Introduction
Seattle to San Jose
San Jose
San Jose to Narita
Narita to Hong Kong
Hong Kong Part 1
Hong Kong Part 2
Hong Kong Part 3
Hong Kong to Narita
Narita to Seattle
Conclusion
Sunday 2nd June 2013
Touching down at Narita and disgorging into the terminal meant the end of my first ever 787 flight with ANA, but not the end of this adventure. I wasn’t turning straight back around like a crazy mileage runner, I wasn’t even spending the next 2 days in Tokyo (sadly). What I was doing was heading towards a lounge for a quick spot of work and then onwards south towards another far off Asian land.
Our first stop was to reclear security and then off to the lounge. As we lined up for security, I sadly had way to much stuff to make this process quick and easy. I was a bit tired but totally hyped to keep going. Because of that my brain did not function properly and when it got to my turn unfortunately I had forgotten to take my camera, wallet and phone out of my pocket so I set off the metal detector. Absolute fail, absolute fail! So after a rescan, a pat down and then a scan of my belongings I could finally continue on. However one nice touch by the Japanese security is the fact that they provide you with slippers while you get your shoes scanned. Nice of them!
Once everyone was through and out the other side the ANA lounge was immediately in front of us and we were all scanned into the lounge quickly. As we all kind of went out own different ways in the lounge I figured it was going to be easier to work here and now compared to later. We were given the ok to take photos and tweet live from this lounge but not the others. So be it! Our flight was departing from the gates on the far side so they would of been closer to the other lounge or even the United club, but we stayed put.
The lounge was absolutely heaving! But then it was about the time of the heavies to be outbound to North America. In fact while we were waiting in the lounge the San Jose flight out of Narita was called so it could return back to the USA. We managed to find an empty seat grouping down the back of the lounge, well away from the windows, but if it was all there was, then it would just have to do. I can’t really complain right. I am in a lounge that has amenities that far outway any other lounge around and I can relax… well maybe.
My plans for this lounge stop was to get the articles and blog posts I had written out into the air, my first job was to get my blog post out, then edit the one photo I needed to crop and then get the content into the airwaves. When my email was up and running sadly the photo that I had been hoping to have waiting for me, was not, so I moved on without it. I managed to get a bit of work done, a number of tweets and then my other challenge was on. I had been challenged to eat my body weight in sushi (well not that I would even try to eat that much). I snapped a few photos of the Sushi Rice Balls and downed a good portion of them. Along with these tasty little cookies as well.
We moved over to by the windows and the crazy thing is once we were over there it was like heaven. Stuff was moving about everywhere, Jetstar Japan Sharklets (funnily enough my first Sharklet shot ever), Singapore A380, New American 777-200ER, plenty of ANA obviously, and endless list of goodies. The light was good and although I didn’t get a chance to really enjoy it all. I took in what I could, while I could. Once we had our fill it was time to head off as our gate, even though we could see it, meant we had to literally walk across the airport then hang a left and backtrack the opposite direction. Silly but true!
A slow meander through the terminal to walk off all the sushi and other goodies and we were at our gate (after a few quick stops to tweet or take photos of a very unique United 747). About 2-3 minutes after we arrived at the gate, our escort arrived totally out of breath as she had seemingly run from the lounge! Crazy++
All Nippon Airways – NH911 (Operated by Air Japan)
Tokyo Narita to Hong Kong
1820-2205
Boeing 767-300ER (JA623A)
Business Class – Seat 4H
Boarding: 1750 (Gate 38)
Push Back: 1821
Take Off Roll: 1840 (Runway 34L)
Top Of Descent: 2117
Touch Down: 2143 (Runway 25R)
Shut Down: 2150 (Gate 34)
The boarding was called for Top Tier diamond elites first, the same almost as First Class guests and then after that the Business class line was called. It was off onboard my first ever ANA 767 as by the end of this trip I was hopefully going to get a good broad spectrum of the ANA long/mid haul fleet. It was also going to be my first flight onboard a Winglet equipped 767, and seeing this aircraft with that feature alone puzzled me. What crazy person decided to fit winglets to this size aircraft. The winglets alone are like 6 ft tall! Say what now!
This 767 was fitted with the new “Business Cradle” and although that description doesn’t sound all that amazing, this is the newest of their regional business class. It is not a light flat seat or anything like that, it is what it says. An old style cradle seat, however with all the modern amenties you would come to expect. AVOD, the usual ports and the middle row of seats in the 2-1-2 configuration felt more like a “throne” than anything. I definately would not want to spend all to long onboard this aircraft, the 4 hour flight we were scheduled for would definately be more than appropriate.
I liked the look of the seats to, the design looked good, and functional. Classified as Inspiration of Japan seating as well, this would be a very nice way to continue on down to Hong Kong. Waiting at the seat was the menus, slippers, a blanket (although I don’t think as good as the one onboard the 787, but then I hadn’t intended on using either. This flight was going to be a final way to keep myself awake, so that when we hit the hotel that night in Hong Kong, it would be synced back into my cycle as though I was home. Normal time to bed, normal time to rise, normal time for everything.
I was sitting in the aisle this time as we were heading into a night flight, there wouldn’t be much need for a window. So I let Jason have the window. Apart from one thing, he didn’t get one either. We had lucked out to have the only row without one! But no one was even sitting in row 4 so we figured that if no one joined that seat at all, then we would just take it over. That’s how its done right?
Once the doors were shut we were allowed to move up into row 4 and just like that I was actually back in the row that I had left before. Silly that I even moved in the first place but meh, what can you do! We pushed back from the gate area and began the slow move towards the active taxi way. Having a good giggle at the intro to the safety video was a highlight with some very different looking cartoon warnings. I only managed to get one photo and even that was not of one of the better slides. As we taxiied out we were passed by a whole heap of other aircraft and it was as though it was rush hour all over again. Plenty of heavies on the deck including a Delta, another New American 772, crane livery JAL and behind us a very long line of 777s an 767s.
When it was our turn to line up, I had Jason snapping the occasional photo using my camera and as we climbed out from Tokyo Narita the most amazing sunset was happening and I was missing every bit of it. we had what looked to be a good track to possibly get some shots of Mt Fuji as we headed off to Hong Kong but sadly there was a solid cloud deck as we passed 30,000ft and that just ruined everything.
After the sunset shot I pretty much just consoled myself to interior shots and once the seatbelt sign was off, I got up and got myself situated to be a bit productive as I intended on writing for the first part of the flight, delaying my meal to a time more suitable to my Hong Kong schedule and then chilling out for the rest of the flight.
I worked away and watched as so many people on the flight seemed like they were ready to pass out, or die or just not want to be there. It was crazy that I could physically feel the difference between the aircraft and I could imagine that a lot of other people who had not just flown on a 787 would know any different. It was very evident to Jason just how bad he felt, but I knew what to expect anyway.
I kept myself going as much as I could, once the meal was served things started to go down hill from there. The meal was fantastic and came more like a bento box with all little suprises. I even had to ask where I should start as I had no idea. The meal was full of japanese goodies and the sushi and sashimi were amazing. I was determined to eat it all and enjoy it. To which I did.
Once the meal was complete I relaxed into my seat and tried to focus on the movie but I just could not. I even tried to get some coffee into me to keep me going and managed to fin d that the coffee was helping a little but not all that much. It was funny that at one point I was drifting off and I was nudged awake by the flight attendant as she had delivered my coffee and a tub of haagen daaz ice cream. The goodies you get on an asian carrier. Aussie or American ones would not give you that!
I started to pack up my stuff extremely slowly around the hour mark as I had to get up anyway and I was all fidgety trying to stay awake. The funny thing was that I had a thought… why not ask about a postcard. Sure it would be a 767 but hey, free postcard right? Smart idea, I had hit the motherload! I got a whole heap of goodies including a Pokemon 747-400 who I instantly knew to send that to!
We began our descent into Hong Kong and there was random bits and pieces of lights out the windows and it was great. The descent was slow and smooth however with the nose camera going you could see the final descent he was all over the place. Either he was battling some winds or the aircraft was just not responding the way it should.
We touched down on 24R, right next to the observation deck (though it was the middle of the night so not that anyone could see us). The touchdown was long and there was lots of good stuff on the ground, obviously dominated by Dragonair & Cathay pacific. We passed a couple of BA 747s and some Emirates and Air France as well.
With the aircraft docked at the gate and shut down for the night, we were released into Hong Kong airport and barely off the aircraft before the Peninsula Staff on the airport side. There were other staff once we reached past immigration. The long long journey through to immigration began and thankfully we could ride the train which would be so much quicker than walking the few kilometers of Hong Kong Airport.
The train put us out at immigration and the lines gave me time to try and fix up the issues that I was having with my phone at this point. Getting through immigration wasn’t long as the lines moved quick and then it was out into customs to get our bags and then off to our ride from the airport. Our Hong Kong journey had just begun.
