ANA First Class Square 777-300ER Review
While ANA typically flies their 787s to/from Seattle, in busier months a 777-300ER is sometimes swapped in for additional capacity. I couldn’t pass up the chance to see how their F product checked out, so booked the ticket and headed on. I had heard that it was getting “a bit old”, especially with the likes of Cathay and Singapore upgrading their F products, but it remains an interesting seat design, and at the end of the day it is a suite, so how bad could it be?
Flight Overview
What’s Awesome
- The squares super private feeling even though they don’t have a door
- Seat is spacious in bed mode
- Service is personal and functional
- Great lighting and connectivity
- Comfy bed and loads of leg room, as one might expect in a suite
What’s Not
- A quirk of the square design makes it difficult to see out the window
- Cabin was a little warm
- Fabric was looking a bit worn
First things first: there’s a dedicated First Class check-in which segregates you from the rest of the passengers from the get go. Love. This is fairly common among top tier carriers these days, and it really is a nice touch, making the entire pre-flight process quieter and less hectic while providing that extra bit of exclusivity and luxury.
After check in and security there’s of course the ANA Suites lounge (which you also get access to when flying Singapore Suites through Narita), but I’ll save that for another post. The quick and dirty version of that review is it’s a good but not great lounge, only because it’s small. That said, the showers are great and so is the service at the lounge.
Upon boarding, I headed to my 1K seat, right up at the bulkhead. There’s only 8 First Class seats on the ANA 777-300ER, laid out in a 1-2-1 config. The seats are rectangular and appear “blocky” but that does not detract from the quality or comfort. My particular open suite was as private as you can get, as even the lavatory is located on the left side of the cabin. In truth, all suites are extremely private, even without doors. It might be perhaps too private for couples traveling together in the center, because once you settle in the seat, you’re totally cocooned off. At 33 inches wide, the seat is more like your lounger at home, with thick cushioning and a wide ottoman for your feet.
Around the seat are a number of storage places for various small items (including glasses). On the window “ledge”, is a small table for drinks. The screen is a respectable 23″, plenty big enough to enjoy the IFE offerings. The only downside of the suite design was that I had to lean very far forward to see out the window. Not a big deal considering the window shades are closed most of the flight, but every aviation geek loves to look out the window during taxi, takeoff, and landing…
Food was really excellent and they offer a Japanese and Western menu. I opted for the Western and was not disappointed. Throughout the flight, the flight attendants are present without being overwhelming. Once I was done wining and dining, I put on my PJs while the FAs took care of turndown service, which included the soft blanket and pillow. No mattress pad, but frankly these seats don’t need it.
The Samsonite amenity kit was about what you’d expect in a first class offering, with extra soaps and lotions above and beyond the usual business class items. There were also plenty of spares in the lav in case the amenity kit isn’t enough.
Seatlink’s Take
The thing that stood out for me was the incredible privacy of the suites. Once you’re inside, you feel as though you’re in a cocoon which is incredible given there are no doors. I wasn’t disturbed by anyone the entire flight in the K seat I chose. ANA really know how to keep a cabin tidy too, so there was no negligent mess or un-maintained lavatories.
The fact that there are only 8 seats in the cabin just adds to that exclusivity and privacy up front. What I didn’t like was that you can’t see out the window all that well given the design of the suites. With the partition closing you off all around, it blocks everything out. Other than this, I really enjoyed the ANA Square and it’s hands down the best product you can fly from Seattle to Japan, and is only beaten out by Korean Air’s new first class suites to Seoul from SEA to anywhere in Asia.
Which Seat and Why
If you’re traveling solo, then you can’t beat 1K given how quiet and private it is. The second row was also quiet, but being located a bit more towards the Business cabin, you’re likely to be disturbed more than not. Because they’re basically a rectangular box, none of the seats particularly stand out when it comes to incidental room or extra storage. In this sense, they’re all identical.
As a couple traveling together, you’d more likely go for the two center seats next to each other. Just keep in mind that the design will get in the way again and you’ll feel alone for the most part. If you’re planning on chatting to each other, be ready to lean forward for the majority of the flight.
Your Thoughts on ANA 777-330ER First Class
Have you been on ANA’s 777 First Class or any of their other aircraft? Flying it soon? Let us know in the comments below!
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