Wasabi Tofu

HND has a few international flights.
NH's LHR and FRA are operated from/to HND.

CPH-Flyer

That's not entirely true. Certain countries that are considered higher risk have to arrive in NRT. But NH does HND-SYD-HND

AlwaysAisle

The media in Japan is reporting that Japan is working with Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam on limited travel resumption between those countries for business travelers and researchers. Taiwan is not mentioned although initially Taiwan was mentioned but Japanese government said resumption of travel between countries has to be reciprocal, which means if Taiwan is not considering reopening travel with Japan at this moment then Japanese government will not consider Taiwan at this moment.

Wondering where you heard or read that this may not happen till October 2020? What media is reporting in Japan is that Japanese government wants to reopen limited travel between Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam this summer, if all works out Japanese government wants to reopen travel between those countries next month, on July.

It is highly unlikely that tourist travel to Japan will not take place this summer, possibly coming this fall. However, one curve ball is that Japan has temporary suspended visa waiver entry excepts from passport holders of Australia, Canada, Chile, Mauritius, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and the U.S. At this moment there is no news in Japan regarding resumption of visa waiver entry to Japan so far.

FlyingSloth

That's an interesting list of countries that includes both the U.S and Turkey.

CPH-Flyer

The chance of Japan staying closed until well into 2021 is literally zero. While there is a reasonable chance that it will not be free for all in 2020, there will most likely be a fair amount of international traffic to Japan within 2020.

FlyingSloth

I'm basing that on what I'm reading on COVID-19 forecast charts. The second wave for the U.S and much of the world is forecast for August / September - October, and lasting through autumn and winter. If that is true, and the second wave hits as currently forecast, it seems likely Japan would not open anytime in the winter, and likely not in the winter time either.

Maybe before the 2021 Olympics if the events still are on?

Japan does not depend too much on tourism. It makes up a smaller percentage of GDP than many other countries in Asia. I also think Japan likes to be cautious especially when it comes to the COVID issue and foreigners.

Always curious to hear other viewpoints though. I love Japan and want to go back. I'm hoping I'm wrong and they open the borders soon. But I think "later in 2021" as I wrote seems to be as accurate as I can forecast based on the data. https://covid19.healthdata.org/unite...es-of-america/

maestro1981

haha where is Australia on those charts?

FlyingSloth

We already know that Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam are working with the Japanese gov. to allow travel.

AlwaysAisle

I think it is possible that recovery of international travel demand in/out of Japan will take way into 2021. As I posted previously here, ANA is forecasting that by end of 2020 their international passenger traffic demand will recover to only 50% of pre-COVID-19. ANA seems to forecast that recovery of international passenger traffic demand in/out of Japan will take well into 2021. By end of July ANA will announce the new business plan which will eliminate unprofitable international routes. I will not be surprised to see ANA will also adjust the capacity, routes with multiple daily flights out of HND/NRT such as LAX, JFK, FRA, SYD, BKK, PEK, etc. may see the reduction in daily frequency. Also, ANA may adjust the capacity by aircraft, is it possible that some routes with F service currently will not have F service because change of aircraft? That sure will not be a good news for those who currently hold F award reservations. I am curious to know ANA's plan for A380.

CPH-Flyer

I would not use the unbelievable failures of the US as a global measurement for where the pandemic is moving. Look at Europe, several borders have already opened.

This is however moving pretty far away from discussions related to ANA.

AlwaysAisle

Yes, I am trying to keep this ANA related.

However, if it is COVID-19 relating to Japan then there is an active discussion at Japan forum, Coronavirus impact in Japan [consolidated]

I think there is COVID-19 general discussion going on at OMNI...

AlwaysAisle

Keep on topic of ANA COVID-19 related....

ANA has suspended HND/NRT-HNL due to COVID-19 and NH183 HNL-NRT on March 25 was the last time Flying Honu A380 flew, since then Flying Honu A380s have been parked at NRT. I am not sure if this is ANA company maintenance rule or Japanese aviation regulatory thing, but if an aircraft does not fly for more than 90 days then an aircraft has to undergo heavy maintenance before an aircraft is allowed to fly again.

On Monday, June 22, emerald green Flying Honu "Hawaiian Ocean" took off from NRT at 1:40 p.m. without passengers, made circle around NRT and landed back to NRT at 2:14 p.m. Flight number was NH9058. ANA said another Flying Honu A380 will make a similar flight, so as other ANA aircraft which are parked at HND and NRT.

NH9058 on FlightAware

CPH-Flyer

I guess they need to keep their pilots current on the type. And as there are no passenger or freight operations with A380, they will need to make some ghost flights.

When Hawaii opens again, I do think that they will be able to fill the usual amount of flights pretty quickly. It is a very robust demand, even though most of the various financial woes of the world Japan Hawaii has always been a strong performer.

I wonder if a travel bubble between Hawaii and Japan is being considered. Hawaii numbers are much lower than mainland US. And I am sure JANA could get the airlift going pretty quickly.

ainternational

Does anyone know if Japan residents (non JP citizens) holding a US passport can travel from Japan to Shanghai and back right now without “extraordinary circumstances” as defined by the Japanese government?

CPH-Flyer

To the best of my knowledge, the restrictions on re-entering Japan are still in place. I have been looking carefully at the firs flight operations to Vietnam for business travel, but that has not eased the restrictions for resident foreigners in relation to Vietnam yet.

I was just reading the information published by the government again, no recent easing.