Zipair Flight Review: Is Zipair Full Flat "Business Class" Experience Worth It?
Introduction to Zipair
Zipair Tokyo, a low cost subsidiary carrier under Japan Airlines, provides an innovative approach to premium air travel. By offering full flat seats without the extensive frills of traditional business class, Zipair caters to budget conscious travellers seeking comfort on long haul flights from the West Coast to Tokyo, with flights from Vancouver (YVR), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Diego (SAN) to Tokyo Narita - Terminal 1 (NRT). We recently flew round trip from (YVR) Vancouver to Tokyo Narita - Terminal 1 (NRT) in Zipair's Full Flat seats and are excited to share our experience with you on this airline.
Booking and Pricing for Zipair Full Flat Seats
Typically, business class flights from Vancouver to Tokyo range from CAD 4,000 to $6,000. In contrast, Zipair's "business class" or Full Flat seats base fare usually cost between CAD 2,200 and $3,200. Although our late booking resulted in a higher fare, it was still more affordable than other airlines business class option.
Be mindful that Zipair's ticketing policy is strict: no changes or refunds once purchased. At the time of booking you will need to pay extra if you would like seat selection, even if you are booking a lie-flat seat. There is also the option to purchase amenity bundles, but those items can be added separately later. The booking process as a whole was fairly straightforward.
Zipair Baggage Policy
Is Zipair strict with baggage? Absolutely. Zipair's baggage policy allows one carry-on and one personal item, with a combined weight of up to 7 kg. You can increase the carry-on weight limit to 15 kg for an additional fee, which was CAD 52 on our flight. The checked bag has a 30 kg limit and was available for purchase on our route for CAD 73.
What is Zipair Full Flat?
Zipair's Full Flat cabin looks just like other airlines business class seat, with seats that fully recline into a bed, providing comfort without the extra luxuries. This design is perfect for long-haul flights, offering a significant advantage over traditional economy seating.
Flight Experience To Tokyo Narita
Zipair Check-In and Boarding
Zipair check-in process was straightforward but lacked the perks of other airlines business class. There is no dedicated business class check-in line, so prepare to wait with all of the other passengers.
That being said, Zipair offers something called "Zipair Express Service". This add-on service allowed us to utilize a dedicated check-in line and skip ahead of other passengers, making it a valuable upgrade for a nominal fee, especially if you are accustomed to flying business class on full service airlines.
Zipair is fairly strict with baggage; our carry-ons were weighed and tagged to ensure they met the allowance, however, our personal items were tagged without being weighed.
Cabin and Seat Comfort on Zipair 787
The Full-Flat cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with 18 seats. The seats are visually appealing with a sleek black design. However, the new leather, though attractive, lacks padding, causing us discomfort over the long flights. The seats are quite long when fully reclined but narrow, limiting your leg mobility.
Storage options are plentiful and include a side shelf, a front mesh pocket with a mini shelf below, a mesh pocket by the armrest, and under the footrest storage. However, many of these storage spaces cannot be used during takeoff and landing.
Various recline function buttons and a handy "Do Not Disturb" button enhance comfort. There is a reading light, a power outlet, and a tray table that swivels out.
Zipair Inflight Entertainment
Is there inflight entertainment on Zipair? Not really. There are no in-seat TVs, so be sure to bring your own entertainment. With a suitable tablet cover, you can balance your device in the front mesh pocket, though the setup was more awkward than we anticipated. Zipair provides free inflight WIFI and a selection of about ten movies. Unfortunately, the free WIFI didn't work for anything other than ordering food and drinks during either of our flights.
Food and Drinks
Does Zipair serve drinks? No, but, drinks and snacks are available for purchase, and you can pre-purchase your meals as well. On a Zipair flight, nothing is included—not even a bottle of water.
We tried every in-flight meal available so that you don’t have to, and you can read about it in our dedicated Zipair dining blog post HERE. One important takeaway is that we found it essential to preorder your meals, due to the limited availability we observed once on board. Pre-ordered meals are served about an hour after takeoff, with no flexibility in timing despite the long flight.
The efficient inflight ordering system allows you to select items and enter payment details on your device, with flight attendants delivering them promptly thereafter. On Zipair there is no trolley service offering items for purchase, making the in-seat "Do Not Disturb" button a little less necessary.
Zipair Amenities
There are also no complimentary amenities in your lie-flat seat, such as blankets or pillows. An amenity kit is available for purchase, however, we did not think the included inflatable neck pillow was suitable for lie-flat seats.
Instead, we brought our own supplies, which of course reduced our available packing space. We relied on scarves as blankets and rolled-up sweaters as pillows and were quickly disappointed with the bed we had fashioned for ourselves. The lack of proper pillows and blankets, combined with the hard seats, limited our sleep to a few restless hours, making us wonder if the price increase over economy class was truly worth it if we weren’t going to arrive feeling fresh and rested.
Restrooms on the Zipair 787
As Zipair does not have a dedicated business class cabin, they also do not have dedicated full flat seat washrooms onboard their Boeing 787 Dreamliner. All restrooms are shared, with those for Full-Flat seats located at the back of the cabin, near economy. The last row is adjacent to the popular washrooms, which feature the loudest flush we have ever heard on an airplane. This proximity made sleep difficult, so we recommend selecting a seat further forward for (hopefully) increased peace and quiet.
So, Is Zipair Full Flat Worth It?
Flying Zipair from (YVR) Vancouver to Tokyo Narita - Terminal 1 (NRT) in a lie flat seat offers a mix of comfort and affordability. While lacking traditional business class perks, the significantly lower cost and lie-flat seats are substantial advantages. However, keep in mind the additional costs for seat selection, luggage, food, and onboard amenities can add up, potentially offsetting some of your savings.
Despite some discomfort and the lack of amenities, Zipair provides a viable option for budget conscious travellers prioritizing seat comfort over service on long haul flights. If you keep your expectations realistic and bring with you the proper supplies (a pillow, blanket, and snacks), it is a worthwhile and unique affordable luxury travel opportunity we would encourage you to experience.
