I tried the world’s first plane seats that play audio out loud – so is it as hellish as it sounds?...

JAPAN Airlines is the first airline in the world to introduce cabin seats with built-in speakers - and I tried them out.

Japan's public transport is famously silent, a far-cry from UK trains and buses which are an ear-splitting circus of TikTok tunes and shouty FaceTime chats.

in Japan even answering your phone onboard is a shameful taboo.

So news that Japan Airlines would become the first carrier to install seat-mounted speakers seemed oddly out of character.

Sure, you get the odd parent treating the whole plane to an iPad Bluey marathon, but flights are usually the one form of transport where you can reliably rely on your fellow passengers to pack their headphones.

Could I really get away with turning my seat into a sky-high disco, and wouldn't it annoy everyone around me?

With JAL's swanky new A350-1000 now flying London to Tokyo, I had the chance to find out.

Settling into my private business class suite, I felt nervous as I queued up The Super Mario Bros Movie on my massive 24-inch 4K monitor.

But it turns out my fears of disturbing my neighbours' peace were unfounded.

Even with explosions raging at full volume through the headrest speakers, you couldn't hear a peep from the aisle.

I thoroughly tested this theory by enthusiastically blasting some aggressively peppy J-pop, but again, the audio seemed to be tuned perfectly to keep it confined to my seat.

The speakers will truly come into their own if you're the kind who likes to fall asleep to music or a movie.

But I mostly opted to use my own AirPods, which paired seamlessly with the telly on my first attempt.

There's also the option of a set of included noise-cancelling wired headphones.

Beyond the audio innovations, I was in what feels like a properly futuristic cabin.

Each seat now comes with fully closing doors featuring translucent panels that feel private without being claustrophobic.

There's wireless charging built right into the console (no more wrestling with cables mid-flight) and a handy wardrobe space to store your shoes before you step inside, Japanese style, along with your jacket.

The seat itself features pressure-dispersing cushions that make you forget you're in an airplane seat at all, and the cabin crew will fetch a nice squishy memory foam-style mattress when it's time to sleep.

Food is where JAL really flexes its muscle, with flights from London having the meals created by Daisuke Hayashi - owner-chef of London's Roketsu restaurant and the same chef who oversaw the Japanese cuisine at the G8 Hokkaido Summit.

My "Irodori Gozen" bento arrived with a helpful diagram to identify each meticulously crafted morsel - and believe me, I needed it.

The box was a work of art, filled with delicate seasonal items like soy-marinated salmon roe, lemon-flavoured marinated salmon dotted with pink peppercorns and a delightfully crispy crab cake with rocket sauce.

The centrepiece was a beautiful arrangement of scallop, red king crab, and char siu pork, with edible flowers that would be impressive even at ground-level gourmet restaurant.

If you're hoping to learn about sake before landing in Japan (because nobody wants to look clueless ordering their first round at their local izakaya), JAL's drink menu is the perfect classroom.

The airline stocks some seriously premium rice wine, which the flight attendant walked me through, explaining how each type is made.

Since launching the route on October 24, JAL has been running these new suites between Tokyo and London on alternating days, with daily flights having started last month.

For those who have been diligently saving up their Avios points via their Sainsbury’s shop or Amex credit card, a 14-hour long-haul flight like this is exactly the kind of journey worth spending them on.

But it's not just business class getting a revamp - JAL's new economy seats are seriously impressive too, with 13-inch 4K screens (as big as some airlines' business class offerings) and a clever preset recline angle that's actually comfortable from the moment you sit down.

They've even managed to squeeze in both USB-A and USB-C ports at every seat.

The economy food offering is equally ambitious.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has teamed up with chefs from RED U-35 (think MasterChef for Japan's most promising young chefs) to create meals that they claim make you feel happier the more you eat.

This apparently means fresh, sustainable ingredients and are designed to be satisfying, with flavours and textures that are meant to leave you feeling good—not just full—during your flight.

There's even a self-service area during the flight where you can grab snacks and chocolates whenever the mood strikes.

If you're feeling fancy, you can upgrade your economy meal for about £16 to either a Western or Japanese premium menu.

It's exciting to see an airline taking a risk with new technology.

The fact that the loudest innovations come from JAL - an airline from a country where talking on your phone on the train is practically a criminal offence - certainly makes it all the more interesting.

But JAL has managed to create a space that feels both futuristic and intimate, where you can blast your action movies with impunity at 35,000 feet - though maybe skip the J-pop karaoke session, just to be safe.