freshair
Mar 30, 03, 1:12 pm
Warning: This is long, and will probably not be of interest to veterans of this route!
Acknowledgements to: olafman - whose humor and generosity got me started (and smoothed me through my recent qualifying run in STYLE - more to come!); andrzej - whose gently cajoling "NY envy" challenged my thinking; Engines Turn for "Nartia via Limerick", which charmed and encouraged me; and AA - for offering great fares and elite benefits!
The Decision and Prepararion
Basking in the afterglow of a qualifying MR earlier this month (newly-minted AA Plat), and tempted by the $409 (+ tax) coach fare and the FT postings above, I decided to take the JFK-NRT run.
Although not a true MR to the purist (latest departure - Fri - first return - Mon), this was still a welcome mileage accumulator and would give me a couple days away from the daily grind...a few days to think, and just "be"...
I had never been to Asia before, and with only a few days to prepare, I realized I would have to wing a few things. One thing I consider essential while travelling is internet access. I checked a number of area hotel websites for information, and for the cheaper ones, details were not specific.
I emailed to 2 hotels for information and finally decided to book the Holiday Inn Narita (Priority Club member) for 6000 yen/night (plus 10% service and 5% comsumption tax). I also appreciated the airport shuttle service (Most, if not all, of the local hotels offer it.).
I checked FT posts, visa/airport/customs information, weather forecasts and Tokyo tourism on the web. I found the Narita airport site and Japanese customs site to be quite comprehensive (the customs site was actually a bit amusing). I decided that if I did nothing else, I would visit the Ueno parks and zoo.
Getting to Kennedy
The "A" Train route would be out of the question for 2 reasons - it would have required travel during rush hour, and there had been switching problems during the week which caused annoying delays. I opted for the express bus from Grand Central. If you have ever taken this bus, you know why they recommend that you allow 90 minutes. The absolute crawl from 42nd/Park to 35th/2nd can be a nail-biting experience. This 1/2 mile segment of the journey took about 30 minutes. Once into the Queens Midtown Tunnel, we moved quickly along to JFK (going against trafic). Total trip took about 1 hour.
I did not see the Platinum check-in line when I arrived at Terminal 8 and went to an empty Business/Gold counter. I was checked-in promptly by a cheerful agent. She pointed out where to bring my bag and how to access the lounge. She did mention that it was "business as usual" at the airport that day (no lines for Narita?) - in spite of the war having started.
At baggage screening, I asked if I could put a lock on after the x-ray/inspection process and was told no (I had closed it up with twist-ties only.). Relieved of my bag, I proceeded to the lounge.
The AC was quite nice; I was greeted warmly. I asked if there would be a boarding announcement and they said yes (I wanted to check because they do not do this at all lounges, in my brief experience as an elite!). I was a bit concerned about this because the AC is outside the secure area, and secutiry checks can take some time. Not to worry. The AC staff told me there were no other flghts leaving at the same time as ours so getting thorugh security should not be a problem. A bit later there was an announcement that boarding was delayed; please remain in the club area; departure should still be on time.
Security and Boarding
Basically unremarkable; there was a separate screening line for elites. The flight was hardly full so boarding went quickly. Coach is divided into 2 sections with a crew rest cabin separating them. There are 4 pilots on board for these long flights. I was seated on the aisle of the front middle section of coach (2-5-2); another passenger was in the opposite aisle seat. Good opportunity for a stretch...
I noticed that the bulkhead seats were empty. I surmised that that because they have fixed armrests, they were less desirable. I was quite OK with my seat.
Inflight
Bilingual Menus were distributed:
Dinner
Sushi Appetizer (not bad)
Green Salad
Main Courses - Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Sauce and Japanese steamed Rice OR
Salmon complimented by a creamy Dill Sauce presented with Potatoes (I had the latter; turned out to be served with rice, not potatoes - not bad at all.)
Specially prepared Dessert (chocolate cake)
Afternoon Refreshment
Smoked Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches (on a roll)
Light Supper
Uno's deep dish Pizza OR Japansese Udon Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables (the pizza was good)
Beverages - as expected - $5 for beer, wine, liquor; no charge - soft drinks, juice, coffee, green tea, milk, water.
IFE
There are individual video screens on the 777. Movie selections were OK, but since I had just done a MR to London during the same month, I had seen some of these before. I brought a few audiotapes with me and alternated with the in-flight music selections. I brought a pair of Targus noise-cancelling headphones, which were welcome. They aren't Bose, but are still quite effective. Dozed comfortably with them on.
Service
I had heard stories about the ancient FA's on this route. The female attendants were mature, for sure; the males seemed quite a bit younger. The age difference was far more pronounced on the return trip. All of the FA's I encountered were pleasant and attentive.
The flight is long, but I was very comfortable. As above, I was able to stretch out and nap a few times (I will not call it true "sleep"). We did hit mild turbulence 2-3 times, no big deal.
As we neared our destination, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the 14 hour journey had passed.
We landed at NRT and had a long taxi to the terminal. Signage in the terminal is in Japanese and English. First you pass by the Quarantine area. Airport staff inform passengers that they must stop here if they have fever or diarrhea. Happily I had neither, so I kept going. There was a long line at Immigration. All in all it took 20-30 minutes to get to an inspector. Once at the desk, I was processed quickly. The officer checked my passport and Embarkation/Disembarkation slip. The slip is separated and the Embarkation section is stapled to the passport for collection on departure.
Next stop was baggage claim - very busy place, again with long lines. Collected my bag (twist ties in place) and headed for Customs - Nothing to Declare.
Staff at the Information Desk in the Arrivals Hall spoke English and were pleasant and helpful, directing me to the CitiBank ATM and Hotel Shuttle pickup areas, and providing tourist maps and information. The Arrivals Hall was very busy and crowded. The only possibly disconcerting thing I saw was that quite a few people were wearing surgical masks. I guessed that they may have come in from one of the areas where the strange pneumonia was diagnosed (more on this later). I was determined not to worry about it. I got some yen and went to the shuttle bus lot.
There is a bus schedule prominently posted for the various hotels. The shuttle buses were quite nice. Some were more like luxury tour buses, replete with white-gloved drivers, than what I would term "airport shuttles". Another passenger who had just come in from DFW was also going to the same hotel and said that the rooms are not "great" but the restaurants are good and the price is right. I was glad for the information. The HI bus pulled up (one of the less elegant models, but nice) and we arrived at the hotel in a few minutes.
On arrival at the Holiday Inn, the bellmen take all bags. They will not let you take them! Bags are delivered to the rooms after check in. Check-in was prompt and I was asked if I would like late check-out (not sure if this is the general practice or because I was a PC member - the hotel lists charges for late check out -3PM, 6PM - portion of nightly rate, after 6PM - full rate). I was given a 2PM check out time which was fine with me. They use regular metal room keys instead of electronic locks. Key in hand, I proceeded to my room.
The room was fairly large and was decorated in pink tones. Although it was clearly not a recent renovation, it was quite clean, quiet, and more than adequate. A Japanese robe and slippers were provided (I was relieved that they fit!), and there was a hotpot, coffee/tea service and a minibar (pretty much standard fare - but thought I'd mention it for the benefit of java-junkies on North American bio-clocks who might have a caffeine craving when room service is closed! - Bring instant coffee!). There was a sign next to the hotpot advising that the tap water was safe to drink!
I was relieved to find an RJ-11 dataport and power plug on the desk; I would have my internet! Still couldn't get a clear answer on the local phone charges. One hotel staffer told me it was 10 yen for 3 minutes plus hotel fees (but could not enumerate these). I just wanted to know so that I would not be surprised by a huge phone bill.
There was one English-speaking TV station - CNN. Needless to say, the fare was "War TV". But I suspected that it would have been the same back home...other stations included what seemed to be 24-hour Sumo wrestling and baseball channels. It's too bad the scheduled US Baseball opening day in Tokyo was cancelled.
After I got settled, I headed for the shower. A magnificent moment! After a long journey, this was heavenly!
Donned the hotel robe, laid down on the bed - still relatively early in the evening in Japan - but, having decided not to fight the urge - within minutes, I was in dreamland!
To be continued...
(edited for spelling!)
[This message has been edited by freshair (edited 03-30-2003).]
[This message has been edited by freshair (edited 03-30-2003).]
Acknowledgements to: olafman - whose humor and generosity got me started (and smoothed me through my recent qualifying run in STYLE - more to come!); andrzej - whose gently cajoling "NY envy" challenged my thinking; Engines Turn for "Nartia via Limerick", which charmed and encouraged me; and AA - for offering great fares and elite benefits!
The Decision and Prepararion
Basking in the afterglow of a qualifying MR earlier this month (newly-minted AA Plat), and tempted by the $409 (+ tax) coach fare and the FT postings above, I decided to take the JFK-NRT run.
Although not a true MR to the purist (latest departure - Fri - first return - Mon), this was still a welcome mileage accumulator and would give me a couple days away from the daily grind...a few days to think, and just "be"...
I had never been to Asia before, and with only a few days to prepare, I realized I would have to wing a few things. One thing I consider essential while travelling is internet access. I checked a number of area hotel websites for information, and for the cheaper ones, details were not specific.
I emailed to 2 hotels for information and finally decided to book the Holiday Inn Narita (Priority Club member) for 6000 yen/night (plus 10% service and 5% comsumption tax). I also appreciated the airport shuttle service (Most, if not all, of the local hotels offer it.).
I checked FT posts, visa/airport/customs information, weather forecasts and Tokyo tourism on the web. I found the Narita airport site and Japanese customs site to be quite comprehensive (the customs site was actually a bit amusing). I decided that if I did nothing else, I would visit the Ueno parks and zoo.
Getting to Kennedy
The "A" Train route would be out of the question for 2 reasons - it would have required travel during rush hour, and there had been switching problems during the week which caused annoying delays. I opted for the express bus from Grand Central. If you have ever taken this bus, you know why they recommend that you allow 90 minutes. The absolute crawl from 42nd/Park to 35th/2nd can be a nail-biting experience. This 1/2 mile segment of the journey took about 30 minutes. Once into the Queens Midtown Tunnel, we moved quickly along to JFK (going against trafic). Total trip took about 1 hour.
I did not see the Platinum check-in line when I arrived at Terminal 8 and went to an empty Business/Gold counter. I was checked-in promptly by a cheerful agent. She pointed out where to bring my bag and how to access the lounge. She did mention that it was "business as usual" at the airport that day (no lines for Narita?) - in spite of the war having started.
At baggage screening, I asked if I could put a lock on after the x-ray/inspection process and was told no (I had closed it up with twist-ties only.). Relieved of my bag, I proceeded to the lounge.
The AC was quite nice; I was greeted warmly. I asked if there would be a boarding announcement and they said yes (I wanted to check because they do not do this at all lounges, in my brief experience as an elite!). I was a bit concerned about this because the AC is outside the secure area, and secutiry checks can take some time. Not to worry. The AC staff told me there were no other flghts leaving at the same time as ours so getting thorugh security should not be a problem. A bit later there was an announcement that boarding was delayed; please remain in the club area; departure should still be on time.
Security and Boarding
Basically unremarkable; there was a separate screening line for elites. The flight was hardly full so boarding went quickly. Coach is divided into 2 sections with a crew rest cabin separating them. There are 4 pilots on board for these long flights. I was seated on the aisle of the front middle section of coach (2-5-2); another passenger was in the opposite aisle seat. Good opportunity for a stretch...
I noticed that the bulkhead seats were empty. I surmised that that because they have fixed armrests, they were less desirable. I was quite OK with my seat.
Inflight
Bilingual Menus were distributed:
Dinner
Sushi Appetizer (not bad)
Green Salad
Main Courses - Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Sauce and Japanese steamed Rice OR
Salmon complimented by a creamy Dill Sauce presented with Potatoes (I had the latter; turned out to be served with rice, not potatoes - not bad at all.)
Specially prepared Dessert (chocolate cake)
Afternoon Refreshment
Smoked Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches (on a roll)
Light Supper
Uno's deep dish Pizza OR Japansese Udon Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables (the pizza was good)
Beverages - as expected - $5 for beer, wine, liquor; no charge - soft drinks, juice, coffee, green tea, milk, water.
IFE
There are individual video screens on the 777. Movie selections were OK, but since I had just done a MR to London during the same month, I had seen some of these before. I brought a few audiotapes with me and alternated with the in-flight music selections. I brought a pair of Targus noise-cancelling headphones, which were welcome. They aren't Bose, but are still quite effective. Dozed comfortably with them on.
Service
I had heard stories about the ancient FA's on this route. The female attendants were mature, for sure; the males seemed quite a bit younger. The age difference was far more pronounced on the return trip. All of the FA's I encountered were pleasant and attentive.
The flight is long, but I was very comfortable. As above, I was able to stretch out and nap a few times (I will not call it true "sleep"). We did hit mild turbulence 2-3 times, no big deal.
As we neared our destination, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the 14 hour journey had passed.
We landed at NRT and had a long taxi to the terminal. Signage in the terminal is in Japanese and English. First you pass by the Quarantine area. Airport staff inform passengers that they must stop here if they have fever or diarrhea. Happily I had neither, so I kept going. There was a long line at Immigration. All in all it took 20-30 minutes to get to an inspector. Once at the desk, I was processed quickly. The officer checked my passport and Embarkation/Disembarkation slip. The slip is separated and the Embarkation section is stapled to the passport for collection on departure.
Next stop was baggage claim - very busy place, again with long lines. Collected my bag (twist ties in place) and headed for Customs - Nothing to Declare.
Staff at the Information Desk in the Arrivals Hall spoke English and were pleasant and helpful, directing me to the CitiBank ATM and Hotel Shuttle pickup areas, and providing tourist maps and information. The Arrivals Hall was very busy and crowded. The only possibly disconcerting thing I saw was that quite a few people were wearing surgical masks. I guessed that they may have come in from one of the areas where the strange pneumonia was diagnosed (more on this later). I was determined not to worry about it. I got some yen and went to the shuttle bus lot.
There is a bus schedule prominently posted for the various hotels. The shuttle buses were quite nice. Some were more like luxury tour buses, replete with white-gloved drivers, than what I would term "airport shuttles". Another passenger who had just come in from DFW was also going to the same hotel and said that the rooms are not "great" but the restaurants are good and the price is right. I was glad for the information. The HI bus pulled up (one of the less elegant models, but nice) and we arrived at the hotel in a few minutes.
On arrival at the Holiday Inn, the bellmen take all bags. They will not let you take them! Bags are delivered to the rooms after check in. Check-in was prompt and I was asked if I would like late check-out (not sure if this is the general practice or because I was a PC member - the hotel lists charges for late check out -3PM, 6PM - portion of nightly rate, after 6PM - full rate). I was given a 2PM check out time which was fine with me. They use regular metal room keys instead of electronic locks. Key in hand, I proceeded to my room.
The room was fairly large and was decorated in pink tones. Although it was clearly not a recent renovation, it was quite clean, quiet, and more than adequate. A Japanese robe and slippers were provided (I was relieved that they fit!), and there was a hotpot, coffee/tea service and a minibar (pretty much standard fare - but thought I'd mention it for the benefit of java-junkies on North American bio-clocks who might have a caffeine craving when room service is closed! - Bring instant coffee!). There was a sign next to the hotpot advising that the tap water was safe to drink!
I was relieved to find an RJ-11 dataport and power plug on the desk; I would have my internet! Still couldn't get a clear answer on the local phone charges. One hotel staffer told me it was 10 yen for 3 minutes plus hotel fees (but could not enumerate these). I just wanted to know so that I would not be surprised by a huge phone bill.
There was one English-speaking TV station - CNN. Needless to say, the fare was "War TV". But I suspected that it would have been the same back home...other stations included what seemed to be 24-hour Sumo wrestling and baseball channels. It's too bad the scheduled US Baseball opening day in Tokyo was cancelled.
After I got settled, I headed for the shower. A magnificent moment! After a long journey, this was heavenly!
Donned the hotel robe, laid down on the bed - still relatively early in the evening in Japan - but, having decided not to fight the urge - within minutes, I was in dreamland!
To be continued...
(edited for spelling!)
[This message has been edited by freshair (edited 03-30-2003).]
[This message has been edited by freshair (edited 03-30-2003).]