Transit in Narita
 

Hi all!

I am new to this forum, so a huge HELLO to everyone :)

We are travelling from LHR to NRT then Osaka Itami airport next week. We are not sure about the transit procedure between our international and domestic flight at Tokyo NRT airport. I wonder if anyone has any previous experience that they could share and help us with?

The information we have managed to find so far are inconclusive. We were told by the airline call centre that our luggage would be checked all the way through to OSAKA, and we don't need to clear immigrations or pick up or bags or re-check in our domestic flight when we get to Tokyo. However, the airport's website is saying that all international arrival passengers connecting onto a domestic flight are required to go to the domestic counter to check in, after getting through immigrations and picking up their luggage. Even if the luggage is tagged all the way to Osaka, they would still need to claim them from the belt and then check them in again for the domestic leg of the journey... I am pulling my hair out over this, as it is just so confusing... Any help would be very much appreciated!!

Many thanks in advance :)

Jake

Since Itami Airport is a domestic airport now, so it has no Immigration or Customs facilities for scheduled passengers flights.

Minus a few special flights (if I recall), all International Passengers connecting to Domestic flights must clear Immigration and Customs at NRT (since it would be impossible to do so at ITM, plus there are other passengers on the ITM flight from NRT who are local domestic passengers not international ones).

Thanks
 

Thanks for the reply! So does it mean that we will need to go through all the procedure as if NRT was our final destination, then go to the domestic check in , with our luggage, for the Osaka flight?

Welcome to FT, whole9yards!

Which airline(s) are you flying LHR-NRT and NRT-ITM?

Hi newbierynner
 

Thanks newbierunner!

We are flying with JAL for both legs of the journey.

In that case you will arrive and depart from T2 at NRT. Since your flight to ITM is a domestic flight you'll need to collect your checked baggage, clear immigration and customs and go to the domestic check-in counter in the arrival hall.

http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/airpor...rt/nrt_08.html

I see... Thanks so much for the info! Very much appreciated! :)

I meant to post this map instead of the one posted above.

http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/airpor...rt/nrt_00.html

Don't proceed quickly ...
 

Hi, Whole9Yards:

I did the same routing, also on JAL, some time back. After you have deplaned from your international flight and checked-in yourself and your baggage for the domestic flight, don't proceed quickly to the domestic gate.

It will be a very quick walk over, through security. Once there (in the domestic gate area) you will find only one small shop selling cans of soda and small sandwiches, no newspapers or such. Truly, a dreary place to sit for three hours or so.

Instead, linger in the international area, browse the shops, have a snack, etc. About 30-40 minutes before departure, go over to the domestic gate.

You will have a better time of it. Believe me, I know ... from first-hand experience.