Tokyo Narita lounge refurbishment - until autumn 2019
Feb 19, 2019, 3:28 pm
#16
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I flew in F back from NRT to LHR yesterday. We arrived at the main Sakura First Class Lounge (directly opposite security in Terminal 2) at about 10:15am and it was absolutely jammed but we were not turned away. I think that because JAL is the official lounge for BA pax, they treat you in the same way as JAL customers rather than simply OW elites. I will add that it was a pretty underwhelming lounge so good to know that it will get a refurb.
On the other hand, flight back was one of my best recent BA F experiences. It's great when BA get it right :-)
On the other hand, flight back was one of my best recent BA F experiences. It's great when BA get it right :-)
Feb 19, 2019, 3:32 pm
#17
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Hi,
I have also had very good experiences in F back from Japan ( both NRT and HND) and liked the Satellite terminal F lounge. being quieter.
Regards
TBS
I have also had very good experiences in F back from Japan ( both NRT and HND) and liked the Satellite terminal F lounge. being quieter.
Regards
TBS
Apr 5, 2019, 10:59 pm
#18
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So there’s now a new JAL F lounge, 4F up the escalators in front of the Sakura Lounge entrance on 3F. It’s a lot larger than the ‘old’ F lounge, which is now completely closed, so there should be less crowding at busy times. Nothing about restricting access to certain airlines anymore.
For the BA flight it is, as usual, deserted. IMO the seating is not as comfortable as the old lounge and crucially for me there is no smoking room, so I have decamped to the business lounge which has 4 of us in total while we wait for the delayed BA6. (Strangely at airports, once I can’t smoke I’m actually fine until the baggage hall the other end - but when the option is there it’s difficult not to!)
Hard to work out if the 4F space will actually be a replacement for the current business lounge once all the refurbishment work is completed, it doesn’t have an especially ‘premium’ feel despite being shiny and new.
For the BA flight it is, as usual, deserted. IMO the seating is not as comfortable as the old lounge and crucially for me there is no smoking room, so I have decamped to the business lounge which has 4 of us in total while we wait for the delayed BA6. (Strangely at airports, once I can’t smoke I’m actually fine until the baggage hall the other end - but when the option is there it’s difficult not to!)
Hard to work out if the 4F space will actually be a replacement for the current business lounge once all the refurbishment work is completed, it doesn’t have an especially ‘premium’ feel despite being shiny and new.
Apr 5, 2019, 11:34 pm
#19
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So there’s now a new JAL F lounge, 4F up the escalators in front of the Sakura Lounge entrance on 3F. It’s a lot larger than the ‘old’ F lounge, which is now completely closed, so there should be less crowding at busy times. Nothing about restricting access to certain airlines anymore.
For the BA flight it is, as usual, deserted. IMO the seating is not as comfortable as the old lounge and crucially for me there is no smoking room, so I have decamped to the business lounge which has 4 of us in total while we wait for the delayed BA6. (Strangely at airports, once I can’t smoke I’m actually fine until the baggage hall the other end - but when the option is there it’s difficult not to!)
Hard to work out if the 4F space will actually be a replacement for the current business lounge once all the refurbishment work is completed, it doesn’t have an especially ‘premium’ feel despite being shiny and new.
For the BA flight it is, as usual, deserted. IMO the seating is not as comfortable as the old lounge and crucially for me there is no smoking room, so I have decamped to the business lounge which has 4 of us in total while we wait for the delayed BA6. (Strangely at airports, once I can’t smoke I’m actually fine until the baggage hall the other end - but when the option is there it’s difficult not to!)
Hard to work out if the 4F space will actually be a replacement for the current business lounge once all the refurbishment work is completed, it doesn’t have an especially ‘premium’ feel despite being shiny and new.
The restrictions for passengers on AA, CX, QF, and UL flights very much remain in place. Even if the signs are not as obvious as they have been.
Apr 6, 2019, 12:36 am
#21
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I am flying again Wednesday so let me check access rules. They have even less space now than when the 4th floor was being renovated and the 3rd floor was open. So it would be a be odd to remove the restrictions until they are done with the full renovation.
Apr 6, 2019, 1:11 am
#22
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On 28 Mar We were admitted to the JAL F lounge in the morning around 10:45 as if nothing was going on. You’d never know there was any refurb apart from the sign. All was very quiet. That was a Thursday morning.
Apr 6, 2019, 1:47 am
#23
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On the 28th on the 3rd floor, only the showers were under renovation, and you'd probably not notice unless you asked to use them, and would have been sent to the Sakura lounge instead.
Apr 6, 2019, 4:09 am
#24
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On 1 April flying MH J (OneWorld Emerald) I was granted access to the upstairs F lounge but was not allowed access to the downstairs J (Sakura) lounge and was instead directed either upstairs back to the F lounge or to the CX or QF lounges. Interestingly they didn’t suggest the AA Admirals Club which is one of the nicer Admirals Club lounges in the system.
I was only trying to see what would happen if I tried to access the J lounge and to have a look around as a comparison with the F lounge upstairs so simply went back to the F lounge upstairs and was granted admission without any question.
I was only trying to see what would happen if I tried to access the J lounge and to have a look around as a comparison with the F lounge upstairs so simply went back to the F lounge upstairs and was granted admission without any question.
Apr 7, 2019, 6:16 am
#25
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Got you, I guess that makes sense and hopefully they make 3F a more comfortable place than they have made 4F - most of the the seating up there doesn’t make it feel like somewhere you’d like to linger for long, but maybe that’s the idea...
Apr 9, 2019, 7:24 pm
#26
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I was at the refurbished lounge on the 4th floor this morning. To avoid double posting I add my two comments from the JAL forum here
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30983614-post169.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30983614-post170.html
I checked access requirements, so generally speaking the restrictions remain the same But when I asked the front desk, they said that when the lounge is not busy eligible passengers from all airlines will be allowed in.
The signs are still in place.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30983614-post169.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30983614-post170.html
I checked access requirements, so generally speaking the restrictions remain the same But when I asked the front desk, they said that when the lounge is not busy eligible passengers from all airlines will be allowed in.
The signs are still in place.
Apr 10, 2019, 2:26 am
#27
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So it matters not for the BA flight, and my AA colleague likely got lucky 
Not sure where they place the signs but they weren't obvious on Saturday.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels it has more of a 'dining room' rather than 'lounge' feel, and like you I struggled to see where they might put any stairs connecting 3F and 4F directly. Food apart, I still think the J lounge seating is more comfortable than the new 4F, for now, and still benefits from a view given the new space has very few windows.
Not sure where they place the signs but they weren't obvious on Saturday.I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels it has more of a 'dining room' rather than 'lounge' feel, and like you I struggled to see where they might put any stairs connecting 3F and 4F directly. Food apart, I still think the J lounge seating is more comfortable than the new 4F, for now, and still benefits from a view given the new space has very few windows.
Apr 10, 2019, 2:30 am
#28
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So it matters not for the BA flight, and my AA colleague likely got lucky Not sure where they place the signs but they weren't obvious on Saturday.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels it has more of a 'dining room' rather than 'lounge' feel, and like you I struggled to see where they might put any stairs connecting 3F and 4F directly. Food apart, I still think the J lounge seating is more comfortable than the new 4F, for now, and still benefits from a view given the new space has very few windows.
Not sure where they place the signs but they weren't obvious on Saturday.I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels it has more of a 'dining room' rather than 'lounge' feel, and like you I struggled to see where they might put any stairs connecting 3F and 4F directly. Food apart, I still think the J lounge seating is more comfortable than the new 4F, for now, and still benefits from a view given the new space has very few windows.
Apr 10, 2019, 4:11 am
#29
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Thanks for the updates.
Odd that the sign just doesn’t mention BA and Qatar at all, but it does chime with the previous posts that they are exempt on the basis that this is the official lounge provided rather than just under Oneworld rules.
Odd that the sign just doesn’t mention BA and Qatar at all, but it does chime with the previous posts that they are exempt on the basis that this is the official lounge provided rather than just under Oneworld rules.
Apr 10, 2019, 7:32 am
#30
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Rumour has it that the JL satellite lounges are less strict with these rules.