All Nippon Airways Mileage Club - Free Ark Mori helicopter service for ANA F pax

Story from Nikkei in Japanese is here (http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/sangyo/20090820AT1D1908E19082009.html).

Says that ANA will start free helicopter service for first class passengers on US and Europe routes when returning from Narita to central Tokyo, starting in mid-September.

The new helicopter service is being set up by a Mori Building subsidiary and will use a heliport at Ark Hills; ANA is apparently buying up seats in bulk as freebies for F pax. Flight time is 30 minutes.

any idea when this will start?

On September, 16th:
http://www.starallianceemployees.com/news_details.html?&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=9623&tx_ttnews[backPid]=14&cHash=0534d2605c

I would be surprised if anything other than full F booking code is eligible for this service... and I would be truly amazed if they extend the service to award tickets.

If my expectations are correct, it will cost such a ridiculous sum for the full F ticket itself that you're probably better off paying for the helicopter out of your own pocket :eek: Remember that Japan->Europe r/t in F is JPY 2,200,000 (or USD 23,000 at today's exchange rate)...

NRT heliport to ARK Heliport is 15 minutes only. The main heliport used is in Sakura as the airspace on NRT itself is often socked in with other traffic and the Sakura one does not have those limitations although it is only a short limo ride away. Limo in this case is not a bus but a limo. So NRT arrival (post customs) to ARK is 30 minutes which includes a short ride off the airport property to the adjacent heliprt and the a 15 minute flight to ARK.

But the really cool thing is this is available for 38,000yen right now for whoever and for $400 that is a fun experience.


Story from Nikkei in Japanese is here (http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/sangyo/20090820AT1D1908E19082009.html).

Says that ANA will start free helicopter service for first class passengers on US and Europe routes when returning from Narita to central Tokyo, starting in mid-September.

The new helicopter service is being set up by a Mori Building subsidiary and will use a heliport at Ark Hills; ANA is apparently buying up seats in bulk as freebies for F pax. Flight time is 30 minutes.

Air Transport World reports (http://www.atwonline.com/news/other.html?issueDate=8%2F21%2F2009):

ANA is set to introduce from Sept.16 a complimentary helicopter transport from Tokyo Narita to central Tokyo for first-class passengers returning to the Japanese capital from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Frankfurt. Mori Building City Air Services signed an agreement with the airline and will provide the service at least through March 31, 2010. On arrival at NRT, first-class passengers will be taken by limo on a 15-min. drive to the nearby Narita (Sakura) Heliport. From there it is a 15-min. helicopter flight to Ark Hills Heliport in the centrally located Akasaka district that is headquarters for many multinational companies, embassies, major hotels and retail centers. The service will be operated with Eurocopter EC135s seating 4-5 passengers.

As suspected, this service is not available to reward ticket holders. Also, "certain fare classes" are ineligible, which most likely means anything but full F will qualify.

Source: Article here (http://www.ftnnews.com/content/view/6782/27/lang,english)

But the really cool thing is this is available for 38,000yen right now for whoever and for $400 that is a fun experience.Interesting...! Given that taxis don't cost a whole lot less, the helicopter is a fascinating alternative... and almost worth it!

Interesting...! Given that taxis don't cost a whole lot less, the helicopter is a fascinating alternative... and almost worth it!

I can assure you I will be trying it shortly. :) And I am the cheapskate sort that does the Keio to Toei 1100yen alternative most times.

As suspected, this service is not available to reward ticket holders. Also, "certain fare classes" are ineligible, which most likely means anything but full F will qualify.

Source: Article here (http://www.ftnnews.com/content/view/6782/27/lang,english)

Interesting...! Given that taxis don't cost a whole lot less, the helicopter is a fascinating alternative... and almost worth it!

These kinds of offers seem to be directed at rock stars, high roller types and oil sheiks -- people who don't bother to shop around. I'll bet that the ineligible fare classes will be such that it will always be a lot cheaper to find a discounted F fare from ANA or a consolidator, and then pay for the $400 for the helicopter ride out of pocket.

These kinds of offers seem to be directed at rock stars, high roller types and oil sheiks -- people who don't bother to shop around. I'll bet that the ineligible fare classes will be such that it will always be a lot cheaper to find a discounted F fare from ANA or a consolidator, and then pay for the $400 for the helicopter ride out of pocket.

At $12,000+ I suspect you are right on the pricing options. :)

I also rather suspect this a way for one firm to differentiate itself from another offering F service on the same route rather than trying to appeal to only one type of passenger in F.

You would be surprised at the size of the market. Some of the big Japanese companies pay full fare for employee travel, and senior executives (say, EVPs and above) often get paid F under the company travel policy. So the "free" chopper ride could have serious appeal for those folks. (Don't ask me why companies whizz money against the wall like this; it's just how things are done...)

You would be surprised at the size of the market. Some of the big Japanese companies pay full fare for employee travel, and senior executives (say, EVPs and above) often get paid F under the company travel policy. So the "free" chopper ride could have serious appeal for those folks. (Don't ask me why companies whizz money against the wall like this; it's just how things are done...)

Don't companies that do this usually get corporate discounts for fare classes that don't qualify for such promotions? This offer looks to me like something ANA did to generate some free PR, with very few actual takers.

Here's what ANA officially says: (https://www.ana.co.jp/pr/09-0709/index09-139.html)

ANA欧米線ファーストクラスを往復ご利用のお客様（ご同行のビジネスクラスの方1名を含みます）を対象と いたします。
※コードシェア便及び特典航空券等の一部運賃のご利用は除きます。また、ワシントン線は、ファーストクラス の設定がない為、サービスの対象外となります。

[Translation] Offer is extended to passengers travelling in round-trip First Class on ANA routes to Europe and North America (including one companion in Business Class).
* Excludes codeshare flights and certain fares such as award tickets. Offer is not extended to Washington route which does not offer First Class.

It sounds like most paid F will qualify whether or not it is the highest fare, but still hard to tell.

ANA further says it will start taking reservations for this service online on the 28th.

Here's what ANA officially says: (https://www.ana.co.jp/pr/09-0709/index09-139.html)



It sounds like most paid F will qualify whether or not it is the highest fare, but still hard to tell.

ANA further says it will start taking reservations for this service online on the 28th.

That companion in C provision suggests to me that you are correct. So maybe this is a way to get those EVPs to throw their business to ANA in order to get the free copter ride.

The site says "offered to First Class round-trip passengers returning to Narita" -- so does this mean only round-trips originating in NRT qualify? (That is, NRT-SFO-NRT gets the heli, but SFO-NRT-SFO doesn't.) Or am I reading too much into this?

Does someone have a link to pruchase the service direct aka helicopter only? Would be a interesting experience. Thanks.