While this is no doubt an unpleasant situation, I’m not sure I’m all that sympathetic, at least beyond my standard sympathy for people dealing with major delays?
In this post:
Jetstar cancels flight, “stranding” people in Japan
There’s a story that’s going viral about how travelers are allegedly stranded at Narita Airport, without food or water. So, what’s going on?
A couple of dozen travelers were scheduled to fly from Helsinki, Finland, to Gold Coast, Australia, via Narita, Japan, with the first flight on Finnair and the second flight on Jetstar. Looking at flight schedules, it would appear that they were supposed to take the following flights:
08/27 AY73 Helsinki to Tokyo departing 5:45PM arriving 12:45PM (+1 day)
08/28 JQ12 Tokyo to Gold Coast departing 9:00PM arriving 6:40AM (+1 day)
While the flight from Finland to Japan operated without incident, the situation took a turn for the worse after that, when the flight to Australia was delayed by 11 hours. Instead of departing at 9PM, the flight would depart at 8AM the following morning. This was due to a maintenance issue with the Boeing 787 operating the flight. This happened on the outbound flight from Australia to Japan, and in turn the flight wouldn’t be able to depart Narita Airport the same day, before the 11PM curfew.
This meant that travelers were stranded at Narita Airport overnight. The catch? Japan’s borders are still closed to most foreigners, meaning that those in transit would have to stay in the terminal overnight. In the past the airport didn’t even allow overnight transit, but I guess with current travel restrictions, it is allowed.
One passenger was particularly vocal on Twitter, which caused the story to go viral. Below are some of the Tweets.
I’m sympathetic to these travelers, but…
Would I be happy about spending the night in an airport terminal, without being able to leave? Of course not. That sounds exceptionally unpleasant. At the same time, international travel is complicated nowadays, and it’s on the travelers to consider the risks they take when connecting certain places.
Airplanes sometimes have mechanical issues that cause delays. It’s especially unfortunate when it happens for a flight where you can’t enter the country, but it happens, and at the end of the day it’s a risk travelers take.
While this situation isn’t fun, I find the theatrics here to be a bit much:
- The traveler is angry about not being provided security, while airside at Narita Airport?!? Is he worried he’s going to be killed with kindness, or what’s the risk?
- The traveler complains about not being provided “food and water,” making it sound like they had no access to this — while Jetstar absolutely should reimburse that, they were in the terminal starting at 1PM, so surely they could have purchased food and water, no?
- The complaint of “12 hours on” is dramatic, because these travelers knowingly booked a connection of over eight hours — the flight was “only” delayed by 11 hours
- Is it really worth trying to get the Australian Embassy in Japan involved because you’re in a terminal for an 11 hour delay due to choosing to connect in a closed country?
In a statement, Jetstar claims to have provided all travelers with accommodation and meal vouchers:
“All customers were offered accommodation and meal vouchers and for customers who no longer wished to fly, the option of a full refund was also available. Unfortunately, some customers who were transiting through Japan from other countries, were not able to leave the airport due to Japan’s COVID requirements to enter the country, including providing a negative PCR test. We are working with Narita Airport to determine how we can better accommodate transiting passengers during disruptions like this one.”
Presumably this happened at the landside check-in counters, and travelers who were airside obviously weren’t offered accommodation, since they couldn’t enter the country.
What I find interesting is that the traveler is trying to get Jetstar as much bad press as possible here, yet doesn’t once use his platform to acknowledge the real issue here, which others should learn from — be cautious when transiting through countries you can’t enter.
To be clear, I don’t think Jetstar or the airport should be off the hook here either:
- Jetstar knew people were connecting, and the airline should have sent staff into the terminal to communicate with passengers, offer them meal vouchers, etc.; at the same time, when you’re flying an ultra low cost carrier from an outstation, customer service sometimes leaves a bit to be desired
- Authorities in Japan should consider what to do for passengers in these kinds of situations; the country chooses to close its borders to travelers, yet welcomes transit passengers, so they should have some kind of reasonable accommodations for situations like this
- Many passengers on this itinerary probably had no clue that Japan was fully closed, and about the risks they were taking by booking an itinerary like this
Bottom line
A Jetstar flight from Japan to Australia was delayed by 11 hours due to a mechanical problem. This became a big issue for those in international transit, since Japan is closed to most travelers, causing a couple of dozen people to spend the night in the terminal.
This was no doubt unpleasant, especially since these travelers had already planned a layover of over eight hours at the airport, making their delay feel even longer. At the same time, I feel like people have to take some personal responsibility for choosing to connect in a closed country. Mechanical issues happen, and as a result there’s a lesson to be learned here about where you should connect.
That doesn’t excuse Jetstar’s seemingly lacking customer service, but I’m not sure this rises to the level of requiring an embassy’s assistance.
What do you make of this situation? Are the travelers justified with their frustration, or…?
There are water fountains all over Narita. Water in Japan is potable. Ridiculous. Anyone making such a connexion should have been aware of the risks.
I have been reading your blog for years and never felt moved to comment before - but it’s really a low blow of you to be blaming this on the travellers.
It’s a travellers’ responsibility to be aware of the basic conditions of their ticket and the conditions of entry of their destination country. When connecting in a third country, and especially with a long layover where some people might be thinking about heading...
I have been reading your blog for years and never felt moved to comment before - but it’s really a low blow of you to be blaming this on the travellers.
It’s a travellers’ responsibility to be aware of the basic conditions of their ticket and the conditions of entry of their destination country. When connecting in a third country, and especially with a long layover where some people might be thinking about heading into the city for a bit, it’s reasonable to expect travellers to be aware of entry requirements for that country.
But no, it’s not reasonable to blame travellers for not being aware that they could find themselves confined to part of an airport for an indefinite period if there were an issue with the plane. It’s reasonable for travellers to expect airlines and airports to have some kind of contingency plan in place for situations like this, so that there is some other option than what happened here. It’s difficult for the airline industry to want to encourage people to feel confident getting on a plane and then blame passengers for actually trusting that airlines/airports will treat passengers with dignity when things don’t go to plan.
Not everyone is a travel blogger who gets to earn a living thinking about things like this, and not everyone is a seasoned traveller. And even then, the experienced travellers on this comments section can’t seem to agree on which stores/restaurants are actually open at Narita.
Really unfair to blame the travellers. And it isn’t too much to expect that the airline or airport might expressly (in writing) bring this risk to the attention of passengers.
To answer your question: NO!
Booking a flight to or transiting in a country in which no tourists are allowed is your own risk! Inform yourself and book a better airline with better connections. You only get such flights when you travel cheap.
I'm Egyptian-Canadian. Prior to becoming Canadian, during my immigration process I used to fly between my two home countries on my Egyptian passport only, which mostly involved a transit in some European country. This meant I could transit through most of Europe and the UK but not enter any of these countries. A fog incident at LHR left me stranded overnight and Lufthansa/Air Canada asked people to clear customs and line up at the land-side...
I'm Egyptian-Canadian. Prior to becoming Canadian, during my immigration process I used to fly between my two home countries on my Egyptian passport only, which mostly involved a transit in some European country. This meant I could transit through most of Europe and the UK but not enter any of these countries. A fog incident at LHR left me stranded overnight and Lufthansa/Air Canada asked people to clear customs and line up at the land-side ticketing desk.
I was one of very few people who couldn't do that, so they had to provide me with onwards ticketing etc, and I was provided with a temporary 24 hour UK visa which allowed me access to an airport hotel to spend the night for that brief period of time, which I was thankful for. I got a full 8 hour sleep in the middle of what was extended to a 53 hour trip.
This is possible. There are solutions.
Sorry but I don't agree with you on this. If a company makes reservations with a stopover in a country with restrictions due to covid, it is necessary that I am able to be managed well in such a situation. Otherwise you won't let me book. I can also stay 11 hours in a terminal, but what happens if I bring my 1 year old daughter? Do I make her sleep on the floor?
You are the reason why Roe vs Wade is needed.
You should think about being a parent before coitus.
Same as you should think about an 11 hour layover with a infant before booking.
Roe vs Wade can undo the first problem but can't fix intelligence.
Spot on! @ Eskimo
Having just transited thru Narita from Mongolia I found that there was no food to be had at all. Restaurants were closed and the only water available was a water fountain if you could find one. And this was in the middle of the day! Vending machines only took yen and my credit card would not work. Luckily my flight to the US was on time there. BUT transmitting from the US to Seoul on...
Having just transited thru Narita from Mongolia I found that there was no food to be had at all. Restaurants were closed and the only water available was a water fountain if you could find one. And this was in the middle of the day! Vending machines only took yen and my credit card would not work. Luckily my flight to the US was on time there. BUT transmitting from the US to Seoul on July 21 was a nightmare! I had all the proper paperwork and COVID test results but still landed at Immigration! I had a 23 hr layover so had booked a room 1 mile from the airport. No go. Would not let me out of the airport! Sleeping rooms and showers closed. So spent a long time in a chair! At least I found a good Korean all u can eat in the morning!
So actually. I traveled through NRT recently, and there is only a single café in the entire terminal that serves food. And it is operated only during normal business hours. I dont recall any vending machines in operation there either. So the claim that they did not have access to food or water is very plausible.
NRT's terminals for all intents and purposes are basically abandoned by businesses right now do to the shutdown.
I doubt it, I, too flew through NRT last month, there were vending machines every a few gates. I remember I had to buy a bottled water right before boarding, it was right there and I walked through the terminal, vending machines were everywhere, not just for drinks.
So I'm guessing that you just didn't see em. Even at T3, there were vending machines inside security a few yrs back.
Actually, all the vending machines and cafe services in T3 are gone or suspended.
Literally just water fountains and bathroom taps atm.
I just flew from Narita to Gold Coast last week Thursday.
a few months ago I booked a flight thru Haneda with a 19 hour layover. The flight was $300 to $400 less than flights without the layover. My hope was Tokyo would open before my travel begins but i think that will not happen. I'm just going to make the best of it and count it as a travel experience. However, i see a lot of criticism from some people on here about unexpected layovers....
a few months ago I booked a flight thru Haneda with a 19 hour layover. The flight was $300 to $400 less than flights without the layover. My hope was Tokyo would open before my travel begins but i think that will not happen. I'm just going to make the best of it and count it as a travel experience. However, i see a lot of criticism from some people on here about unexpected layovers. First, they can happen on any flight, unexpected mechanical issues having to land at an unscheduled airport. Airlines can only do so much when that happens, and yes, some airlines will handle better than others. Second, Japan decides what's best for Japan, not the foreign travelers. Third, it's not always possible to schedule non stops as someone suggested. Chicago to Bangkok requires a stop. Even long haul flights gotta stop for fuel sometimes.
lol, there you go with “saw-vren-taaaaay”
Narita international transit terminal and gate areas have many vending machines that take credit cards.
I was on the Jetstar flight that was ex Sydney on Sunday. I was off loaded at Gold Coast for over 48 hours. Then Tuesday flight to Narita delayed by hours, which meant we missed connecting Finnair flight by 5 minutes. It was still at the gate after 20 mins, and all we could do was watch. So I was given one sandwich a litre of water and a "sleeping bag". Asked for a Doctor...
I was on the Jetstar flight that was ex Sydney on Sunday. I was off loaded at Gold Coast for over 48 hours. Then Tuesday flight to Narita delayed by hours, which meant we missed connecting Finnair flight by 5 minutes. It was still at the gate after 20 mins, and all we could do was watch. So I was given one sandwich a litre of water and a "sleeping bag". Asked for a Doctor as I cannot sleep on the floor - not possible.
Ask Jetstar how much of the delay in Sydney on Sunday was due to the plane being too heavy to land at Gold Coast Airport - too much fuel?? Certainly wasn't passengers. I was the only person in Business Class and there are 21 seats.
Or ask Jetstar why when they delayed the flight Tuesday morning to replace a cockpit radio, that they were missing (to quote the Captain) "two small screws" which had to be flown up from Sydney - the nail in the coffin for a Narita transfer
And finally does anyone else have the same feeling when they have to call Jetstar that "a little piece of me dies" knowing the lack of outcomes and rehearsed platitudes.
>>>Asked for a Doctor as I cannot sleep on the floor - not possible.>>>
What for?
I would like to know if any doctor could solve your situation like that, you need a doctor cuz you can't sleep on the floor?
Entitlement much?
You clearly realized that there was nothing you could do, so whinnying to an airport staff?
grow the F up. You just got exactly what you paid for.
...
>>>Asked for a Doctor as I cannot sleep on the floor - not possible.>>>
What for?
I would like to know if any doctor could solve your situation like that, you need a doctor cuz you can't sleep on the floor?
Entitlement much?
You clearly realized that there was nothing you could do, so whinnying to an airport staff?
grow the F up. You just got exactly what you paid for.
I understand that situation was very unfortunate, but going off on an airport staff wouldn't solve your situation.
When you search for a flight, even on Google flights, it tells you on time % of the flight, if that is a bit fishy, I would google for a past WK of the flight. If I find out that this much delay so often like Jetstar's I wouldn't buy it.
This cruelty falls completely at the feet of the Government of Japan. This is nothing more than pointless bureaucracy. If this had happened at Haneda, rather than Narita, passengers would have been allowed out of the airport for up to 24 hours under current rules.
But this illustrates the danger of connecting through ghost airports like Narita and HKG which aren't properly open, don't have proper facilities, are still run more like hospitals than airports,...
This cruelty falls completely at the feet of the Government of Japan. This is nothing more than pointless bureaucracy. If this had happened at Haneda, rather than Narita, passengers would have been allowed out of the airport for up to 24 hours under current rules.
But this illustrates the danger of connecting through ghost airports like Narita and HKG which aren't properly open, don't have proper facilities, are still run more like hospitals than airports, and which will become your carpeted prison which you can't leave if you misconnect or suffer a long delay. Don't do it.
Nothing cruel. People from countries with weak passport experience this all the time. Stuck in airport and can’t leave because of no entry visa in transiting country. Stop being a drama queen and suck it up.
You know what’s cruel? Slavery. People having no access to healthcare. Illegal invasion. That’s cruel.
I transit through HKG and HND recently, seamless experience and knowing that I would less likely get covid than transiting in Singapore it’s a plus.
I dunno if they got stuck with T3 or not, but if it was the case, I feel sorry for them.
But that doesn't discount the fact they knew what they were in for.
"Jetstar"
Who would buy long haul flights with like 10hrs transit to begin with, from one of the worst LCC??
And you need security just for you inside terminal?
It's just ridiculous entitlement.
Don't you...
I dunno if they got stuck with T3 or not, but if it was the case, I feel sorry for them.
But that doesn't discount the fact they knew what they were in for.
"Jetstar"
Who would buy long haul flights with like 10hrs transit to begin with, from one of the worst LCC??
And you need security just for you inside terminal?
It's just ridiculous entitlement.
Don't you research a little before you book your flights ??
Give me a break.
Those people usually buy tickets from like kiwi.com and complain the most.
I was in HND for 9 hours last week. Had access to first class lounge but no bed. Rough.
The only shop opened past 4pm was a snack store and Hermes.... Hermes opens until 10pm (shocker)..
There's also a pharmacy/convenience store and food court.
The good thing with closed country is that not many shopper thru airport and I found a constance 24 in hermes that I plan to flip and possibly...
I was in HND for 9 hours last week. Had access to first class lounge but no bed. Rough.
The only shop opened past 4pm was a snack store and Hermes.... Hermes opens until 10pm (shocker)..
There's also a pharmacy/convenience store and food court.
The good thing with closed country is that not many shopper thru airport and I found a constance 24 in hermes that I plan to flip and possibly earn $9,000...
I got paid $1000 per hour to sit around in F lounge and eat a lot of curries and sushi. Life's good.
Any left? Surprised these stuff even made it to Duty Free.
Definitely worth making a trip for some 18 or 24.
Will you make $9k, maybe but unlikely.
I had a connection in NRT with my son on ANA in March (Singapore to Tokyo to Chicago). I actually wondered what they would do with us if the second flight got delayed and we had to stay overnight.
Ben would get multiple blogs out of this same situation if this happened to him.
My sympathies end at the demand of bedding when you should know the country is closed.
You don't voluntarily go to Donbas based on either Zelenskyy or Putin's propaganda and demand US Navy SEALS to extract you and provide food, drink, bedding or security.
Maybe comparing Ukraine to Narita is a bit too much, but comparing the level of entitlement probably isn't.
JetStar should also take the blame and be more responsible. But I...
My sympathies end at the demand of bedding when you should know the country is closed.
You don't voluntarily go to Donbas based on either Zelenskyy or Putin's propaganda and demand US Navy SEALS to extract you and provide food, drink, bedding or security.
Maybe comparing Ukraine to Narita is a bit too much, but comparing the level of entitlement probably isn't.
JetStar should also take the blame and be more responsible. But I can't really fault NRT for these entitlements, not that they even blame NRT for this. At least until they start cannibalism for food.
Last I checked they were not promoting transfers and connectivity at Donbas and selling passengers tickets without warning as to the repercussions should you misconnect. Really weak comparison. No, people may not know that Japan is essentially closed. The far majority of passengers are not informed as much as we may be. More importantly, the passengers might very well assume that there would be some sort of backup plan in the case of issues. Bottom...
Last I checked they were not promoting transfers and connectivity at Donbas and selling passengers tickets without warning as to the repercussions should you misconnect. Really weak comparison. No, people may not know that Japan is essentially closed. The far majority of passengers are not informed as much as we may be. More importantly, the passengers might very well assume that there would be some sort of backup plan in the case of issues. Bottom line is that the airlines are freely selling connecting flights at NRT and HND with no contingency plans or any warnings prior to booking. It's egregious on the part of both the Govt and the airlines.
That's a first world problem! Cry me a river. People who come from countries with weak passport have to endure this all the time because they can't leave the airport because they don't have a visa unless the country is generous enough to let them in for 1 day (which they usually aren't to working age able bodied male).
"they were not promoting transfers and connectivity at Donbas"
Last I checked CNN is reporting about joining freedom fighter. And Putin sending conscripts to liberate Donbas.
Both propaganda promoting Donbas.
"No, people may not know that Japan is essentially closed. The far majority of passengers are not informed as much as we may be"
Just like CNN is reporting Russians killing civilians, and RT is reporting Ukraine hiding behind civilians.
Majority...
"they were not promoting transfers and connectivity at Donbas"
Last I checked CNN is reporting about joining freedom fighter. And Putin sending conscripts to liberate Donbas.
Both propaganda promoting Donbas.
"No, people may not know that Japan is essentially closed. The far majority of passengers are not informed as much as we may be"
Just like CNN is reporting Russians killing civilians, and RT is reporting Ukraine hiding behind civilians.
Majority of people are never informed, be it Donbas or Haneda. They are under influence of propaganda and (fake) news. They believe what FOX tells them.
Bottom line, having no contingency plans is the airline fault. Believing that there IS a contingency plan or warnings and demands one is all your fault.
It's their risk. It is public information that travelers cannot enter Japan unless on a tour group. While not comfortable, it is not like they were in danger or were really without food or water. For those with status they could use the lounge.
If the stranded passengers were at T3, it really sucks. This terminal is dedicated to LCCs and it has minimal facilities. T3 doesn't have shower/rest facilities found at T1 and T2. It's at an isolated location far from T1 and T2 and since they are transit passengers, they can't leave the transit area or move freely to other terminals to get drinks and foods. It's a barebone facility with pretty much nothing and what's there close after 11 pm.
You are exactly right. T3 sucks
NRT does not allow overnight transit at the airport.
HND does allow it. HND has inside transit hotel, but the problem is the inside transit hotel is still closed. TBD when it reopens. But you can spend the night at HND. The lounges won't let you in until the next day (per other bloggers) - even if you arrive in the day.
I have an overnight connection through HND early next year, but unless they open the transit hotel inside - I will need to cancel.
I have passed NRT at least 50 times in my life. There is ample drinking water, vending machines galore.
There are shower places with rooms one can rent for 4-5 hours, ample to get a shut eye.
I am sure there are restaurants open in normal hours.
Not sure if you have been lately. Since Covid it is a shell of the past in terms of service and concessions. At least this past winter. It's a ghost town during off hours. I can't speak for any improvements during the summer though.
None
There's very little available airside in T3
There's very little available airside in T3 at the moment, where a number of the passengers were waiting
Having transited thru narita several times this year, i can attest intl transfers have very limited options for food, one restaurant i believe. Not the Narita of yore. No one is dying but I can understand the frustration.
This issue is actually a Qantas problem. Jetstar is not some obscure little airline, it is owned by QF and whilst it was once a totally low cost airline that is not always the case today and they now run many of QF's Asian routes. This was originally QF's way of outsourcing their engineering and other teams from into Australia into the lower cost markets of Asia. This Jetstar delay was an engineering problem. Qantas...
This issue is actually a Qantas problem. Jetstar is not some obscure little airline, it is owned by QF and whilst it was once a totally low cost airline that is not always the case today and they now run many of QF's Asian routes. This was originally QF's way of outsourcing their engineering and other teams from into Australia into the lower cost markets of Asia. This Jetstar delay was an engineering problem. Qantas (therefore Jetstar) and Finnair, have a partnership and both QF and Jetstar fly Australia/Europe routes via Asia. It is a common partnership ex Australia to Europe although it used to be via Hong Kong pre covid if flying with QF. From all reports the real issue became that once the delay occurred, QF/Jetstar did not provide any support staff at Narita & the local Narita team were not across the situation to provide assistance. And being Covid, many outlets are of course still closed. As someone mentioned, some passengers had been offered vouchers at check in but it would appear those in transit got lost in translation!! And of course the irregular leisure travellers are not across the work arounds or have not even thought of the possibilities of problems that could occur so it would appear there is plenty of fault all around here. However, bottom line, yet again another QF/Jetstar so called engineering delay with little accountability!
"Killed with kindness." I needed that, thank you Ben!
I was once stranded in that airport overnight too. The sleeping cubicles were full, and we slept on the cold floor. All concessions were closed, and security kept us in a small area. We were safe but extremely uncomfortable.
The problem isn't the airlines but as Ben has pointed out, Japan's absurd Corona virus polices that make no sense.
Marshall
If I were to be stranded, please let me be stranded at Narita Airport. I have had 5 star hotel stays less pleasant than a long layover at Narita Airport. Endless options for food and water and comfortable seating at Narita Airport. One need not wait for the airline to pass out the food vouchers...
Have you been there recently?
I have flown through twice in the last 12 months (July 2021 & January 2022). It is absolutely pleasant. And if you have lounge access... bring on the sushi and sake!!
which of course they wouldnt have.
narita is a terrible airport for lounges
You obviously haven’t been to Narita lately. Many outlets and restaurants still closed along with some of the lounges.
I was there in March and there wasn’t much open. Just a PACKED ANA lounge
The airlines sold these passenger tickets that involved transit through an airport whose government thinks that it is still 19th century. The airport promised transit for airlines, knowing fully well that they have no support systems for situations like this and we think all the fault is with the passengers
Whatever happened to the good old way of having the back of the underdog?! All these critical comments that portray the passengers as "drama queens"...
The airlines sold these passenger tickets that involved transit through an airport whose government thinks that it is still 19th century. The airport promised transit for airlines, knowing fully well that they have no support systems for situations like this and we think all the fault is with the passengers
Whatever happened to the good old way of having the back of the underdog?! All these critical comments that portray the passengers as "drama queens" are over the top. Not every passenger is as savvy as the folks here. They just wanted to get from point A to point B at a cheap price. What the heck is wrong with that?
Ben, of all the people, you should know better man.
obviously one passenger was savvy enough to use twitter to try and get everyone including the embassy involved!
>They just wanted to get from point A to point B at a cheap price.What the heck is wrong with that?
That's fine, but didn't they ask for unnecessary security just for them? Food water, etc?
Sorry, but those are not included in those Jetstar fares. It's 2022, you should know better by now. If anything goes wrong, All they would do is just refund the fare. That's why it's cheap.
It's just a...
>They just wanted to get from point A to point B at a cheap price.What the heck is wrong with that?
That's fine, but didn't they ask for unnecessary security just for them? Food water, etc?
Sorry, but those are not included in those Jetstar fares. It's 2022, you should know better by now. If anything goes wrong, All they would do is just refund the fare. That's why it's cheap.
It's just a delay, on the top of already long layover they already knew when they booked those stupid flights.
Jetstar has been around more than a decade. Jetstar isn't a full service carrier, that's why it's cheap.
You can't expect the same full everything from any LCC.
Does the transit lounge at Narita have access to the rest of the terminal? Why would the Japanese allow these people to roam freely around the place, without clearing immigration (which apparently is not allowed)? If they are allowed to mingle with everyone else in the terminal, what prevents them from walking out and, say, shooting a former prime minister with a homemade gun?
Stranded is a word used by someone that has the right attitude for traveling. 11 hours, Narita, ...should be more like - I got to do some shopping and really get an in-depth view of Narita, along with some good food, in one of the safest airports in the world.
As for safety concerns ...yeah. It's Narita.
Now if they were stuck in philly, newark, or somewhere like that, stranded may work, but the word doesn't work for Narita.
Narita is basically a medical lab with planes these days. Most businesses are no longer open, especially not in Terminal 3.
This is absolutely a non story.
Every time there’s a delay on every airline it’s on social media with someone making a drama out of it, and it’s just about an alleged lack of info.
The facts are the flight was delayed due to the late inbound from Australia. An uncomfortable wait, however there are plenty of outlets offering food and beverages, many of which may have been closed that late however there...
This is absolutely a non story.
Every time there’s a delay on every airline it’s on social media with someone making a drama out of it, and it’s just about an alleged lack of info.
The facts are the flight was delayed due to the late inbound from Australia. An uncomfortable wait, however there are plenty of outlets offering food and beverages, many of which may have been closed that late however there are also self service machines. Most people don’t eat after midnight anyhow. Claim a refund from jetstar
This is not the case. It's far more complex. This is a country allowing the sale of transit tickets to people that neither the nation or the booking party is making clear to the passenger that if things go awry they are on their own in the terminal with absolutely no alternatives. Those of us who know, know. Most do not. It is misleading and creating this kind of chaos because of the want to...
This is not the case. It's far more complex. This is a country allowing the sale of transit tickets to people that neither the nation or the booking party is making clear to the passenger that if things go awry they are on their own in the terminal with absolutely no alternatives. Those of us who know, know. Most do not. It is misleading and creating this kind of chaos because of the want to promote transits and flying via Japan but not actually having any sort of back up plan as to helping people when things go wrong. And, quite frankly, the writer missed the entire premise of promoting this particular aspect which is, in my option, fairly egregious.
Hey Ben,
I'm transiting through Narita on the Singapore flight from LAX to SIN. Same flight, but we clearly have to get off for roughly an hour. Should I only be concerned about mechanical issues, etc.?
That's at least a direct flight (same flight number and aircraft on the two segments) so I would be a lot less concerned. Add in the fact that there are more frequent services between NRT and Singapore on both SQ and ANA and I would imagine it is extremely unlikely that you'd be put in a situation where you were stranded for an extended period of time in the airport. I wouldn't worry at all.
What will it take to accept travel may never return to before covid times. Perhaps expectations should be revised. Crew shortages, strikes, and ever changing mandates will be around for a long time. Every country makes the rules we must accept as travelers. Lose the drama & embrace the adventure.
@ Maryland Yet they still take everyone's money. In fact, more than ever before. Most are not paying for adventures. They can do that knowingly. People are at the least paying to assure that if they can't get from A to C via B that there are options and the ability to leave the airport and get a hotel room. Even if they have to pay for it. Many of these people have no clue...
@ Maryland Yet they still take everyone's money. In fact, more than ever before. Most are not paying for adventures. They can do that knowingly. People are at the least paying to assure that if they can't get from A to C via B that there are options and the ability to leave the airport and get a hotel room. Even if they have to pay for it. Many of these people have no clue booking a transfer in NRT that if things go wrong they are stuck inside the airport which does completely shut down internally overnight as to concessions. It's not a horrible place to be forced onto a bench for the night, but still, these are not savvy and experienced travelers, they deserve to be offered some sort of options. Or at least a warning, which is absolutely not provided. ANA and JAL, as an example, will gladly sell you a transfer to MNL from the U.S. with a one hour connection. And no warning a to what happens if you don't make that connection.
Hey Stuart. I see your points. And most probably they booked far in advance. Hoping as we all do, all would go according to plan. But my point is in these changing times we can't always to expect it to be smooth. On many levels. Best to prepare for the worst and be happy when stuff goes right. And accept what is out of your control. And, as an old person, accepting these changes is healthy. Again this is awkward moment for travel and it's all an adventure anymore.
@Maryland. Absolutely, every passenger should expect a certain level of disruption in travel. However, the ability to weigh those risks/rewards should be made clear. Having booked and flown many flights to Asia and Australia since Covid I can assure you that there is not a proper warning given passengers regarding connecting in NRT or HND. In fact, there are none. Most of these people, especially leisure travelers, are not as informed as you and I...
@Maryland. Absolutely, every passenger should expect a certain level of disruption in travel. However, the ability to weigh those risks/rewards should be made clear. Having booked and flown many flights to Asia and Australia since Covid I can assure you that there is not a proper warning given passengers regarding connecting in NRT or HND. In fact, there are none. Most of these people, especially leisure travelers, are not as informed as you and I on the restrictions. Or, at the least, imagine there would be SOME sort of contingency plan for passengers with disrupted flights. A few examples of the craziness you see booking via NRT are 1 hour connections from the U.S. to SE Asia with no later flights that evening if you are late. As well, selling flights with airport ground connections between NRT and HND with no warnings that you can't even do it, lol. Sure, people should expect that things can go wrong to a certain level, but I feel this is not a fair example in properly warning people just how bad it can get. Why? Because they still want to sell tickets via Japan and get the money. And imagine how many passengers would not book through Japan if there was a warning like, "Please be aware that Japan is not open to most foreign travelers. Be forewarned that in the case of extended delays or interruptions there is no possibility to leave the airport and very limited options inside the terminal for lengthy over night waits."
Very valid. I almost booked a flight from the USA to Australia in March and all the airlines including JAL Qantas American etc were happy to sell me flights via Japan with a transfer between airports. Wtf. Surely not hard to program that that isn’t available to 99.9999% of the world population. Ie unless you are royalty it ain’t going to work
Well, the sociopathic comments from Ben and most of the people here really show what's wrong with the world.
It should not be up to the passengers to plan ahead for a canceled flight. It should be up to the airline and the airport involved to plan for the inevitable Finnair and Jetstar both know that Japan is not completely open. They are also aware that delays and cancellations can happen. So they should...
Well, the sociopathic comments from Ben and most of the people here really show what's wrong with the world.
It should not be up to the passengers to plan ahead for a canceled flight. It should be up to the airline and the airport involved to plan for the inevitable Finnair and Jetstar both know that Japan is not completely open. They are also aware that delays and cancellations can happen. So they should have alternative arrangements setup for this inevitability.
The Japanese government also bear some of the responsibility here as well. They know full well that they are not fully open. If they continue to choose to not be fully open, they should not be allowing transit passengers. The fact that they are allowing transit passengers where there is an inevitability of cancellations or severe delays while closing their transit hotels, shows just how idiotic the Japanese government is in this case.
Ben, you of all people should know better than to heap all the blame on to the passenger for this sort of atrocious behaviour of a government. If this had happened to you, we wouldn't hear the end of it. You'd be whinging and moaning to high heaven. So have a little compassion for others, don't be such a sociopath. Hell we've all had to tolerate you moaning over pointless minor little gripes at hotels.
Ben is clearly saying that he is sympathetic to the passengers, but not to the exaggerated theatrics. I would agree with Ben. Demanding security airside in Narita is ridiculous - you can hardly find a safer place anywhere in the world. Claims of no food and water are also ridiculous - at least some shops and restaurants are open well into the evening, and there are vending machines if you get hungry/thirsty overnight. At least...
Ben is clearly saying that he is sympathetic to the passengers, but not to the exaggerated theatrics. I would agree with Ben. Demanding security airside in Narita is ridiculous - you can hardly find a safer place anywhere in the world. Claims of no food and water are also ridiculous - at least some shops and restaurants are open well into the evening, and there are vending machines if you get hungry/thirsty overnight. At least that was the situation when I transited through Narita in November 2021 (not overnight, but I saw banks of fully stocked vending machines).
Are you crazy? Why is this anyone but the passengers problem? Book a direct flight if you are worried about this happening.
If you don’t even know that this could happen, then I guess you also often travel to countries without the necessary visas too.
You need to do your own research, not expect others to do it for you.
Umm.... how many "direct flights" are there from Europe to Australia?
Given the Finnair origin it's virtually certain there wasn't a direct flight available for any of these passengers.
K4
Dubai, Doha, Singapore and Bangkok are all open.
And I maintain that if you don’t want to suffer a transit delay, fly direct, even if that means breaking your journey in a open county, which you have a visa and thus entry rights for!
Were there really 1000s of people trying to fly to India Russia and China without visas before covid? Where they then blaming the airline and the government because they didn’t...
K4
Dubai, Doha, Singapore and Bangkok are all open.
And I maintain that if you don’t want to suffer a transit delay, fly direct, even if that means breaking your journey in a open county, which you have a visa and thus entry rights for!
Were there really 1000s of people trying to fly to India Russia and China without visas before covid? Where they then blaming the airline and the government because they didn’t know they need a visa?
It is known that Japan has suspended its visa waiver for all countries, so any Finn or Australian who thinks they’re getting in without a visa is insane.
Why is it the Japanese governments problem? just because they are not open doesn't mean people can't transit. the passengers weren't arrested or questioned why they were there. they were left alone to transit. it's not the governments fault that the flight was delayed and the passengers were stuck for 11+ hours.
I was "stuck" once in Aruba airport for 15+ hours after clearing US customs in Aruba for a flight back to the US....
Why is it the Japanese governments problem? just because they are not open doesn't mean people can't transit. the passengers weren't arrested or questioned why they were there. they were left alone to transit. it's not the governments fault that the flight was delayed and the passengers were stuck for 11+ hours.
I was "stuck" once in Aruba airport for 15+ hours after clearing US customs in Aruba for a flight back to the US. the flight was grounded due to a volcanic eruption in Montserrat and all flights were grounded until the air cleared. None of us could leave the airport b/c we already "exited" the country. this was pre-cell phone. there was one TV with one channel. There were no vending machines, no restaurants. I sat in a chair, took a nap and read my magazine a dozen times. yes, I was unhappy but I didn't blame the government, the airline, or anyone. I just dealt with it, and moved on.
Nonsense (no pun intended). You easily could have reentered Aruba (of all places, lol) left the airport and gone to a hotel. You clearly didn't know that though. You chose to stay in the terminal (knowingly or not).
I'm in somewhat agreement w/ Richard here. It's not as if these passengers 'took a risk' and booked 2 separate tickets via NRT and got burned. Not every traveler is a flyertalk expert and they shouldn't be expected to plan 5-10hrs ahead for food/water not knowing what stores will remain open or whether they'd be allowed to enter Japan/check into hotels. I'm not faulting JPN government for having entry restrictions but the airport, and particularly...
I'm in somewhat agreement w/ Richard here. It's not as if these passengers 'took a risk' and booked 2 separate tickets via NRT and got burned. Not every traveler is a flyertalk expert and they shouldn't be expected to plan 5-10hrs ahead for food/water not knowing what stores will remain open or whether they'd be allowed to enter Japan/check into hotels. I'm not faulting JPN government for having entry restrictions but the airport, and particularly the airlines, should have contingency plans for this type of common occurrences. Even pre-COVID, when Australians could enter JPN in this situation, there are many nationalities that do no enjoy visa-free entry and must remain at airport overnight. Surely the airline should accommodate these passengers and the airport should have facilities (sleeping/gate areas, food/water and other amenities) open 24-hours.
Richard, well said.
Reading this post, I was reminded of the "Point-Counterpoint" scene from the movie "Airplane!":
"But Shana, they bought their tickets and they knew what they were getting into! I say, let 'em crash!"
There are only 2 parties at fault here. Jetstar who did not take the opportunity to offer their customers much support because of the delay. The other party at fault is the passengers. Narita Airport has ample opportunities to purchase drinks and snacks, even on the transit side. Furthermore, these machines not only take yen but also credit cards. I've been to Narita quite often (though not in covid times) and getting food/drink has never...
There are only 2 parties at fault here. Jetstar who did not take the opportunity to offer their customers much support because of the delay. The other party at fault is the passengers. Narita Airport has ample opportunities to purchase drinks and snacks, even on the transit side. Furthermore, these machines not only take yen but also credit cards. I've been to Narita quite often (though not in covid times) and getting food/drink has never been an issue there. Even during pre-COVID times, transiting passengers were generally not allowed to leave the airport (in both the US and Japan). However, irrespective of this, Europe and the US had similar policies in place to what Japan has up until a few months ago. The only difference is lack of a requirement for a set guided tour. In fact, while some of my friends were transiting through Europe in May were not allowed to leave the airport unless they had their US vaccination record converted to an EU vaccination record. Only problem was you needed to be in the EU to convert your vaccination record. The US also required negative PCR results and a valid vaccination record up until very recently. Doing international travel during these times does have risks, and you compound these risks by transiting through other countries. Your anger is unjustified.
On the one hand, the lowest common denominator factor becomes critical in understanding the reaction, not as an insult to their intelligence, but they just probably had no idea of the repercussions in booking a connecting flight through a country many probably have no idea was closed or that could offer no accommodations for transfers. I have advocated for months that airlines and booking sites should be clearly stating when booking connecting flights through places...
On the one hand, the lowest common denominator factor becomes critical in understanding the reaction, not as an insult to their intelligence, but they just probably had no idea of the repercussions in booking a connecting flight through a country many probably have no idea was closed or that could offer no accommodations for transfers. I have advocated for months that airlines and booking sites should be clearly stating when booking connecting flights through places like Japan that you are, basically, on your own if things go south.
With that said, Narita is not a bad place to hunker down. Great concessions, super clean, and certainly not the end of the world. Even Matthew at LALF recently slept there overnight on some seats and found it quite comfortable!
Hopefully more of these incidents will occur and Japan will finally just cave in to opening the country in the first place. It's becoming absurd now.
Wasn't Matthew's recent Tokyo overnight at Haneda?
Was absolutely Narita. You can search for it on the site. Two posts regarding it.
The issue is were they sold as through tickets. I assume so. The JQ flight was delayed or cancelled so they have to be re accommodated by jet star. The airport authority would allow for that. Otherwise jetstar could rebook to Helsinki if the customers prefer which I doubt. Even if there’s a curfew the authorities do understand irrops. Unfortunately most outlets close overnight. Jetstar could have provided more info and food and drinks if...
The issue is were they sold as through tickets. I assume so. The JQ flight was delayed or cancelled so they have to be re accommodated by jet star. The airport authority would allow for that. Otherwise jetstar could rebook to Helsinki if the customers prefer which I doubt. Even if there’s a curfew the authorities do understand irrops. Unfortunately most outlets close overnight. Jetstar could have provided more info and food and drinks if feasible. Not that simple though There are water fountains.
I find it funny that Ben does not have more sympathy to these travelers. He has complained many times about much less going wrong, and made it seems like it was a travesty. So the lack of sympathy here makes no sense to me. Is it because they are flying jetstar and he has little sympathy because they likely have less money to spend on flights than him?
It is just odd, because he...
I find it funny that Ben does not have more sympathy to these travelers. He has complained many times about much less going wrong, and made it seems like it was a travesty. So the lack of sympathy here makes no sense to me. Is it because they are flying jetstar and he has little sympathy because they likely have less money to spend on flights than him?
It is just odd, because he doesn't seem to realize that most people do not have the travel experience and knowledge that he has and may not have realized that Japan was closed to tourists or even if they realized that, did not know that a massive airport like Narita completely shuts down at 11pm.
Also failing to acknowledge that Jetstar, Japan, and Narita, do not have plans in place for things like this (which are not uncommon occurrences) is a massive failing on all parties involved. I think someone else in here mentioned, if they are not going to have some sort of contingency for people being trapped airside due to a cancelled (or massively delayed) flight, they should not allow for Transiting Passengers while the country is closed.
This is actually a bigger case of greed than it is negligence on the passengers. They want to make money from running a massive airport and huge transit hub for those traveling from NA/Australia to Asia, but have no risk that go along with transiting passengers
"I find it funny that Ben does not have more sympathy to these travelers. He has complained many times about much less going wrong, and made it seems like it was a travesty."
There is some truth to that.
I tend to agree. I think that the post is missing a lot in any empathy in that most people have no idea when booking a ticket connecting in Japan that this is a very likely scenario. More attention should be paid to exactly what you said, Japan is allowing transfers and milking out the revenue while not providing any sort of fall back for when things go wrong. The blame also is with airlines...
I tend to agree. I think that the post is missing a lot in any empathy in that most people have no idea when booking a ticket connecting in Japan that this is a very likely scenario. More attention should be paid to exactly what you said, Japan is allowing transfers and milking out the revenue while not providing any sort of fall back for when things go wrong. The blame also is with airlines and booking sites for not properly warning passengers of the potentials in connecting in Japan. We now better, but 98% of the traveling public does not. And the post misses that part completely and how it should be better addressed from top down. Or Japan should just freakin open and stop this nonsense.
Ben is an out-of-touch trust fund kid with two passports, whose married to someone whose trust is even larger than his. Let's be honest about that.
@Alyssa
How do you know that?
He’s posted all these things many times over the years.
Lol this is pretty fair!
if they bought this as one ticket/one flight wouldn't their EU261 rights would apply? (not that it helps immediately in this situation, AND good luck getting that out of jetstar! lol)
No as jetstar was the operating carrier from Japan to Australia. EC261 doesn’t apply.
Narita overnight issue has burned many people before, and if the travelers purchased the ticket from Qantas as a whole which we know can be the case, then the burden to not strand them in NRT over night is fairly squared on Qantas. I'm puzzled by many 's sensational choices of comments. Blame these pax all the day, doesn't change the responsibility.
In addition, ANA has mistakenly sold over-night tickets to foreign students who...
Narita overnight issue has burned many people before, and if the travelers purchased the ticket from Qantas as a whole which we know can be the case, then the burden to not strand them in NRT over night is fairly squared on Qantas. I'm puzzled by many 's sensational choices of comments. Blame these pax all the day, doesn't change the responsibility.
In addition, ANA has mistakenly sold over-night tickets to foreign students who can't enter Japan before too, they arranged special hotels that pax couldn't leave in the night and took them back to airport next day. Which still sucks, but worked for the situation.
At the end of day, a global airport closed at night is just below average and should be avoided when possible. And for many people with less privileged passports, stranding at a airport they can't go in is not a pandemic issue, but one they have been dealing with for many, many years.
Agreed on the overly dramatic part, but I feel like Narita over overly inhospitable for transit terminals. Most facilities closed, lounges absolutely overwhelmed, terminals closed, they blacked out the vast majority of shops, restaurants and facilities on the map. It's just as inviting as their tourism policy.
So, yes. The country is closed, passengers should know, etc. But the airport is still collecting revenue and the airlines are too.
Sensitive to this because I'll...
Agreed on the overly dramatic part, but I feel like Narita over overly inhospitable for transit terminals. Most facilities closed, lounges absolutely overwhelmed, terminals closed, they blacked out the vast majority of shops, restaurants and facilities on the map. It's just as inviting as their tourism policy.
So, yes. The country is closed, passengers should know, etc. But the airport is still collecting revenue and the airlines are too.
Sensitive to this because I'll be transiting there in the coming weeks. ;-)
I feel like those ppl complain no matter what, even if they were offered with some food, they would go like " there was no vegan or vegetarian options" blah blah blah.
Food, cots and blankets at the least. Would it have been too hard to provide that? Agreed that the complaints were overly dramatic.
The worst mistake ever by the QANTAS board was starting JetStar and hiring Joyce. You can basically chart the slide in overall group quality from the advent of these two abominations. Never hire Spaniards and Irishmen to run your carriers if you value quality. Just look at IAG. Enough said.
Honestly there is really little passengers can do because they will not be able to enter Japan no matter what. However, I feel that Jetstar should do better because they know that there are a significant amount of passengers stuck in the transit area. Offering this transit option is a way for them to fill the plane too.
JetStar staffs should at least offer passengers these bentos that they can easily find in the...
Honestly there is really little passengers can do because they will not be able to enter Japan no matter what. However, I feel that Jetstar should do better because they know that there are a significant amount of passengers stuck in the transit area. Offering this transit option is a way for them to fill the plane too.
JetStar staffs should at least offer passengers these bentos that they can easily find in the nearby convenience stores, along with bottled waters. I found it strange that those items were not offered, even during Covid times. Jetstar sold blanket sets and should be able to find plenty in Narita too. I felt that passengers have a right to be upset if those items are not offered. I am surprised that those items are not provided.
At the same time, Jetstar is a low cost airline and those passengers should know about that fact. Both Finnair and Jetstar should WARN passengers too about the risk of transiting in Narita too. It is just an unfortunate situation and a warning for passengers transiting through these "closed" countries and cities.
How come they can even stay overnight on airside at Narita?
Narita used to close at 11pm and everyone is forced to enter Japan which airlines would secure a special one night transit visa for passengers.
They probably make an exception for irrops. This was beyond passengers control.
Zero sympathy. Traveler is whining on social media about something that was a known risk when they booked their ticket(s). Plenty of ways to get from Finland to Australia that don't involved transit in a highly COVID restricted country. Traveler likely choose this route because it was the cheapest - well, you get what you pay for.
It's funny to see they said that they were left without any food or water...
But... They landed in the afternoon from Finland, shops, paid shower/rest facilities and restaurants are open. And you could buy water from vending machines with CC. So I dunno how they could go for 12 hours without any water or food.
They knew that they had like 8-9hrs to transfer beforehand. Not to mention, they were flying Jetstar...
It's funny to see they said that they were left without any food or water...
But... They landed in the afternoon from Finland, shops, paid shower/rest facilities and restaurants are open. And you could buy water from vending machines with CC. So I dunno how they could go for 12 hours without any water or food.
They knew that they had like 8-9hrs to transfer beforehand. Not to mention, they were flying Jetstar for God sakes.
It seemed to me that they were looking for free stuff. Not willing to spend money like at all...
I would never book flights like that involves with Jetstar or any other LCC.
I just "hate" when people use a "word" in quotes for no "reason".
Of course we should feel bad! It's only because of Japan's idiotic covid paranoia that this became an issue. If Japan were behaving like every other civilized country, the travelers could easily have been accommodated at a local hotel. As usual, Ben totally misreads the room.
Ah, thanks Alyssa. We can always appreciate your hot take on Japan. Please keep blessing us with your insights
Blame it on the Japanese government and their moronic obsession with a virus with a 99.7% survival rate, and that percentage rises dramatically under age 50. Albeit Australia isn't much better.
I think from a frequent traveler's perspective, this appears to be an avoidable situation. That said, we have to consider that this group is probably full of infrequent fliers that are just chasing the lowest fair. Should the burden really be on them to know that something like this COULD happen? The airline has to accept some responsibility and anticipate this possibility.
It's JetStar, so of course it's full of holidaymakers that likely travel once or twice a year, at most. Of course they're also the ones with little-to-no preplanning or knowledge of the industry but the ones to cry the loudest when they don't get their way. Bogans.
This doesn’t just happen in countries which are “closed” to most passengers. I have seen a number of cases in Europe where passengers from non EU countries mis-connect and have to overnight but require a visa to enter, end up spending the night airside at the airport while those who can enter the country are accommodated in hotels.
One of the best things about Narita (or Japan in general) are the vending machines. So much fun at that airport waiting on my normal flight, I'm sure I could go through so many of them overnight! Sleeping in an airport sucks, but if you've traveled extensively, odds are you have done so.
If one voluntarily chooses to fly JQ then one can hardly complain as this is business as usual for said airline.
Maybe Japan should stop living in 2020 and treating people like the walking plague.
That doesn't jive with their unspoken (but obvious) xenophobia.
I thought Narita doesn't permit overnight transits?
In such a case, they should be treated as inadmissable passengers to Japan and therefore held in immigration detention facilities before being returned to Finland the next day (or whenever the next flight to Finland may be).
That they were permitted to remain in the terminal overnight and continue their journey the next day is in itself a huge concession for which they should be grateful rather than complain about.
Absolutely
My take is slightly different.
If Narita wants to engage in transit business while the borders are closed then they have some responsibility to plan for the inevitable overnight situations that will occasionally occur. If they can't do that they should forego all transit business and not allow airlines to even board the passengers on the inbound flight.
What would that look like? At least cots and late night / early morning food and possibly shower facilities.
Or just let them in to a hotel. Their restrictions are non sensical at this point - any Japanese on the flight got off and went about their daily business. Worst case have them do rapid testing
Agreed with Larry. This is inevitable, they need to either plan for it or get out of the transit business.
I didn’t think overnight airside transit was even allowed at NRT?
A planned overnight transit isn't allowed. But it's not like they can arrest you if you're stuck overnight airside.
@HkCaGu - Sure they can. That is what most countries do actually. They ship you off to a detention center and send you back to whence you came.
Was that all in one ticket? If yes, EU261 applies and they should all be eligible for care (food, drinks, accomodation?) plus 600 euro.
Good point. This exact routing seems bookable at finnair.com (they interline with Jetstar)
Luckily I used there search function because I was going to say the same. By the way, the 600€ is in addition to getting meals reimbursed (keep the receipts).
No as JQ is a non EU carrier and it was from Japan to Australia. If the Finnair flight had been delayed causing a missed connection it would apply.
Finnair is still on the hook for compensation, because the journey originated in the EU. It's still applicable even when there is an onward transfer flight outside the EU.
https://www.euclaim.com/blog/new-compensation-rules-for-delayed-or-cancelled-transfer-flights-outside-of-the-eu
Isn’t there an airside capsule hotel at Narita?
There are airside hotels in both terminals but they are not open overnight. Everything closes at Narita at night. They may have been provided vouchers, but it would do them no good until places start opening in the morning. I used to transit Narita frequently on one of the first flights to land after curfew. Even though the terminal is open at 6am, not much else opens at that time. I would often have to...
There are airside hotels in both terminals but they are not open overnight. Everything closes at Narita at night. They may have been provided vouchers, but it would do them no good until places start opening in the morning. I used to transit Narita frequently on one of the first flights to land after curfew. Even though the terminal is open at 6am, not much else opens at that time. I would often have to wait 10-15 min for the transit security checkpoints to open. Many shops and restaurants did not open until 8am or later.
Jetstar use the low cost terminal 3 which seems to have fewer facilities
NRT has a link on the website providing the hours of retailers
The capsule hotel is in terminal 2 and open 24/7.
There’s also an airside connection t3-2