jacksafar

The other day I probably had the worst transit (both ways) to and from Singapore that I've ever had at NRT. Maybe because I usually fly from PDX or SEA and this time I came on the 744 from MSP. But clearing that little security check (the one that's not really needed in my opinion) was a nightmare (both ways) huge lines going way down the hallway leading up to the security check. People yelling at the Japanese residents/visitors who were just trying to stay to the left as they were told to do to exit or for immigration or domestic connections, thinking that they were trying to "cut" in line. The gates were a total mess, no time to visit the beer machines either way ;-(

At the gates they were trying to line people up on both sides of the breezway with their little colored copy signs that said "Business", and "Rows 57-69". This made NO sense as suddenly you had 300 people jamming the area trying to get lined up. It was like a Japanese game show gone horribly wrong.

What happened to not approching the podium until they're boarding your row/section. I'm shocked at what a horrifically awful time we had as four business elite travelers transiting both ways. Standing in completely mobbed lines at multiple points of the operation. It was a total and complete mess.

This is the first time in years and years that I ever got on the plane and was happy go take off and leave the NRT mess behind.

I dont know if there was some underlying issue, or multiple flights that are normally staggered a bit in their arrival times suddenly showed up at once. If I had to endure this situation again, I'd choose SEA-PEK or SEA-KIX, or SEA-ICN (KE), or SEA-DTW-PVG to avoid this mess.

I hope other people's transits through NRT lately have been more pleasant. Perhaps we just hit it on some weird days. I did long for my favorite SkyClub and the beer machine, but there simply was NO time left after the "security" nightmarish lines.