As far as I know, passenger transfer between NRT & HND requires “entering” japan at one of these airports and “exiting” japan at the other, meaning you’ll have to go thru immigration at BOTH airports. The airports are an hour apart by road. There is bus service between the 2 airports, and the fare is 3000 JPY. I’ve done this transfer a couple of times at my own expense when my transit involved arrival in NRT, then departure out of HND. But 2 different airlines were involved, and I bought the segments as 2 separate tickets.
If the airline is changing the “export” airport as part of a continuing itinerary for a planeload of passengers, it would seem to me the airline would provide the tranfer to the other airport. But since I don’t know the details of your itinerary/ticket, I don’t know for sure what the airline is going to do for u.
Same plane number does not automatically mean same plane. Example: Delta 166 is continuing flight from SIN-NRT, then NRT-SEA. The initial SIN-NRT segment is on B777, then the connecting NRT-SEA segment is on B767. You have to deplane in NRT & go thru security screening before boarding the connecting flight.
When you shopped for that R/T CLT to SFO ticket, were seatback entertainment and free snacks key criteria for purchase? Or did you select only schedule & cheapest fare?
American/USAir is the only airline that flies that route non-stop. But there are many airlines to choose from if you were willing to make one stop. If u took United and transited via ORD, some of tbe B737-900s have seatback personal entertainment. With Delta, from CLT u change plane in either ATL, DTW, CVG, SLC. Delta’s website shows exactly which flights have the seatback systems, and many of the flights to SFO have it.
@ ucb,
I KNOW the difference between direct & nonstop.
Just wanted to point out that some direct flights involve a change of aircraft type. And airlines & airports have different policies on whether passengers can sit aboard the plane for direct flights segments which don’t involve a change of aircraft.
I was pointing it out for everyone else. Most people I encounter use the word “direct” to refer to a non-stop flight – big mistake when talking to an airline agent or travel agent.
I never look for entertainment on an airline flight. Most long trips now have wifi…I bring my own entertainment with me…just like the food. I bring my own.
I will say, on international flights, I always feel like the treatment is better…they actually serve food, beverages more than once, and it almost doesn’t matter how long the flight is, or what time of day.
I like the free liquor (do they still have that?) on international flights. I like to have a cognac to help me sleep. The FAs always have beverages available for the asking in the galleys. Get up to stretch your legs and take a walk now and then (that’s why I always get aisle seats).
Sadly, there is no more automatic free liquor on international flights. In the free days I remember once flying home from Stockholm, and we had a little stopover in Oslo first. The flight was in the morning. Just about everyone had a free drink in that first hour of the flight and most of them drank it! I kept my little tiny bottle of aquavit or whatever it was.
Now, you can’t even keep those bottles. I’ve ordered drinks and they deliver it to you unpoured, but with the little cap off so you have to drink it there. Those little bottles were nice gifts to give someone, especially if it was something unusual like Beserkerjager from an Iceland Air flight.
GMT, the flight from CLT to SFO was already our connecting flight. We originated out of Hartford. We chose the flight because of schedule. We were prepared with our own food on board, and our own entertainment. Someone upthread had said something about airlines giving free snacks and having rear-seat entertainment on long domestic flights, so I just wanted to clarify that that’s not always the case.
To OP, last November I flew United to and from Asia, Seoul and Bangkok. We got off in Narita, changed planes, check email. The shopping is rather fun in Narita. Check out the electronic goodies, and the boxed Japanese snacks. I brought home green tea Kit Kats for friends, though perhaps some of you living with Japanese stores in the area can buy them here. I have also eaten in Narita, because tempura and donkatsu on the ground in Japan is such a treat.
My code share back from Bangkok to Narita was Thai Airways which is my favorite these days. Movies galore. I think one of the transpacific flights had the seatback movies, which certainly make the time fly.
I recently switched to a United Card from Delta. United seems to have no domestic snacks, while Delta and SW have them. Though having a peanut allergic D, nix on them serving peanuts!
Back in long ago times, Cathay Pacific would take your mixed drink order prior to takeoff, so you can be sipping soon after departure. I remember drinking my way across the Atlantic and Pacific back in the day, including my first trip to Europe, age 16. Though not recommended, alcohol never had any fascination for me, as it was demystified quite early in life.
I think the seatback entertainment will eventually disappear from planes. It adds weight, and width to the seats. Airlines will just provide wifi entertainment, and you will be able to watch it on your own device, probably for a price (depending on your status).
The news that a hacker gained access to an airliner’s controls (he increased the engines’ thrust) by tapping into the entertaining system boxes under the seats to gain access to the flight controls) will probably spell the end of the current systems.
The Korean Air prima donna exec got acquitted today in appeals court over the “nut rage” incident. She’s not going to do any time, so I’m not ever going to fly that airline again.