Just looking back at what I experienced in late-March 2023. I arrived at NRT T3 (the budget terminal) on a Jetstar Japan international flight. Early morning arrival if relevant (say, 0500-ish). Disembarkation was pretty much as expected for T3: no aerobridge, off the aircraft via mobile stairs and across the apron through a covered accordion-like folding passageway to the terminal, then up the stairs and down a series of passageways.

The next bit was quite unlike my last T3 arrival experience though. I noticed that the walk was much longer than expected, and took us past boarding gates that didn’t look like those at T3. The signage and all the rest pointing the way seemed permanent, not improvised or temporary. Immigration and baggage reclaim pretty much as standard, then after emerging from customs, I found myself walking into T2’s arrivals hall.

I haven’t used NRT T3 since (my most recent Japan flights were through T2 and HND) so I’m just wondering: is this now standard practice where T3 international arrivals are directed through T2’s immi/baggage facilities? If so, is it for all arrivals or just at certain times of day? Or was this a temporary measure left over from the pandemic and all T3 arrivals now stick to T3 completely?

Cheers.