(update post-flight)

So I flew the CDG -> NRT final leg in First class as rebooked.

• Free limo was included (you just need to call 24h before at the AF Premiere number).
• I got a "we are truly sorry for the flight change" email from CS with 15K miles gift and a request to send invoices of extra costs when back in Japan (hotel + difference in private driver from NRT to Tokyo instead of HND to Tokyo)

In a way, the change of day was a blessing in disguise because the 3-day hotel + 11 days at home quarantine for residents arriving from France was lifted the day before (only 14 days at home now). Also, there was a typhoon over Japan the days before, could have been trouble as well.

Talking to the staff about the temporary pause on HND, it seems that the move was pushed by Japan, not Air France. They are moving most (if not all) international flights to NRT to have enough staff in a single location to process all incoming passengers. The "Arriving Flight" screens at NRT were quite sad: only one screen, 11 flights of which 3 were cancelled.



If you are curious about reaching NRT in First: they are supposed to let the passenger in transit exit first, then the passengers ending their journey in Tokyo - to avoid crossing streams of people needing COVID testing and people just passing by, I presume. As a First you get to exit before them, and a local staff will escort you all the way to the final customs exit.

With an early exit, reaching the COVID desk first with saliva (negative) test #1 for the day, I spent around 2.5h doing all the paperwork, forms, apps installation, registration, etc. and was out by 11:30am. It usually lasts 3h to 4h from what the local staff told me.
The dedicated staff was helpful to help me book a private driver over the phone numbers list provided by the airport. Scheduled initially at 1pm but arrived at 12:15. I had requested a similar service before but got an email mid-flight that they could not honor my booking.

For reference, the on-going rate seems to be Y15,000 for HND-Tokyo et Y30,000 for NRT-Tokyo.

Julien