SYDNEY to TOKYO NARITA (SYD-NRT) on Qantas 747-400 in business
Boarding for the flight was started late since departure was being delayed in order to avoid landing too early in Tokyo during curfew with short flight time tonight. It is a juggling act on this route as there isn't much time allowed to delay before Sydney curfew starts. I'm reminded of my many redeye flights from Singapore to Tokyo Narita which often sat on the ground for 30 minutes or more.
With the flight load fairly full, and lots more hours of sitting onboard aircraft ahead of me I wandered around and made sure to be one of the last to board. Only a couple boarded after me as the gate agent tried to switch their seats as they were not seated together.
The menu, fast-dine and breakfast order cards, amenity kit and pajama top were in my seat. I was just about dead to the world and declined the pre-departure drink. I noticed my breakfast order was not taken, but since I planned to sleep through it this was no matter.
Once airborne I wasn't quite fully asleep so tried watching a movie figuring the noise may put me to sleep. However my IFE wasn't working and required a reboot. When it came on the audio was "Its a fine line between pleasure and pain", which instantly brought back memories of my double RTW run for lifetime status a few years ago - since that was the title of the
trip report. Sucess - I fell asleep about 10 minutes into the movie.
I slept most of the flight, awaking for the announcements on descent. As we got within a mile or so of the airport I guessed we'd be arriving too early for curfew, and sure enough we pulled out of final approach for a go around. During most of the next 10 minutes until we landed there was an announcement basically .....ing about stupid curfew rules. I thought it was quite unprofessional and besides which the home base of Qantas, ie Sydney, also has a curfew.