Pattern
Oh, I forgot, for the pattern...
Yes, Jal has flights like LHR-NRT, AMS, MXP, FCO, ZRH and CDG and you can get the allowance to be released after a flight from NRT or KIX or NGO but it is necessary to go to London or FRA before each flight, even if its a dead head flight, cause there's a briefing before each pattern. So if you live in AMS you have to go to LHR first to have your briefing and then you can go back to AMS d/h. There is no exception.
In LHR a lot of crew lives somewhere else, the roster allows it. In FRA it's also possible but very hard. I know only one girl who lives in NL and it's very tough for her.
Sometimes you have flights from NRT to DEL but there the FRA base is lucky, they go quit often, there are people in LHR who didn't had a DEL flight for more than two years... (FRA= 80-90 crew, LHR= 250 crew)