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-   -   The "Help! I have a connection in Japan!" Master Thread (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan/1567614-help-i-have-connection-japan-master-thread.html)

evergrn Mar 21, 2019 1:43 pm


Originally Posted by cm007d (Post 30913515)
I have a flight arriving at 910 pm at HND from JFK on ANA and I have a connecting flight on TG at 1220 to BKK from HND. Should I be worried about the connection time. I gave ANA a call and they said they can try have a direct checkin for JFK-BKK at JFK. Just in case that doesn’t happen could I be in trouble.

On side note since HND is slightly smaller airport would it be easy to collect bags clear customs and check in with an hour ?

I presume this is on separate tix, but as noted above 3hr10min should be ample time even if you account for 1-hr delay and they cannot through-check.
I'd be surprised if NH can't through-check to BKK, but I don't know why they can't give you a definitive yes/no on that. Granted, sometimes phone agents can be wrong about these things.

With regards to your second question, no. Unless you're in premium class or SA Gold, your bags can take a while to come out at HND. I would not assume being able to get through immigration, carrousel, customs, then head up to bag-drop, all within an hour.

cm007d Mar 21, 2019 6:59 pm


Originally Posted by evergrn (Post 30914127)
I presume this is on separate tix, but as noted above 3hr10min should be ample time even if you account for 1-hr delay and they cannot through-check.
I'd be surprised if NH can't through-check to BKK, but I don't know why they can't give you a definitive yes/no on that. Granted, sometimes phone agents can be wrong about these things.

With regards to your second question, no. Unless you're in premium class or SA Gold, your bags can take a while to come out at HND. I would not assume being able to get through immigration, carrousel, customs, then head up to bag-drop, all within an hour.

I will be flying ANA F , got a pretty good deal using VS points , When i asked if they could do through check to BKK I got two different answers , but neither were 100% definite. I first called ANA and got california office and they told me once I book the second leg on seperate ticket to call them and they should be able to do it. After i booked my HND-BKK leg on TG, I called and was sent to Japan call center, and was told it "probably" would work but you won't know till you check in the day of the flight in JFK. I may call again this week to get clarification.

747FC Mar 22, 2019 2:29 am

Really enough time?
 
We are US citizens considering traveling on a single-ticket JL reservation from HNL to CTS, with a 80 min connection in NRT. We will be in J on our international arrival flight.

Is 80 minutes really enough time to clear immigration, customs, recheck our bag and board our flight?

Many thanks.




LondonElite Mar 22, 2019 2:34 am


Originally Posted by JamesBigglesworth (Post 30910820)
My experience using it is different. Buyers should buy the insurance appropriate for their particular needs.

Can you please direct me to a policy provider prepared to cover the last-minute replacement cost of long haul premium cabin travel? Serious question.

nishimark Mar 22, 2019 4:55 pm


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30915992)
We are US citizens considering traveling on a single-ticket JL reservation from HNL to CTS, with a 80 min connection in NRT. We will be in J on our international arrival flight.

Is 80 minutes really enough time to clear immigration, customs, recheck our bag and board our flight?

According to JAL home page, 80 minutes is the minimum connection.
Connection Information - JAL Domestic Flights

747FC Mar 22, 2019 7:32 pm


Originally Posted by nishimark (Post 30918531)
According to JAL home page, 80 minutes is the minimum connection.
Connection Information - JAL Domestic Flights

Thanks. I do know that 80 min is the minimum connect time. What I was wondering iis whether that 80 minutes is risky in reality given our situation:

1. JL flight into NRT from USA with USA passports
2. Traveling in J
3. Need to clear immigration, pick up luggage, clear customs, recheck luggage and re-clear security
4. Connecting with domestic JL flight (will be in economy)
5. The arrival and departure are in Terminal 2
6. Arrival is at 5:30 PM

Again, while I understand that the MCT is met, I just wanted to get a sense of whether this might be a problematic connection.

Thank you.

evergrn Mar 22, 2019 7:41 pm


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30915992)
We are US citizens considering traveling on a single-ticket JL reservation from HNL to CTS, with a 80 min connection in NRT. We will be in J on our international arrival flight.

Is 80 minutes really enough time to clear immigration, customs, recheck our bag and board our flight?

I have a lot more experience doing this with ANA. So hopefully a JAL expert will chime in.

Since it’s single tix, you’ll be protected. But you won’t be protected from missing your flight. With ANA domestic flights out of NRT, though, they often hold up the flight a bit for late arriving transit passengers.

With ANA, my ideal connection time would be >1hr40hr. It’s quite common for them to arrive >30min late. Typically its 25-35min from parked at gate till bags come out at NRT, but there’s always a chance that the immigration line is horrible. Once you’re landside, everything goes quick.

If JAL is like ANA and you have another option that leaves a little bit later, then I would go for that one instead. If there isn’t, I’d take s chance.

747FC Mar 22, 2019 8:01 pm


Originally Posted by evergrn (Post 30918959)


I have a lot more experience doing this with ANA. So hopefully a JAL expert will chime in.

Since it’s single tix, you’ll be protected. But you won’t be protected from missing your flight. With ANA domestic flights out of NRT, though, they often hold up the flight a bit for late arriving transit passengers.

With ANA, my ideal connection time would be >1hr40hr. It’s quite common for them to arrive >30min late. Typically its 25-35min from parked at gate till bags come out at NRT, but there’s always a chance that the immigration line is horrible. Once you’re landside, everything goes quick.

If JAL is like ANA and you have another option that leaves a little bit later, then I would go for that one instead. If there isn’t, I’d take s chance.

Thank you for your advice.

Might you (or anyone) know of a reputable "Fast-Track" "Meet/Greet" service at NRT. I did some searching, but it appears that the companies that are Japanese just meet after leaving the sterile area. There are some other companies that claim to meet at the jetbridge, but these companies claim access to many international airports.

nishimark Mar 23, 2019 6:43 am


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30919007)
Thank you for your advice.
Might you (or anyone) know of a reputable "Fast-Track" "Meet/Greet" service at NRT. I did some searching, but it appears that the companies that are Japanese just meet after leaving the sterile area. There are some other companies that claim to meet at the jetbridge, but these companies claim access to many international airports.

Don't have a direct answer. But my experience with Japanese airlines in Japan is that if you are on a tight connection, airline staff will meet you and help you get to your next gate.

CPH-Flyer Mar 23, 2019 6:52 am


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30919007)
Thank you for your advice.

Might you (or anyone) know of a reputable "Fast-Track" "Meet/Greet" service at NRT. I did some searching, but it appears that the companies that are Japanese just meet after leaving the sterile area. There are some other companies that claim to meet at the jetbridge, but these companies claim access to many international airports.

I don't think there are any such companies operating in Narita. I have never seen anyone beyond JL staff meeting people at the gates, or any other signs of such companies

JL will help you to the extend that they can if you are running late.

evergrn Mar 23, 2019 9:02 am

I don’t know about JAL. With ANA, I’ve seen them help expedite security but I don’t think they can help you out at arrival immigration.

and I too am not familiar with any private company that offers the kinds of service you’re talking about.

747FC Mar 23, 2019 10:34 pm


Originally Posted by nishimark (Post 30920089)
Don't have a direct answer. But my experience with Japanese airlines in Japan is that if you are on a tight connection, airline staff will meet you and help you get to your next gate.


Originally Posted by CPH-Flyer (Post 30920105)
I don't think there are any such companies operating in Narita. I have never seen anyone beyond JL staff meeting people at the gates, or any other signs of such companies

JL will help you to the extend that they can if you are running late.


Originally Posted by evergrn (Post 30920400)
I don’t know about JAL. With ANA, I’ve seen them help expedite security but I don’t think they can help you out at arrival immigration.

and I too am not familiar with any private company that offers the kinds of service you’re talking about.

Thank you all. It sounds like JAL may extend courtesies, and that will be great.

I guess I will alert the Sakura Lounge staff in Honolulu to our predicament, and perhaps they can start the process of alerting NRT ground staff. I will repeat that in the air with the purser, and perhaps the crew can also signal NRT staff.

While I understand that elite Oneworld members and F flyers may be entitled to Fast Track, we will be lowly J passengers without Oneworld status. :(

evergrn Mar 23, 2019 11:20 pm


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30922591)
I guess I will alert the Sakura Lounge staff in Honolulu to our predicament, and perhaps they can start the process of alerting NRT ground staff. I will repeat that in the air with the purser, and perhaps the crew can also signal NRT staff.

It's not a "predicament" as long as your flight's on time, or even a little bit late (like up to 15-20min).



Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30922591)
we will be lowly J passengers without Oneworld status. :(

lowly J passenger is the ultimate oxymoron. But I guess this is FT. (I have not flown in F or J in probably 3 years)

CPH-Flyer Mar 24, 2019 12:36 am


Originally Posted by 747FC (Post 30922591)
Thank you all. It sounds like JAL may extend courtesies, and that will be great.

I guess I will alert the Sakura Lounge staff in Honolulu to our predicament, and perhaps they can start the process of alerting NRT ground staff. I will repeat that in the air with the purser, and perhaps the crew can also signal NRT staff.

While I understand that elite Oneworld members and F flyers may be entitled to Fast Track, we will be lowly J passengers without Oneworld status. :(

There is no need to alert the lounge staff or the cabin attendants, until you know there is a problem, and probably not even then. You are already amongst the first off the plane as you are in J, and JAL ground staff in Narita will be well aware of any short connections.

Fast track immigration at Narita is only for F passengers, no status will achieve that

Too_Fly1 Mar 25, 2019 10:04 pm


Originally Posted by CPH-Flyer (Post 30922028)
There are flights throughout the night, low cost carriers coming in an leaving at very odd hours, so I would expect so.

However, once at the departure level there is no direct access back to arrivals and that time of day, it might not be easy to find a staff member to escort a passenger back to arrivals. But there is the airside Hotel.


Originally Posted by ainternational (Post 30922140)


Nailed it. This is the right advice. I’d check out the land side hotel option(s) at HND on site, and depending on your time zone, perhaps consider grabbing some 24 hour sushi or late late night ramen off site. I’ve never been impressed with any NH lounge food, although compared to non Polaris UA, it’s a world of difference. However, most any restaurant will be superior. I was shocked to find myself impressed with a Japanese style Italian pizza place land side at HND accessible via the escalators up above the ticketing level.

Thanks for the guidance! Are there any hotel worth looking into nearby? JAL City Handea? Would the Yokohama Bay Sheraton be too far?


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