If you want to know how it all started…
Enchainement de vols
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4NH58 - Economy - Sapporo New Chitose → Tokyo Haneda Boeing 777
- 5NH223 - Economy - Tokyo Haneda → Frankfurt Boeing 777-300ER
- 6LH1326 - Economy - Frankfurt → Tunis Airbus A321
I didn't intend to post a report but the refurbishment of the TU lounge in Tunis has convinced me to publish.
My final destination is Hokkaidō island (北海道), the most northerly of the four main islands of the archipelago of Japan,
and second novelty to me it will happen during the Kōyō(紅葉) period , the autumn equivalent of cherry blossom.
The choice of the company has met several criteria / constraints.
TK's fares, the company I used most frequently, became unaffordable from TUN
and with booking classes providing very few miles.
So I opted for MS for a trip to Japan in June.
The experience was very satisfying and I had two long haul flights that were among the best
that I had in eco: recognition of the status on board, correct catering,
amenity kit, hotel provided (with a buffet dinner) during a long transit, and so on …
The bad side is security check at the gate in the CAI bazaar.
Unfortunately for this trip the only availabilities were in booking classes Y and B
at prohibitive prices.
These two eliminated, the * A possibilities from TUN are limited to … LH.
I take a look without complacency but I immediately find an advantage:
unlike MS or TK that would have forced me to buy additional NH tickets costing between
170 and 200 € return to get from TYO to Hokkaido, LH rates are the same
whatever Japanese cities you are flying to and open jaws are possible without restrictions.
Only constraint the stop overs more than 24 hours at TYO are increasing the fare.
No problem for this trip the 24 hours are enough for me.
I avoid the 2 am redeye flight to stall me on the late morning one.
Then I have the choice between a LH flight and a NH codehare flight.
The LH flight will allow me to try an aircraft that I probably would not have
the opportunity to try later, the 748-i.
Moreover it arrives around 12 o'clock at HND which suits me.
I will take the codeshare NH for my inbound flight: with all the "benefits" of a codeshare, no reservation
seat, meals…
Communications with NH is a nightmare, as often with Korean or Japanese companies.
After many emails and phone calls I was able to book my seats on the domestic flights
but not for the NH flight(LH codeshare) "because it is in a LH booking" I was told.
But domestic flights too …
Let's go ahead for the description of the fourth flight of this routing entirely ***** Skyhoax:
Pictures of Kōyō and Japanese food in the bonus
CHECK-IN
After spending the night in Chitose the hotel bus drops me off at the domestic terminal
Subodorant a problem coming to the check-in I head immediately to the "International Flights" check-in counter
NH automatically registered me on my upcoming flights and sent me a confirmation email with seats at their convenience.
No way to change those seats either on their website or through the app: both of them coming out with error messages.
The agent changes my seat of the Haneda flight but obviously tells me that he can not do anything for the seat of the flight to FRA.
I feel a bit tired of hearing the same words, NH agent after NH agent, and especially as it is NH flights,
I am more insistent and I do not hide my dissatisfaction.
I only ask for a aisle seat instead of the middle seat that has been assigned to me.
Seeing that I was not going to leave the counter, the agent makes a phone call.
After talking with a colleague, he comes back to me with a smile.
"I was able to have a corridor seat on your HND-FRA flight."
I thought it was impossible? ;)
And for my flight LH to TUN?
It's impossible ! (what else?)
The most important to me was to have a good seat for the LH flight, I do not insist.
The two boarding passes of the NH flights print but the agent immediately tears HND-FRA boarding pass because it is impossible (lol) to have it now.
I must go tomorrow at the NH check-in counter in Haneda.
Let's go to the boarding gates.
At that moment, I realize that there is a NH premium check-in area.
Having my boarding pass in hand I head for the dedicated security checkpoint, I pass very quickly,.
Then an escalator leads to the lounge.
As usual with NH I receive a security certificate
THE NH LOUNGE
There is a boarding pass barcode reader on the counter desk to validate the access to the lounge.
It's a large lounge and the offer is the same as other NH domestic lounges.
Spirits and draught beer-tapping machines
Aojiru juice made with barley grass and soft drinks fountain
Two juices and milk
I find a seat near the windows and I was surprised by the important activity of this airport.
I am not a fan of spotting but in front of so much activity I go into it.
Mouse wheel is your friend if you don't like it.
SPOTTING
The company that flew me to Hokkaido and I really love its mascot being myself a ク マ!
Polar bear kanji 北極熊 starts like Hokkaido 北海道
it must not be a coincidence.
My favorite plane: Air Do with this beautiful special livery
Sky without Vanilla …
AIr Asia lands and my cub goes away
Spring lands and NH pushes back
A little JL
A mower is coming
it comes and goes
Mowers ballet
A Korean company I did not know
A little Peach for my peach skin
Still a shot of Eastar Jet
One who arrives and the other who goes away
it does not stop and very interesting
My airplane is coming
A 777-300, first flight on 07/05/2003
Here's one in Tokyo 2020 livery
My flight is 10 minutes late but I must not forget to head to the gate in spite of the show
BOARDING
Passage in the spotless toilets.
A great hook for the Master Hook GRMY.
By the way, congratulations for your Flying Blue Platinum and your OneWorld Emerald!
My gate is not far from the lounge
The usual boarding process : family and people with assistance, then Milion Milers NH, then Business and Star Alliance Gold pax
It allows me to be among the first in the cabin
Shooting in civilized mode without blocking the aisle, Japanese Etiquette compatible ;)
We are next to the Tokyo 2020 airplane
The boarding ticket to complete the troika
View from my 14H seat
And its endless legroom
There are a more than hundred pupils in uniform on this flight
This is a 777-300 airplane, no doubt.
The flight is almost full, boarding is over, we start taxi
Takeoff
Then the FAs prepare the cart
I did not find a photo of my green tea but the offer was identical to the one of the Air DO flight
The flight went unremarkable, quietly, under the eye of accomplice shoes of one of my neighbors
Landing ahead schedule and fast deplaning.
Love the beautiful planespotting!
The lounge seems pretty basic, but comfortable. Much like US domestic lounges (minus the comfortable part). It seems these types of retro interiors are very common on Japanese domestic fleets, as shown by your Air Do report and this one. Once again, it looks very clean and well-maintained as expected.
And it's always great to have a wide-body on such a short flight!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for passing by.
Interiors are not retrofitted but always well-maintained so that's enough.