FLIGHT REVIEW: SAPPORO TO TOKYO via ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS (PART 3 of 4)

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

The domestic hall entrance of
New Chitose Airport looked kind of old and dreary with just an escalator and an elevator to greet you but it's a different ambience once you get to the second floor where the check-in area was. It was so well-lit like an image in full sharp mode.

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
As All Nippon Airways (ANA) dominated the check-in area, it was a bit overwhelming to figure out the process. Do we have a designated counter or will all counters accommodate any ANA passenger? I was still trying to figure it out when my friend was able to determine that it was the latter. It was kind of difficult to find your right way because most of the signs and assisting staff spoke in Japanese.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
We were asked to present our ticket and passports and were easily checked in but I noticed the absence of a conveyor belt to deposit our luggage. Turns out that there was a designated baggage check-in at another counter where we had to present our boarding pass to be allowed to go through security check and check in our baggage. It was interesting that they only screened our check-in baggage, not our hand-carry and purses at this stage.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
Then we headed off to our gate for another security check, this time for our hand-carry and all that remains. Once again, we were asked to present our boarding pass. All computers were to be placed on a separate tray, cellphones out, and water bottles be opened so the officers could sniff them.

The second screening took longer and incurred a busy queue which prompted a remark of admiration from one of my friends on how thorough the officers were.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
We then checked out our lunch possibilities but we didn't find any restaurant as there were only convenience shops with standing tables at a designated area. At first, I thought we will go hungry as the menu was in Japanese. 


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
"Chicken, please."

"Chicken?"

"Yes, chicken."

"No chicken."

"Do you have rice meals?"

We were met with a stare then the cashier pulled out an English menu with four varieties of fried rice. Thank you, Lord!

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
Our group then proceeded to our gate so we could enjoy our lunch sitting down with Japanese boarding announcements as our background noise. Their domestic tourism is probably very strong considering they don't bother to translate their announcements in English and Mandarin in spite of the hordes of Chinese tourists in our midst and a handful of Caucasian and Filipino tourists like ourselves.
Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
 The seating area felt like business class with a lot of leg room.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
When our boarding time came, a friend observed that there was no special call for business class passengers first or for senior citizens, passengers with special needs or small children. We may not understand Japanese but that much we discerned because once our flight was up, everybody except our group stood up. I expected to see unruly behavior where passengers are jockeying to be ahead of the line but boarding was quiet and orderly. My friend said maybe it's because of the polite nature of the Japanese culture.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
As we were one of the last to get on the plane, I almost ran out of overhead bin storage space for my hand-carry so I asked an attendant to help me. She rearranged some of the bins near my seat and was able to solve my problem immediately. This reminded me of the experience of a colleague had at another Asian airline where she was chided by an attendant for asking for assistance as it was not part of their job.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
Take-off was smooth but we encountered some mild turbulence almost immediately although only momentarily which probably explains why there was no safety assurance announcement like the last time.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
When things got settled, blankets were offered while the other passengers started taking out their doggie bentos almost in unison. An attendant came around offering them moist towels. Minutes later, the beverage tray was rolled out where I enjoyed a cup of cold water.

After a short while, I headed for the toilet where I saw the same spacious facility with the full-body mirror. And once again, I did not care to look at my reflection on the throne.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
It took a bit before I was able to use the toilet so a flight attendant offered me a bag of candies and asked where I was from. She then began to show off her Filipino skills with "salamat po," "maganda," and "magandang hapon po." After laughing together, she revealed that she has a Filipino friend who taught her. I’m just glad the friend taught her the right words. I remember one friend mischievously taught her hapless Japanese friend to say, “Salamat, bakla” (“Thanks, gay man.”) when she wants to thank Pinoys which generated a lot of chuckles each time.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
Thirty minutes before landing, we were experiencing some erratic turbulence which was followed by a seat belt notice and an assurance that the safety of the aircraft was not at risk. But we eventually had a smooth landing at Haneda Airport and as soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, we all got up from our seats to retrieve our hand-carry from the overhead bin. 

The lady who shared my storage space kept pulling her shopping bag unsuccessfully as my hand-carry was blocking it. I patted and tapped her several times to ask her to let me get my hand-carry first but she just ignored me, fully concentrating like a chess master on tugging her shopping bag. A man appreciated the same futility as he just pulled my hand-carry and handed it to me. The woman never looked at our way once, not even to thank the man.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
We deplaned a few moments later and made one of the longest walk I have ever had to the baggage claim.

Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
 By the time you get to the carousel, you would be hunched over like the image on the sign.


Copyright photo:The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
The advantage of the long walk though is that it lessened the waiting time at the carousel as my luggage came out soon enough.



Next: TOKYO to MANILA

This flight review is part of a four-part series. Click here for Part One, Part Two, or Part Four.


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