Z Rolling For T/O 14:05:07L/05:05:07Z Rotate (Rolled for 43 sec) The size of this AVOD is truly impressive.
With a 32-inch super-large screen, it's currently the largest among Taiwanese carriers. Overhead Panel Navigating through the clouds, it's hard to tell where we are.
We probably won't be able to see Mount Fuji today. It has been raining heavily in the Kanto region since yesterday noon.
It's just unavoidable due to the frontal system. It seems like there's no need for a human chair distance measurement in First Class.
But the space doesn't seem as wide as expected? There's quite a bit of space under the screen; you can stretch your legs when lying down.
The seat pitch is said to be 83 inches. StarLux offers free Wi-Fi across all cabins; in Economy Class, only text messaging is available.
Business and First Class passengers have completely free access. It's speculated that onboard Wi-Fi is determined by email address to identify premium cabin passengers.
After entering the information, the option for Complimentary Access appears. StarLux's First Class uses the Rockwell Collins Elements First Suite,
while Business Class uses the Rockwell Collins Elements, both belonging to the same series of products. They've laid out the tablecloth; it's time for the meal. First up is the appetizer: steamed abalone with kelp, chilled radish soup, soy-flavored cream cheese skewer,
and the yet-to-be-served Pandalidae shrimp sesame tofu. There was a little incident with the Pandalidae shrimp sesame tofu.
We had informed customer service in advance about being allergic to shrimp and requested its removal, but it seems the shrimp was replaced with crab instead. Oops! The crew noticed the problem, confirmed first, and removed the crab meat and served only the sesame tofu.
It's a bit disappointing to see such a lack of attention to detail. Privacy is actually quite good once the door is closed.
But it's not really as Sam Chui described, where you can change clothes inside. The cold soup with daikon was surprisingly unexpected in texture, more like mashed radish.
The combination of yam and radish creates a refreshing and clear sweetness. Originally, we thought it would be fine to just remove the shrimp.
But we didn't expect it to be replaced with another allergen. The sesame tofu with the Pandalidae shrimp (and the crab meat) removed,
the tofu is dense and delicate. Steamed abalone with kelp, accompanied by black olives and abalone liver sauce. Soy sauce flavored cream cheese skewer. Upon tasting, a seafood flavor comes through, fresh yet not fishy.
The abalone is well-controlled, crispy and chewy without being too tough. The appetizer is seafood, and on the crew's recommendation, we chose white wine.
This one is also a locally produced cedar white wine from Weightstone Winery in Taiwan. This cheese skewer can be considered a classic representation of this French kaiseki cuisine.
It's a creative dish that combines Eastern and Western ingredients and cooking styles. After finishing the appetizer, there's already a sense of satiety.
Also, we ate in the lounge just before boarding, and for those with small appetites, it's really hard to handle. First Class service procedures are more meticulous, and the process is relatively time-consuming.
If the flight is not long enough you can't enjoy it fully. Next, the main course was served.
For flights to Japan, they're served together on one plate. Today's main courses include Sous Vide Beef Chuck Steak, Roasted Yuan Style Suigo Chicken, and grilled yellowtail.
We chose the Sous Vide Beef Chuck Steak. Main Course: Mullet Roe Burdock Takikomi Rice. Side Dish: Ankimo Ponzu Jelly.
Anglerfish liver is a premium ingredient in Japanese cuisine, often referred to as the foie gras of the sea. Main Course: Sous Vide Beef Chuck Steak, Sansho Pepper Sauce, Seasonal Vegetables The rich anglerfish liver paired with yuzu vinegar jelly is a fantastic combination,
but it requires some skill to eat this dish with chopsticks alone. Mullet Roe Burdock Takikomi Rice performs quite well.
The balance of flavors is excellent, rich when eaten alone but not overpowering when eaten with the accompaniments. As the main dish is meat, we chose red wine to accompany it.
But perhaps drank a bit too much, as I can't remember what wine chose at that time. The Beef Chuck Steak is seasoned with Sichuan pepper sauce, tender and very flavorful.
Although the meat pieces are somewhat thick, the sauce has thoroughly penetrated. I was wondering if it was possible to eat such large pieces of meat without a knife and fork?
But it turns out the meat is well-prepared, and it breaks apart completely with just one bite, no knife needed. For the soup, it's a Japanese-style Yuba Osuimono.
Fortunately, it's not miso soup, otherwise, we'd be worried the soup might vanish again. While chatting with the crew, all we could do about the miso soup incident was to laugh bitterly.
To be honest, we were quite worried about what this experience would be like beforehand. There's a gap beneath the door panel in First Class.
And the top isn't flush with the partition; it actually only covers the height of the seated passenger. The seat control panel is quite special, especially the Zero G mode
and the three-stage pneumatic massage function. The storage space is very Rockwell Collins-esque.
The latch is a bit tight and not easy to open. Inside, there's a wireless charging area, but the induction seems a bit insensitive.
The crew also reminded to keep the cover open when charging. There's another storage space at the back. Inside are headphones and the AVOD remote control.
The jack for wired headphones is also inside. The AVOD remote control looks quite unique.
The black area at the top half is actually a touchpad, and sliding it moves the cursor on the screen. The headphones are another flagship hardware service from STARLUX.
They provide the Sony WH1000X-M5, priced at USD 400. These headphones use dual-chip multi-microphone active noise cancellation, with excellent performance.
And they feature LDAC technology for high-quality audio output. Afterward, dessert was served: cherry blossom cheesecake, seasonal fruit platter,
and a warabi mochi not listed on the menu, along with a pot of Japanese green tea. The fruit platter
The pineapple is probably from the Philippines; it tastes quite different from what we're used to. It's nice that they provide a whole pot of green tea. The cherry blossom cheesecake is quite fitting for the season.
The cherry blossoms in Tokyo have just started blooming these past few days. The clouds outside are still thick, but at least we can tell where we are.
We're currently near Miyazaki. I almost forgot to introduce the mini bar, a feature exclusive to First Class.
Inside, there's a variety of drinks for passengers to help themselves to. In addition to bottled tea, juice, and cola, they also provide Heineken beer.
For mineral water, they offer both OREZZA sparkling mineral water and VOSS still mineral water. If you enjoy drinking, the selection of alcohol offered onboard is quite extensive.
We aren't very knowledgeable about wine, so we just sampled lightly. The welcome chocolates placed on the seats upon boarding are collaboration chocolates with Yu Chocolatier.
Yu Chocolatier is a renowned local boutique chocolate brand in Taiwan. The four chocolates with different flavors are based on Taiwanese flavors.
Given Yu Chocolatier's pricing, this box probably values over USD 15. Feeling a bit of space left in the stomach, we decided to try the second set of main courses.
We chose the grilled yellowtail. The grilled yellowtail is seasoned with teriyaki sauce.
The portion isn't large, but it's quite exquisite. Aside from being tender, the fish is perfectly flavored.
Every bite brings out the freshness of the fish and the aroma of the sauce. Although meals are pre-selected, all options are brought on board in practice.
This is to accommodate passengers if they wish to change their minds. Unused meals after landing must be disposed of.
So, if you have the appetite, it's worth trying out more options. Just finished the second set of main courses when we encountered turbulence again.
The headwind on the return journey makes the flight less stable. The glass on the table is ALAIN MILLIAT white grape juice,
a non-alcoholic beverage recommended by the crew. After the meal, ice towels were provided once again.
To wipe away the grease from dining. The cabin lights are adjusted to a blue-tone resting mode,
allowing all passengers who have exhausted themselves in Japan to rest well. Safety cards and duty-free magazines are neatly organized in a bag,
placed inside the footwell document holder. A359's safety card. Cleaning bag. After the meal, it's time to try out this seat.
This seat has four modes that can be adjusted directly. The default state of the seat.
The blanket and pillow are pre-configured on the seat. This is the Zero G mode.
It is said to help alleviate fatigue during long flights. And of course, the fully flat mode that's essential for premium cabins.
It becomes a comfortable sleeper bed. There's a small wardrobe in front of the seat.
It can store coats and small carry-on luggage. The middle seats are equipped with movable partitions, which can be pulled up when needed to protect privacy. Rockwell Collins Elements are used in the business class, which can also lie completely flat.
Besides the reduced space, the screen size has also been reduced to 24 inches. The business class also has doors, but the layout is slightly cramped.
Also, due to the seat design, it's not easy to have a complete window. China Airlines uses the Super Diamond also produced by Rockwell Collins.
The cramped feeling of the seats is not as strong as the Elements. The dynamic welcome panel on the wall is also a major feature
that changes display according to different situations. There is no physical barrier between the first class and business class, a design trend in recent years.
The 60-inch height of the first-class partitions is sufficient to maintain privacy. The first section has a total of 4 first-class seats and 26 business class seats.
Due to toilet configuration, the last row of business class only has middle seats. Starlux has set up three toilets for business class in the first section.
The toilet behind the cockpit is reserved for first-class passengers. This is the toilet for business class, located on the right side of the 8th row. Next is the premium economy class with RECARO PL3530 seats.
It adopts a 2-4-2 configuration, and the seat pitch of 40 inches is the best among domestic carriers. There are a total of 36 seats in premium economy class, offering slightly better space than economy class.
The AVOD screen size is 15.6 inches. The economy class uses the common RECARO CL3710 seats,
the same as Starlux's 339 and EVA Air's 787. Economy class adopts a 3-3-3 configuration with a seat pitch of 32 inches, totaling 240 seats.
The AVOD screen size is also 13.3 inches. Although they're both CL3710, the seat colors of Starlux 339 and 359 are different.
359 is silver with rose gold accents, while 339 is predominantly earthy gold. This should be the location of the Crew Bunk at the tail of the aircraft. The last section is for economy class.
Business seems to be doing well today; it looks almost full. Finally, there's the Rolls-Royce XWB engine
that we can't see from our seats and the graceful wings of the A350. The toilet located at the back of the cockpit is exclusively for first-class passengers.
It's usually locked and only unlocked when first-class passengers need to use it. Even the toilet paper is printed with the pattern of Starlux's mascot.
It can be said that they pay great attention to detail. Starlux is Taiwan's first airline to create a scent image.
They shape the brand image related to smell with their exclusive "Starlux Fragrance." In terms of amenities, both business class and first class appear to be the same,
using products from HUYGENS, from France. Entrance to the front Crew Bunk. Please note the pattern changes on the right side welcome panel. Back in my seat and reclined, the Zero G mode is quite novel.
This is a flagship feature on Starlux's first and business class seats. It's said to reduce blood circulation pressure by aligning the knees with the heart,
thereby alleviating fatigue from long flights. After reclining, you'll find a small adjustment button nearby to compensate
for the distance of the seat control panel when reclined. The first-class blanket also holds significance, sourced from Loro Piana in Italy,
costing at least USD 1600. Starlux is the first operator to use electronic dimming windows on the A350, using products from Gentex. These electronic dimming windows also feature five brightness settings
but are touch-controlled, unlike the buttons on the 787. The electrochromic response time is slightly faster than the 787,
but it still takes about 30 seconds from brightest to darkest. The darkest setting can effectively block out the outside view, akin to physical sunshades. Menus and wine lists are all updated in the AVOD system.
If the paper versions are collected and you still want a clearer view, it's available on AVOD. And of course, all the entertainment features one would expect are available.
Bluetooth connectivity is supported throughout the aircraft regardless of class. The rear wall material seems to have some sound-absorbing functionality,
but it's probably challenging to maintain, appearing a bit dirty. Choosing the south bound route initially considered seasonal winds.
Heading south this season means facing headwinds, prolonging the flight for a more extended enjoyment. Northbound flights are only a little over two hours; you might not even have time to recline after dinner.
So, for an enjoyable experience, elegance is the choice. Power supply, Type-A, Type-C, and international standard sockets are provided,
but they're located in a more discreet position below. Good times always pass quickly; we're entering Taipei FIR soon.
The journey in first class is about to conclude. Capt. PA for Arrival Currently positioned 250 miles northeast off the coast of Taiwan, ETA in Taipei is 16:30 local time.
Taipei is currently at 14 degrees Celsius with cloudy weather. Currently flying at 30,000 feet. We'll begin descent shortly after this PA.
The clouds have been like this all the way, and it's said Taipei might experience rain later. At this moment, the crew is distributing candies, including mint and gummies. And, of course, the necessary regulatory reminders can't be skipped.
"Guarding the borders is everyone's responsibility." The cabin lights are also transitioning back to white mode. We're beginning pre-landing procedures. In the 2023 Skytrax rankings, Starlux secured third place as the world's best regional airline. To be fair, Starlux's cabin crew performance is indeed excellent,
showcasing a distinct style in service and response. But there's still plenty of room for improvement in other areas.
Many issues exist from pre-flight customer service contact to boarding. Considering Starlux's price point, it's already on par with Singapore Airlines.
However, actual quality still needs some more effort. Starlux seems to be striving for a boutique route through details,
but it's also because of these details that weaknesses are easily noticed. Overall, the flying experience is still quite good.
There are still some advantages in certain aspects, and experiences may vary. The logbook's back; thanks to the crew for assisting in filling it out. Much appreciated. Errrrrr, really?? Hasn't single runway operations ended already?
How can we still end up with a circling in the air?? The Taoyuan Airport traffic congestion disaster just ended a few days ago.
Yet today, despite 2 runway operations being normal, we're still facing congestion as usual. It's enough. Look at the progress and improvements in neighboring countries during the pandemic, and then look at Taoyuan.
Oh no, it's a world wonder!! Looking at it from another perspective, judging by this scheduled time, we might only need to circle once.
At least much better than waiting for hours like the past few days, sigh. By now, everyone must be curious about the price of this first-class journey.
Yes, it's not as expensive as imagined. If simply purchasing Tokyo-Taipei, it's priced at JPY 381,310, around USD 2,700,
with an extra 10% discount for co-branded world card holders. But our ticket itinerary is Tokyo-Taipei-Singapore.
The full fare ticket price comes to JPY 673,790, approximately USD 4,700. Starlux's first class can also be redeemed with miles,
which is relatively much more cost-effective than buying with cash. However, most people still vividly remember their Light Speed Changing in mileage calculations.
Daring to put miles into Starlux now really tests one's confidence. Especially with co-branded cards adopting rigid annual fee policies and miles being non-transferable,
the advantages of co-branded cards have indeed greatly diminished. The whole journey has been quite turbulent today, especially landing back in Taipei.
Fortunately, the turbulent airflow hasn't affected today's service procedures. Before departure, I checked the other dates using Amadeus.
It seems Starlux's first class usually accommodates 1 to 2 passengers, with all 4 seats rarely fully occupied. We only circled once over the northeast sea before returning to the landing procedure. Thank goodness. But actually, flying a bit longer today is fine since it's first class anyway.
It's more cost-effective to enjoy the seat longer, right? (Kidding) 16:43L/08:43Z Touch Down @RWY 05L TPE/RCTP
Flight Time: 3 hr 38 mins Vacate via N7 (40 sec after touching down) 16:49L/08:49Z Shut Down in Bay A5 Farewell to seat 1K in first class. Tomorrow we'll move to 1A when heading to Singapore. The compartment height in first class seats is 60 inches, with the door panel slightly lower.
Eye contact still occurs with passing people. First-class passengers are given priority to disembark.
Even business class passengers are held back and wait for first-class passengers to leave first. As soon as stepping off the aircraft, Starlux ground staff and Huan Yu VIP Terminal personnel take over seamlessly.
Royal treatment, indeed. Then immediately boarding an electric car to Huan Yu VIP Terminal for immigration clearance.
It's quite unfamiliar for someone used to flying like a commoner. Upon arrival at Huan Yu VIP Terminal, a dessert is promptly served,
and Starlux concierge personnel approach for pleasantries, inquiring about the flight experience. I thought of taking a shower before heading out; then I can rest well at home.
The shower room is on the third floor, and you can ask the staff for assistance when needed. I didn't expect the shower room at Huan Yu to be so luxurious.
At first glance, I thought there were three shower rooms, but it turns out it's just one! The basic shower facilities go without saying.
The hot water is really hot, and the water pressure is sufficient. Surprisingly, there's even an oven.
It looks quite new, so it's probably not used often. The main rest area is on the second floor.
Surprisingly, there are no other passengers at this time. The food is good, but we've already eaten quite a bit on the plane.
I can't eat even more. If you enjoy drinking, the bar here also offers a variety of alcoholic beverages.
But I've probably had my fair share on the plane already. Ice cream is also self-serve, and it's Häagen-Dazs.
There's quite a selection of flavors. Since I can't eat anymore, I'll just grab a Häagen-Dazs for the sake of it. I came in through this door just now, and there was a line of greeters bowing at the entrance, quite formal.
After entering, the immigration officer immediately checked passports for clearance. The fee for clearance at Huan Yu VIP Terminal is quite steep, USD 300 for one-way and USD 500 for round-trip.
It's a rare experience for ordinary folks. When leaving, there are also concierge staff to assist.
Having someone carry your luggage is really quite unusual. Starlux's first-class comes with airport limousine service. Today, they sent a Lexus LM350h. The airport limousine service is provided by Kenyit.
It's completely free for the Taipei-Taoyuan-Hsinchu area, but additional charges apply for other areas. Since we have an overnight layover, we'll go through the same process tomorrow morning for departure.
We'll be picked up by the luxury car, clear immigration at Huan Yu, then continue to Singapore. Here is our flight report on Starlux Airlines JX801 from Narita to Taipei,
in the A350-900 first-class cabin.
