- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Introduction
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Brussels Airlines Check-in New York JFK
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Brussels Airlines Business Class New York to Brussels
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Brussels Airlines and SAS Business Class Lounges Brussels
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Austrian Business Class Brussels to Vienna
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Hotel Imperial Vienna
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Austrian Senator Lounge Vienna
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Austrian Business Class Vienna to Tokyo Narita
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: ANA Business Class Lounge Tokyo Narita
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Turkish Business Class Tokyo Narita to Istanbul
- Review: Park Hyatt Istanbul
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Turkish Business Class Lounge Istanbul
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: LOT Business Class Istanbul to Warsaw
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: Hotel Bristol Warsaw
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: LOT Business Class Lounge Warsaw
- Vienna to Istanbul via Tokyo: LOT Business Class Warsaw to Chicago
After getting off from my flight from Vienna I headed towards transit security, and was surprised to find that I was literally the only person headed in that direction. As I got to transit security I was asked for my boarding pass, and instead presented my e-ticket receipt and explained that I hadn’t yet received the boarding pass for my connecting flight. My Japanese is lacking somewhat (to put it lightly) and the agent’s English was lacking, so this quickly turned into a game of “Who’s on First?” The confusion was caused over the fact that my inbound Austrian flight and outbound Turkish flight were both flight number 51, and that seemed to really confuse the agent. She asked which flight I was departing on. I said Turkish 51. She asked which flight I was arriving on. I said Austrian 51. She said “but… that’s the same flight?” After several minutes of reassuring her they were different flights and intervention from a couple of other agents, I was cleared to pass through the security checkpoint.
I had about a four hour connection before my Turkish flight to Istanbul, so headed to the ANA Suites Lounge. Upon entering I presented my e-ticket receipt and was admitted to the business class side of the lounge after the agent made a couple of phone calls to be sure I could use the lounge without my boarding pass. As a reminder, there are a couple of options in Tokyo available to anyone with a credit card with lounge access, if you wouldn’t otherwise have access based on your elite status or boarding pass.
ANA lounge entrance
My first stop was a shower room, which is actually located opposite of the entrance from the business class lounge. While ANA’s shower rooms are stylish they aren’t especially functional, as I wish they had doors instead of just half glass panels between the shower and rest of the room. Also, the toiletry kit they give you only has tiny packages of shampoo/conditioner, hardly enough to wash an action figure.
Shower room
After the shower I headed into the business class portion of the lounge. While the lounge is fairly large, it’s quite bland with not much of a food selection. There’s a large, main seating area by the windows where most people seem to congregate.
Main seating area
This is also where the main dining area is located. I’m not sure why it’s the case, but I find it interesting that Japanese lounges consistently have lackluster food spreads compared to the ones found in just about any other Asian country. The buffet consisted mostly of cold snacks, cookies, etc.
Buffet
Buffet
Though the bar was well stocked, and I know many love Japanese lounges for the famous beer machines.
Open bar
Beer machine
Then as you continue to walk there’s a hallway with seating on both sides, which seems to be considerably more quiet.
Lounge seating
And after that is even more seating, followed by workstations and a noodle bar.
Workstations
Workstations
And then at the very end of the lounge is my favorite thing about Narita Airport, the deadly massage chairs, along with some relaxation chairs. I powered up the massage chair and my laptop, and enjoyed being slapped across the back and having my legs squeezed for a good two hours or so.
Massage chair!
Relaxation chair
Since I didn’t yet have my boarding pass and planned on getting it at the gate I left the lounge at around 11:30AM, so that I’d be at the gate more than an hour before departure (just to be on the safe side). I was departing from gate 34, so it was about a 10 minute walk from the lounge.
Walking to gate
On the way I was kind of giddy to see that the Austrian 777 I just arrived on was parked right next to the Turkish 777 I’d be departing on.
My two rides
At the gate was the beautiful 777-300ER, and I was happy to see it had the “dome” on top of the fuselage, meaning it would have Wi-Fi.
Turkish 777-300ER taking me to Istanbul
Also there to greet me at the gate were cardboard cutouts of two random people I couldn’t really identify…
Or am I just messin’ with you?
The gate agent promptly issued me my boarding pass and informed me that boarding would start within about 20 minutes. I was kind of surprised by how empty the gate area was.
Departure gate area
Departure gate area
Sure enough within about 20 minutes boarding was announced, starting with business class. As is always the case in Japan it was quite an affair, with at least a dozen gate agents on hand, half of which simply held up signs to get people to queue. Kind of goes against the system everywhere else in the world, where they want you to stay seated till your boarding group is called.
Hi Ben! Looking at your old posts...am I correct that if I am flying United BusinessFirst from Narita I can use this ANA lounge? Thanks :)
@ Lola -- You sure can!
@ Natalie Lim -- The ANA lounge is definitely the best option. The other option is the United Club, and the ANA lounge is definitely better.
What other lounge (part of star alliance) would you recommending NRT? I'll be there in December flying on ANA to SEA.
I did a google search to read reviews about this lounge since ill be there in 8 hrs and I should have known you'd been there. :)
Ill be looking forward to the shower and the noodle bar since we have a 10hr layover
@Carl - Thank you for the tip! I'm flying UA First on my inbound to NRT and Asiana in First on my outbound via ICN to LAX. I'll definitely check it out!
One more vote for the Noodle bar. There is also a separate sake bar at the opposite end of the lounge.
@Davis - The UA First Lounge in Narita has an accessible shower. It is up the elevator from the Business Class lounge. Can't remember if the United Club has them.
I agree with Ban on food at ANA lounge. Being a vegetarian, I can't eat noodle soup. Its other food selection is limited to small snacks. I get more vegetarian selections in HKG, TPE, ICN, and BKK. Most importantly, the food portions are more generous than ANA lounge at NRT.
I do like it offer a variety of tea selections.
I'm surprised "Big" Ben is embarrassed to use a shower with a glass door lol
Cool cardboard cut outs of Messi and Kobe
I second the made to order noodle bar. AWESOME!
I'll take that over a well-stocked buffet, if I had to choose. But I really really like udon.
I missed the shower (but didn't need it). However, this lounge is my favorite because of their snacks and wonderful noodle bar.
You didn't do justice to the ANA lounge - given that the highlight of the place (as far as food is concerned) is the noodle bar. Piping hot udon & soba made to order - they now offer curry rice as well.
Hi lucky, do u have to reserve the shower room in advance when you go there? Coz, my friend will be there in May. Thanks.
I appreciated this lounge report since I could see the shower area clearly with your pics. Since I'm now able to travel in the front of the plane, I can use the lounges with showers which is new territory for me. However, I'm a below knee amputee so I need a small bench or seat so I can shower easily. Here in the USA, we have ADA laws, but internationally, those of us that have...
I appreciated this lounge report since I could see the shower area clearly with your pics. Since I'm now able to travel in the front of the plane, I can use the lounges with showers which is new territory for me. However, I'm a below knee amputee so I need a small bench or seat so I can shower easily. Here in the USA, we have ADA laws, but internationally, those of us that have handicaps really have to struggle with access issues (especially in Japan!).
I know I'm not the only one that has handicaps that reads your blog, so I appreciate the great pics to help us when we travel, so thanks, Ben..
I'm going there in November again and I'm hoping they have a small seat that I can use in the shower..This is also a problem in hotels since handicapped rooms are very hard to find let alone a small chair or seat for the showers or bathtubs. I bring a plastic cover (like for a leg cast) and that works in a pinch, but really easy to fall though!
@ wwk5d -- Quite fast, actually.
It looks like a rather large lounge. How is the wifi there? I'm guessing it's rather fast...
not enough to eat? Incredible noodle bar, wonderful soups, i always leave that place stuffed.
@ tot -- While I didn't take a picture of it, I did mention it above. It was near the massage chairs.
@ Lantean -- In Colombo there's a security checkpoint at each gate, so you first have to clear security with a boarding pass in order to be able to get there. But apparently there is a transit desk in Colombo as well that I wasn't aware of.
Lucky - did you miss the noodle bar in the lounge? I am usually in the other ANA lounge closer to gate 42. In addition to the hot noodle bar and cold snacks, the lounge also serves hot soup (2 kinds I think - miso and the other tomato-based) and stir-fried noodle.
Interesting... you say you were planning on getting the boarding asps at the gate... why couldn't you do at that when you were turning around in Colombo? just check in for your SIN-CMB flight in Singapore and then check in and get the boarding pass at the gate for your CMB-SIN return in Colombo? Would that not work?