Introduction
My very 1st First Class flight happens to be on one of the best airlines in the world. All Nippon Airways (ANA) has the reputation of having the high standards of Japan which really shows in their service and food. I flew on this flight with my girlfriend on September 12, 2018, which also happens to be my birthday so that added extra excitement. I redeemed the flight with Aeroplan costing 105,000 points per person for a one way ticket. It costs a lot of points but considering this was a $15k ticket per person, it was well worth it!
We came from a connecting flight from Toronto and only had 1.5 hrs layover at the Houston airport. We decided to quickly visit the Amex Centurion Lounge as we had access from our Amex Platinum cards and the lounge was also close to the boarding gates. After spending some time there, we headed to the gates to get ready to board. We ended up having minor issues with our boarding passes and had to show our IDs before getting them re-issued. After the minor inconvenience, we finally made our way to the plane where we were greeted by an air stewardess and pointed us to the left side of the cabin where our seats were waiting.
My first impression was WOW, the cabin was spacious and the seats were huge and comfortable, it was like sitting in a throne. We were welcomed with champagne and an amenity kit as we settled into our comfortable seats and got familiar with the entertainment system and the various compartments around the seat.
There was a lot of storage everywhere – the foot well under the entertainment system had plenty of space, there were small compartments where you can put your passport and other small items, and there was even a closet on the side of the seat to put your jacket.
After take off, the flight attendant came back and took some drink orders. I ordered the famous Krug champagne as that was a popular choice in First Class. Afterwards, she came back to take the food order which I was looking forward to.
Food: Japanese Perfection
Most Asian airlines put more effort into their food compared to their Western counterparts. ANA is no exception and I had high expectations coming onto the flight, especially in First Class. About an hour into the flight, the flight attendants came to take our order for food. There were two choices on the menu, Japanese or International cuisine – I chose the Japanese cuisine since I was on a Japanese airline. However, I did hear the International cuisine was pretty good as well so you can’t go wrong with either choice. Throughout the meal, the service was outstanding as the flight attendants paid close attention to detail making sure each course arrived perfectly as well as catering to any special requests you had. I found some items on the International menu appealing which I ordered as a special request later on and to my surprise, they did not mind serving that as well. Overall, the meal was by far one of the best food I ever had on a plane, but since it was my first time on First Class, it was hard to compare with anything else. I was completely full from the meal and needed to take a break from all the eating to make space for the light dishes later on in the flight.
After the Japanese cuisine meal, I saw there was cheesecake on the International menu and I really wanted to try it. While ordering my latte, I asked if I could also try the cheesecake as well, and without hesitation, she returned with one.
Throughout the flight, there were a lot of light dishes we can order any time. After my nap, I woke up to another passenger slurping ramen and the aroma it gave off smelled really good. I asked for one along with some green tea. The ramen was amazing and I have to say it was the best item on the menu.
Conclusion
My expectations were high since this was my first time flying on First Class and ANA did not disappoint. Their service was top notch and their food was one of the best I ever had. The seats were big and comfortable, I literally felt like a king especially with the service the Japanese airlines are well known for. This was one of my bucket list items and I’m glad I was able to cross this off my list, especially on my birthday. Even though this was my first time flying First Class, I can definitely say it won’t be my last.
