In transit in Tokyo
Once again I'm transitting at Narita airport, for maybe the 20th time in the past couple of years. See
here and
here for some recent transits, for example.
We had a gate at the end of the satellite pier, arriving after a long taxi. Despite two airbridges being connected for some reason only door 1L was used to disembark. By the time I got off there was a lot of people ahead of me along the pier. I power walked past most of them by the time I reached transit security. A couple of questions about my destination (I think I mentioned my boarding pass wasn't quite right earlier) and soon through.
I noticed the new Qantas lounge was right in front of me and appeared to be lit despite being earlier than the opening hours published on their website (1700). I tried my luck and the lounge had opened already. They accepted my open door entry (thanks to status) and reminded me (not that I needed reminding) that there would be no boarding call for my flight but it would still show on the monitor.
The lounge is quite nice, but not a touch on the JL F lounge at NRT which I'd visited a few times a month or so ago. Come to think of it this must be my 9th or 10th different lounge I've used at NRT, and there are still plenty I have yet to visit!
There are showers and a nice bathroom (but paper towels not cloth). A food area with various snacks and tasty nibbles, some soup, coffee and juices. A separate bar (around the corner from the food) with okay drink but nothing particular outstanding.
There are about a dozen computer terminals and wifi as well.
I caught up on some email, had a quick bite and couple of drinks, before heading out slightly early for my flight.
On the way I popped into the Sakura lounge - which Air NZ uses for premium and elite passengers (the unusual arrangement is due to the JL codeshares on the flights - which date back well before Air NZ joined *A).
The lounge agent double checked that I had lounge access - I guess most people using the lounge on Air NZ either are in business class, or have an invite card from check in at NRT. She reprinted my boarding pass - phew the anomaly was not important. I guess the reprint is so the BP works okay in the BP scanner at the gate?
I took a look around the lounge, which was heaving in comparison to the rather empty QF lounge I had just left. Drink selection was poor. There was no food out when I first wandered by the servery, but moments later a horde of passengers descended on a couple of plates of snacks which lasted all of 10 seconds before the plates were empty. Hmmm.
No computers or much else to amuse oneself (unless can read the Japanese newspapers or magazines), and with only a few minutes until boarding I decided to cut my losses and head over to the gate.
In the gate area some roving staff were checking carry-ons and asking more than a few people to gate check the larger ones. Boarding was called slightly late.