Vanilla Magic to Hong Kong
With a devalued yen and proliferation of LCCs in the region, I found the cheapest summer flight from Tokyo back to Hong Kong on this airline. Vanilla is a Japanese LCC that charges for otherwise basic facilities. I paid 17,000 yen for the base fare, then a 500 yen processing fee and a standard checked bag for 4000 yen. This one-way wasn't particularly cheap, but still reasonable for summer holiday season.
Vanilla uses the basic but new Terminal 3 at Narita. From the train station, the walk is well sign-posted although a bit far. I liked how they paved the route in bright colours so it is nearly impossible to lose your bearings.
There wasn't a huge line at the international check-in area, although I arrived quite tight to departure.
Other budget airlines occupied the warehouse-like terminal.
There aren't that many flights departing from this terminal. Look at the huge dead time from 12-6pm.
Yet there was still duty-free shopping available.
Boarding and departure was uneventful, and we roared into the rainy skies as usual. The seat was comfortable enough although I'm not a fan of narrowbodies and their 3-3 configurations.
I turned my attention to the shopping menu. LCCs don't give free meals, but I was surprised this Japanese carrier sold cheaper food than Hong Kong Express!
The flight was uneventful. The cabin was clean, staff were friendly, and I took a good rest until we started our descent. The weather in Hong Kong was beautiful and summer winds meant crispy clear skies. I was on the right side of the plane so I wouldn't be able to see the skyline on landing, but the views were nevertheless great.
Beyond the villages in the New Territories' Yuen Long, Shenzhen rises in the background.
Vanilla is gaining more familiarity in the Hong Kong market. Among the LCCs, the Tokyo route has been dominated by Hong Kong Express, but Vanilla offers a good product with cheaper in-flight catering. They are definitely worth a try if at the right price. The only down-side is how far Narita is compared to Haneda.
More photos on my website : http://www.globalphotos.org/vanilla.htm