I am pleased to present to your attention the 2nd part of my story about an air trip to Hawaii. The first part (flight Vladivostok-Tokyo) see here.
This part will tell you about Tokyo (Narita) International Airport, flight Tokyo (Narita) - Honolulu with Japan Airlines on a B767 aircraft with a new cabin, about Honolulu International Airport. Also you will find a small Hawaiian bonus, reflecting the purpose of my trip.
Route.
The route runs over the Pacific Ocean in the SE direction from Tokyo. Most of the way at night. Distance from Tokyo to Honolulu in a straight line is more than 6100 km. The claimed travel time is 7 hours, but in fact the flight took 6 hours and 15 minutes. due to a tailwind, as a result of which the aircraft flew most of the way at a speed relative to the ground of 1200 km/h. The flight back took 9 hours; the wind was headwind (160 km/h), so our speed was approximately 750 km/h.
Departure date: December 6, 2015 Departure time from Tokyo (Narita ): 21:20 (local time).
Arrival date: December 6, 2015 Arrival time in Honolulu: 08:55.
Flight number: JL 784.
Aircraft: B767, number JA608J, age 11.8 years old.
Please note the date and time of departure and arrival.
The plane leaves Tokyo at 21:20 on December 6th, flying for 6 hours and 15 minutes. Those. 21:20 + 6h15=3:35 December 7th - arrival time in Tokyo. However, due to crossing the international date line and jet lag, our arrival was at 08:30 on December 6th! One thing I can say is that December 6th was the longest day of my life. Departure from Vladivostok to Tokyo with a walk to the museum is a whole day on December 6th. A flight from Tokyo to Honolulu and a full day in Honolulu is also a full day on December 6th. Very unusual! But of course, when you fly back, in addition to changing time zones, you add one day to the time settings on your phone;)
There are 9 flights a day to Honolulu from Narita on wide-body aircraft of six airlines: Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Korean Air, Delta Airline, United Airlines, China Airlines.
Japan Airlines.
Japan Airlines is the national airline and flag carrier of Japan. One of the largest airlines in Asia and a member of the One World alliance. Based in Tokyo airports Narita (international flights) and Haneda (domestic flights). Carries out regular transportation to 125 airports of the world. It was established on October 1, 1953. The airline's passenger fleet is represented by B737, B767, B777, B787 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 aircraft. (Source: Wikipedia). As for Honolulu, Japan Airlines operates 3 flights a day here.
The livery of Japan Airlines aircraft is quite simple: a white fuselage with a black lettering of the airline's name on the sides, a black tail number and a red round spot (sun) on the wings (top), and also with a red emblem on the tail. The emblem of the airline is a red crane, hugging itself with its wings in the form of the sun. As you know, Japan is the land of the rising sun.
Tokyo (Narita) International Airport.
Narita International Airport (website: http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/index.html) is located on about. Honshu is about 60 km NE from Tokyo. IATA code: NRT. It has two asphalt runways with a length of 4000 and 2500 m respectively. The runways are parallel and more than 2 km apart. Passenger traffic in 2013 was approximately 36,000,000 passengers.
Consists of 3 terminals.
Terminal 1 for Sky Team alliance airlines and Star Aliance.
Terminal 2 for One World alliance airlines.
Terminal 3 for low-cost airlines.
Arrived at the airport (T2) at 17:23 on bus from the aviation museum. The drop-off area is located on level 3 (check-in and departure).
At the stop there are information boards with a list of airlines for 3 terminals.
Entrance to the airport building to the check-in area.
I start to explore the reception area.
First impressions.... spacious, bright, very clean, I want to smile.
Metal columns add style to the interior.
Japan Airlines First Class Check-in Desks. On the left there are sofas for waiting in line, in case there is a last one.
Japan Airlines and One World Alliance Elite Passenger Check-in Area.
Japan Airlines Economy Class Check-In and Baggage Drop Desks.
New Year's Eve cheer hits at the sight of a Christmas tree with gifts.
Roughly in the center of the hall is a stage for performances with rows of seats.
Above level (4) is an area of You can get into it by stairs and escalators.
Japanese shopaholics are still the same. Here you can find a lot of things: from medicines and clothes to electronics and food.
It was a surprise to me that here you can eat very densely and tasty for only 10 dollars, which I did.
In advanced Japan, there are still many telephone booths.
All this filling of the airport is not all that is in stock for a sophisticated passenger. It's great that there is also a viewing platform. At night, of course, it is not as interesting there, and not as interesting as in the aviation museum. But nevertheless it is worth visiting. It is located on the roof of the terminal. The exit to it is located in the shopping and restaurant area (level 4); there are signs.
In the middle of the site is something like a mini garden. There are benches and covered areas. Along the perimeter there is a grille with small windows for camera lenses.
From here you can shoot aircraft that are at the gates for maintenance and taxiing to or from the runway.
B787 Japan Airlines.
I didn't stay long at the viewpoint. I proceeded to the sterile departure zone, because it is huge and it takes at least 1.5 hours to study it. After passing through passport control and personal inspection, you find yourself in the international transit zone.
Scheme of terminal 2.
Immediately after the inspection, you find yourself in the corridor (check on the left in the photo).. ...,
..... the floor of which is covered with carpets, giving the room some coziness. Carpets are thin and not as soft as in Changi.
Duty free starts here. It seemed to me that the choice in stores is very modest, compared to Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore and Moscow.
There is a duty free electronics store.
The Akihabara store was full, I didn't see such a crowd of passengers in any other stores at the airport.
The restaurants are also varied. For example, one of the most original ones, in which I ate a hearty meal for $13 on the way back, ordering Caesar salad and wantons.
The wings of the international zone look strict and modern.
In some places the travolators in the wings are decorated with natural flowers.
Drinkable fountains. The water is normal.
Zones with massage chairs with panoramic views of the platform are not rare either. The price is 100 yen for 10 minutes.
Smoking rooms are decorated in an original way. Some of them are branded from the Mevius brand.
The rest of the smoking rooms have a simpler interior.
There is something like daytime hotels where you can sleep and wash.
The transit zone on the diagram looks like the letter H, overturned on its side. So, the gallery connecting the wings of the airport is something amazing. Narita Sky Lounge is located here, which I in the photo (see diagram above) called "The most luxurious huge waiting room."
To get to this zone you need to go down one level. View from the escalator at the Narita Sky Lounge entrance. Above you see a scoreboard showing the time in different parts of the world. A point in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - Honolulu.
Narita Sky Lounge impresses with its style, modernity, comfort and large areas.
One of the children's areas.
I don't even know what to call this area...
There are interesting privacy areas, relaxation, snack....
Exit from Narita Sky Lounge to the far wings.
One of the unusual objects in the Narita Sky Lounge is a permanent advertising pavilion for TOTO sanitary ware.
The restrooms are located here, reflecting all the progress in the development of this industry.
The entrance to one of the stalls.
Inside the cabin, everything is so clean and smells pleasantly of a soft freshener .
When entering the stall, you can get scared, as the toilet lid automatically opens and a refreshing flush is performed.
The bullet is controlled The toilet bowl is located on the wall, and next to it is an antiseptic gel for treating the toilet seat. conducting hygiene procedures. The backlight turns on. I only went into one stall, so I don't know what the others are, I mean the differences.
The trip to the smart toilet is over. Gradually I go to my gate.
I observe an interesting picture of how the employees accompanying the landing of passengers say goodbye to the already towed aircraft - they wave their hands and bow to the pilots through the stained-glass window. It was so sweet, so heartfelt that there are no words....
I check my gate and departure time on the departure board. My gate number 64 (changed), scheduled departure. I see that for today the last flight is at 22:20 to Doha. I read that the transit area closes at night. It really is. I asked about this at the information desk, to which I was told that the transit zone is closed for the night and all passengers must leave it, and how this will be done is already the second question regarding passport control, visas, etc.
Following my gate, I took a couple of spotting photos.
The tails of China Airlines and Japan Airlines
My favorite low-cost airline Air Asia X.
The designation of my gate number 64 in the terminal wing.
To get to the gate you need to go down from the corridor of the wing one level down. This is what the gate lounge looks like.
View of our board waiting for passengers to board.
Passengers boarding, as in the recently reviewed Singapore Airlines, is carried out strictly in order of 4 queues. Passengers with disabilities, passengers with children, pregnant women, Japan Airlines transit passengers go first. Coming in second are first and business class passengers and all passengers in the elite tiers of the Japan Airlines Priority program and the One World alliance. The third are economy class passengers with seats from row 50 onwards. And finally, the fourth are economy class passengers with seats up to 50 rows. I note that everything is strictly observed, the boarding passes of those who get in one queue or another are checked.
Before the start of boarding, all employees at the gate line up and bow to the passengers with smiles, greeting passengers.
Landing....
B676-300 JAL Sky aircraft Suite Interior and flight details.
The aircraft, although not new (11.8 years old), but with an updated cabin (JAL Sky Suite), which means a completely new level of comfort, both in business and and economy class.
Business class consists of one cabin. Layout 1-2-1. Chair beds. The salon as a whole looks great. Its color scheme is very pleasant.
View of a separate business class seat from the front. I think that in such a chair even the longest flight will pass comfortably and unnoticed, as you can sleep sweetly in it.
Rear view of the business lounge.
Economy class consists of two cabins. Layout 2-3-2. The interior is made in lighter colors. The overall impression of the color schemes of the interior is pleasant.
View of the economy in front from the kitchen.
View of the economy from the aisle.
Economy rear view.
The first thing that impresses when you sit down in an economy seat is the feeling of freedom, as the seat is really quite wide with an increase of 10 see row step! This is the feature of the updated interior in the B777 and B767 marked JAL Sky Suite for business and JAL Sky Wider economy (see description of economy seats below (pocket contents)). The back of the chair leans back to the usual angle, while the seat does not move anywhere, as in Aeroflot's B777. I don't really like this Aeroflot shift.
In the next photo I show the distance from my knees to the seat in front (I'm 186). Believe me, it is very comfortable to fly with such a distance between the rows.
Each seat had a pillow, a blanket and slippers. All this came in handy: a pillow under the lower back, slippers on the feet, a blanket on top.
Please note that the headphones are not standard for most airlines. Here they are different... I don't know what this type of headphones is called.... And it is very important that there is only one connector - a standard 3.5 mm., which allows you to use your personal headphones. Many did just that. I used on-board headphones and can't say anything bad about them. The headphones were originally sealed in a bag.
Returning to the seat, I want to note the presence of additional shelves and pockets, which makes it more convenient to arrange your devices or any other small things during a long flight. Also see the 3rd photo a little higher, where the arrows mark additional pockets sewn onto the large pocket.
Very convenient, isn't it?
The contents of the pocket are quite impressive.
The "shop on board" magazine and the in-flight magazine.
The magazine with a description of the multimedia system and safety instructions .
Description of branded JAL Sky Wider economy seats and instructions via Internet on board (Wi-Fi).
The multimedia system impressed with the variety of movies, music and other things. Movies can be watched in as many as 17 languages, however, not all films have, for example, a Russian translation. Personal screens, by the way, are touch-sensitive, seemed to me a little larger than those of the same Aeroflot.
I can say about the interior as a whole that it is clean and fresh. And accordingly, flying in such an aircraft is much more pleasant compared to others.
I looked into the kitchen in the tail.
The toilet, as well as the salon, is spotlessly clean and fresh. Of the pleasant bonuses, there are toothbrushes with paste (not in the frame in the photo).
I managed to photograph all this before takeoff. And now the plane is taxiing to the runway in parallel with the demonstration of emergency equipment.
View of terminal 1.
A few lights of Japan receding into the distance.
Included the flight map.
All the same, this thing is good - information about the flight . On a long flight, you always want to know where you are now.
After takeoff, I asked the system for the distances to Honolulu and Moscow relative to the current location of the aircraft. There is such an interesting function in the multimedia system.
After climbing, the flight attendants began servicing passengers.
It's time for a late dinner. First hot wet towels.
Then an aperitif of drinks and snacks. Drinks: juices, water, beer, wine (c + b), some strange Japanese liquids of chemical colors in jugs. Snacks - a bag with a heterogeneous mixture of rice mini-chips and nuts.
Then a dinner was served with drinks in the same composition. I do not remember, unfortunately, what was the choice, but I took the chicken curry with rice. Metal appliances. Behind the food tray is a Hawaiian-style menu. I liked the food, except for the incomprehensible taste and content of the dish in the upper right corner of the tray.
It's good that drinks are distributed along with the food. In Aeroflot, unfortunately, it’s not like that, from which you sit and choke on food, and you drink it down after half an hour. But there is a way out of this situation - at the first distribution of drinks, take more of them and leave them for food.
The attitude of flight attendants to passengers is very respectful. Many smiles, and sincere ones. Flight attendants squat when interacting with passengers, as do Singaporeans and Koreans.
The flight was at night, so in order not to wake the passengers for breakfast, a small breakfast in packages was handed out immediately after dinner. Although he was meager, but then he realized that everything was thought out to the smallest detail, including this breakfast. I didn’t feel like eating on arrival in Honolulu, and I didn’t see anyone eating this cupcake. Everything is calculated....! Back ... yes, we flew during the day, so there was a full breakfast and lunch - a day, I'm hungry.
All service is fast and clear.
Customs cards for entry into the USA were smashed. I asked the flight attendant for a pen and brought a JAL branded pen. He writes wonderfully.... I write and rejoice, and remember.
Soon the main lighting was turned off. Overboard darkness. In flight and slept. The flight attendants prudently walked around the cabin and closed the porthole blinds with a special stick, which surprised me. And all for what? So that the dawn sun does not disturb the sweet dreams of passengers!
The wind was fair, and we were flying east, so the speed was up to 1200 km/h.
I woke up on the approach to Hawaii, and with the curtains closed in the dark you could sleep through the beautiful views....
Overboard sunny.
And this is how the picture of the entire flight across the Pacific Ocean looks like (with a daytime flight, of course). Ocean, ocean, ocean.... Only the clouds add some variety to the scenery.
The first of the Hawaiian Islands, from the starboard side where I was sitting, was a small island. Niihau.
The flight attendants prepared the cabin for landing, and commands appeared on the monitor screens in flight information mode (not cinema).
The landing views are not as impressive as, for example, in the Maldives, but still beautiful.
Honolulu airport area large.
On the ocean side, residential areas with golf courses and beaches adjoin the airport.
Seconds before touch....
Braking....
Turn off the runway towards the terminal. On the horizon, Honolulu is the capital of the state of Hawaii, the youngest state in the US, and often called the Aloha State.
The following sight fascinated me.]
On the way we met Hawaiian Airlines.
Taking off to our gate, meeting an earlier-arrived flight from Narita Japan Airlines.
Aircraft maintenance begins immediately.
Baggage is being unloaded.
Passengers are requested to disembark. Flight attendants with smiles and bows wish you a pleasant stay and thank you for the flight. At the exit, the senior flight attendant, dressed differently from her subordinates, personally escorts the passengers with a bow.
We exit through the air bridge to the terminal building.
Honolulu International Airport (HNL) .
Honolulu International Airport (IATA code: HNL) is the main air gateway to the Hawaiian Islands. It is both a commercial and military airport. It is one of the busiest airports in the US. Located on about. Oahu in the center of its southern coast.
Has six runways, two of which are water.
4L/22R - 2119 m. Asphalt
4R/22L – 2743 m Asphalt
4W/22W – 914 m Water
8L/26R – 3749 m Asphalt
8R/26L –3658 m Asphalt
8W/26W - 1524 m. Water.
Is a hub for the local Hawaiian Airlines. The airport connects Hawaii by air mainly with Canada, USA, Samoa, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan.
The terminal looks like a whole, but is divided into 3 terminals (some kind of conditional division), and the numbering of the gates is end-to-end. Gates 6-34 for transoceanic flights, gates 49-64 for domestic flights (including Hawaiian Airlines) and occasional transoceanic flights, gates 71-80 for small airlines on local island routes. Gates 6-34 is the main terminal serving companies such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Japan Airlines, etc.
When entering the terminal from the boarding bridge immediately go up one level.
And follow the gallery to passport control.
View from gallery windows.
Changing the gallery to a picture one
Next, views of the platform open up.
Descending one level through the greeting "Welcome to the United States", designed in the form of dancing Polynesian women against the background of the American flag, and next to symbolic hibiscus flower.
Formalities passed quickly. A couple of questions at passport control about the purpose of the visit, the duration of the visit, and I received a stamp in my passport, allowing me to stay in the USA for 5 months on this visit.]
Luggage claim, and customs on the left. They didn't check anything.
Proceded to the exit. The arrivals hall, to be honest, NO. Consists of several zones. Here is the meeting point for tourist groups.
Different arrivals area (through another door after customs). Information board and tourist information desk.
Walked to the departure area. Shown below is the covered area in front of the registration halls. To the right is the terminal, and to the left is the highway with bus stops.
View of the entrance to the terminal to the check-in area from the side of the bus stop.
The check-in area is also not distinguished by anything special.
View of the control tower from the side of the bus stop.
Didn't expect anything special from the airport...
Oh well, I need to go to the hostel in Waikiki . How to get to the city?
There are three options with their own nuances:
- shuttle bus (airport - your hotel). $30 round trip with online pre-order. When paying on the spot, a little more expensive, as well as if you take it only in one direction (not $ 15, but 17-19, I don’t remember exactly). This method is used by most passengers traveling with luggage in the form of suitcases. A convenient way, since the shuttle takes you to the hotel and picks you up from the hotel at the desired time.
- public bus (airport - the stop you need) for $ 2.5. Cheap, comfortable, frequent. Travel time to Waikiki (this is the center of Honolulu) is usually 1 hour. BUT only passengers without suitcases can use this bus, as these are the rules for traveling on a public city bus. The principle is this - your luggage should fit either under your seat or on your lap and nowhere else. But to be honest, I myself saw how passengers with hand luggage and small suitcases got on the bus to the airport, which certainly would not fit under the seat. Payment on the bus is made at the bill and coin acceptor located at the driver's side. The driver keeps track of the payment. The machine and the driver does not give change. Therefore, carry 1 dollar bills and 25 cent coins with you. For two, you can throw a 5 dollar bill. I witnessed how a girl with a 5 dollar bill paid double for herself.
- a taxi (very expensive, I don’t know how much exactly).
Since I am a very economical tourist, and knowing about These nuances, and with only hand luggage on hand, I took the city bus for $2.50.
Bus stop. To the right is the terminal, check-in area.
Route numbers from this stop. No. 19 and No. 20 go through the entire center of Honolulu, including through the entire tourist resort area of small bags. The bus driver, and to his right is the toll booth.
The bus is leaving the airport.
Time to take stock.
1. Narita Airport was a pleasant surprise with service, comfort, spotting areas, a museum, cheap food in restaurants, and an amazing attitude of staff towards passengers. The airport is commendable. If compared with other hubs in SE Asia, then in some ways it wins (the same museum, viewing platforms, Japanese smart, free and passwordless Wi-Fi of good quality), and in some ways it loses with the same Changi, for example (no so much greenery, gardens, weak duty free, remoteness from Tokyo).
2. Japan Airlines has shown a high global passenger service, both at the airport (transit, baggage, dispatch) and on board the aircraft. After smiles and endless concern for passengers, the strictly indifferent faces of the S7 flight attendants looked painfully sharp. I wish Japan Arlines to move up in the SkyTrax rankings from a tracked good 4th place to a best 5th.
3. The Honolulu airport is mostly conventional. Yes, everything is clear, fast, high quality. But there is no decoration, comfort, special design, characteristic of its Asian counterparts.
That, dear friends, my review is over. There will be no review of the way back.
And now, according to the tradition I maintain, a few photos reflecting the purpose of the trip to this distant place on our planet.
Hawaiian bonus.
The beauty of these places is special. The combination of the turquoise-blue ocean with the dense greenery of the slopes of mountains and volcanoes, endless beaches, palm trees, an ideal climate for life - this is the peculiarity of Hawaii. And the realization of how far you are from the mainland and that around you are the endless mighty waters of the Pacific Ocean with a depth of under 5000 meters, it will easily turn your head to any visitor to these places.
View from the top of the extinct Diamond Head volcano on Waikiki - the most touristic area not only of Honolulu and Oahu, but of all Hawaii.
Conversely, the view from Waikiki beach to Diamond Head Volcano.
Hanuma Bay is perhaps the best place for snorkeling on Oahu.
Hanuma Bay on the background of an extinct volcano Koko Head.
Road along the east coast of Oahu near Koko Head.
Diving. I was a little disappointed with the poor underwater life, although I only dived near Honolulu, but visibility was up to 30 meters on deep dive sites near sunken ships.
Turtles were the most of all underwater inhabitants .
Most turtles on shallow reef dive sites sleep or rest on the bottom, undisturbed by annoying divers swimming up to them.
For the first time I saw huge ocean waves and professional surfers conquering them. To do this, I had to go to the north of Oahu in the North Shore. Surfing, as you know, was born in Hawaii. This is a paradise for surfers.
Sunsets in Hawaii are another beautiful song.
That's all.
Thank you for reading the review!
See you soon!
Safe interesting flights to all!
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