HND-GMP flights
 

Found an article in Japanese on HND-GMP flight resumptions that started June 29th. 8 flights a week allocated. Korean and Asiana fly Wed/Sat, ANA flies Mon/Fri, JAL flies Sun/Thur. The flight decisions are based on politics so don't see any movement until after elections are held in Japan on July 10th at the earliest.

My experience also. Bass-ackwards, if you ask me, but it looks like to be driven by NRT, not by JAL or the airlines. I was standing by the door and had a chance to view the process. Basically, they let all terminating passengers off first, and then they close the door to the arrivals terminal and open a side door directly into the departures area for that gate. The connecting passengers all file through there, skipping the usual security check once in arrivals area to be let back into the departures area. I watched the JL elves on board and on the ground make sure every terminating passenger is off the plane and in the arrivals area before letting any of the connecting passengers off. Onward boarding passes were checked before allowing passengers through into the departures area.

I don't see why they couldn't run the process in the opposite order, lowering blood pressure levels overall. I cannot confirm, but I am pretty certain that onward connections are held for the inbound passengers. My own flight was delayed somewhat, and my onward connection was consequently pushed back also. The Japanese announcement apologizing for the delay explicitly mentioned "late arrival of the incoming aircraft", which wasn't the case as the incoming aircraft (per Flightaware) had been sitting at the gate for hours.

When I arrived at NRT last week, we were asked to sit back down as they had to wait to find out who gets let off first. So agree it seems to be NRT giving the order. They ended up letting transit passengers off first for my flight.

For what it is worth, they let off transit passengers first on the ICN-NRT flight today.

I have a theory that they let out the smaller group first. On my ORD-NRT flight, entry passengers deplaned first (looked to be like 25 people total). On my SIN-HND flight, transit passengers deplaned first (looked like about 40 people total).

Interesting. Perhaps they need staff to wait until they change the door configuration from one 'state' to the other. But once the doors are changed, that staff is done.

So the smaller group going first will always minimize the time the staff has to attend?

Who know, really....

;)

In Haneda there are no door configuration changes, but you need staff to be ready to guide people in the right direction. In Narita it is only connecting passengers from the US that has a "no security check" flow.

Especially for Haneda my main guess is really about flow, to avoid connecting and arriving passengers from different flights to mix and avoid having too many people walking in opposite directions in central stretches of the terminal at the same time, they try to steer it. Also probably to create a bit of spacing between the groups sent towards arrival procedures.

Transiting today with 8 hour connection- Sushi?
 

Flying from BKK to the states on NH/UA today and transiting through NRT with an 8-hour connection. On the outbound I flew JL through NRT and although the connection was very short, I noticed almost everything was closed including lounges, restaurants, etc. outside of a few shops and a small coffee shop with very limited offerings. My question is- are things more open in the Star Alliance terminal? Is there a place to grab sushi during an 8 hour connection? Are the NH or UA lounges open? Won't be able to enter Japan due to COVID restrictions so will stay post-security.

I wasn't on the NH side, but NH lounge should be open (at least the main ones).

The opening hours details of the shops in terminals in Narita
https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/news/coronavirus_shops

Things looks majority closed in T1 as well.


The ANA lounges are open, the United lounge is closed.

What does before and after passport control mean on the narita links? which area will we have access to if just transiting and not entering Japan?

It is seen from an originating passenger's point of view. So before passport control is landside, after passport control is airside. The Japanese wording is a bit more logical.

Ugh wish there was a reasonable way to acquire an NH Suite Lounge pass without upgrading the flight. I have access to the regular lounge but need a sushi fix!

Platinum members get a few suite lounge coupons every year. I think. It’s been a few years since I checked.

Also the lounge doesn’t really serve sushi all the time. Pre-pandemic it was only for a certain amount of time. They do serve kaisen don though.

If you are flying UA from Narita, there is not an upgrade that would get you access to the Suite Lounge. You'd need to qualify for NH Diamond to make it happen.