EK flight at NRT Misses Curfew. Pax given sleeping bags in terminal

[milehighclub]

If any of the passengers from the Baku diversion happen to come across this article, I think they'll be quite happy with how theirs turned out in comparison. This happened on EK two days later, also a A380:

Emirates Flight Misses Curfew In Tokyo, Hands Out Sleeping Bags While Passengers Loot The Lounge - View from the Wing

On December 23, Emirates flight EK319 from Tokyo Narita to Dubai became a miserable experience for 500 passengers and crew on the Airbus A380. The plane went mechanical, and missed taking off before the airport's midnight curfew by just a few minutes. The airline didn't bother getting hotel...

viewfromthewing.com

 

[Quickstatus]

EK two days later, also a A380

Definitely QF Baku got the better deal. Marriott is better than any sleeping bag.

1) how did they have so many sleeping bags on hand

2) EK can muster a full flight but not QF

3) interesting the operation of the curfew - need to takeoff before midnight (for exceptional circumstances - otherwise 23:00hrs). Whereas the SYD curfew is need to taxi to runway before 23:00. The delayed AA72 SYD-LAX was given taxi clearance at SYD prior to 2300hrs on Dec26 and so under the rules was able to take off at 2329hrs after the curfew started.

4) I like the idea of doing a meal service prior to disembarking a cancelled service - might as well as F&B on board and airport outlets would have been closed.

5) it did depart the next day - but in the afternoon at 1602hrs. I wonder why not as soon as airport reopened ?. Crew hrs?

 

[SydneySwan]

It sounds like Emirates may have planned for this scenario with the sleeping bags although I can't see Emirates logo on them. I hope this doesn't give AJ any ideas.

 

[OATEK]

It sounds like Emirates may have planned for this scenario with the sleeping bags although I can't see Emirates logo on them. I hope this doesn't give AJ any ideas.

I wonder if this prep has anything to do with Haj pilgrims - at peaks times they could have many disruptions where deploying sleeping bags would be in line with customer expectations (having seen them asleep all over Dubai airport in the past).

 

[Melburnian1]

If any of the passengers from the Baku diversion happen to come across this article, I think they'll be quite happy with how theirs turned out in comparison. This happened on EK two days later, also a A380:

Emirates Flight Misses Curfew In Tokyo, Hands Out Sleeping Bags While Passengers Loot The Lounge - View from the Wing

On December 23, Emirates flight EK319 from Tokyo Narita to Dubai became a miserable experience for 500 passengers and crew on the Airbus A380. The plane went mechanical, and missed taking off before the airport's midnight curfew by just a few minutes. The airline didn't bother getting hotel...

viewfromthewing.com

Agree on the surface badly handled, and having so many sleeping bags on hand is odd to say the least.

But:

was immigration open at that time?

that the article suggests there were 'no rooms for crew' may indicate hotel rooms in Narita and Greater Tokyo were fully booked or extremely close to that. Even if an airline couldn't care about its passengers (not wanting to spend to accommodate in hotels), to not provide rooms for crew is a 'safety issue' as it's mandatory, and important, for crew to enjoy sufficient rest before their next flight. The article doesn't go on to suggest crew were later found rooms.

a quick look at that infamous 'booking' site didn't show huge numbers of hotels available for tonight. While every night is different and it can't be presumed hotels are full simply because aggregators lack rooms, third party sites are powerful marketers. There may be correlation between the number of available hotels and how strong or weak bookings have been.

 

[milehighclub]

Agree on the surface badly handled, and having so many sleeping bags on hand is odd to say the least.

But:

was immigration open at that time?

Not sure. And no way would that be EK's fault. They would have to deal with the cards dealt just like any airline.

However for crew, the second they sign on, minimum rest rules apply. Even if you worked 2 hours, you still get the minimum off.

Whilst obviously it would be nice to get everyone into hotels, the reality is that the crew should be in a hotel. Not sure how comfortable passengers would feel seeing the Capt curled up by gate 66 before a flight.

1) how did they have so many sleeping bags on hand

I can't imagine any airline having 500 sleeping bags on hand, just in case, so perhaps this is something the airport has?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Agree on the surface badly handled, and having so many sleeping bags on hand is odd to say the least.

Why are we assuming EK supplied the bags and not NRT airport/appointed ground handler having a supply on hand?

 

[SydneySwan]

Why are we assuming EK supplied the bags and not NRT airport/appointed ground handler having a supply on hand?

A supply on hand for just this sort of situation? Oh no I have a booking next year departing Narita for Helsinki at 2305 (AY74) so I might have to be mentally prepared for a night in a sleeping bag if the flight is delayed!

 

[Quickstatus]

so perhaps this is something the airport has?

Yes it would not be EK, rather NRT would be the supplier. Interesting contingency though but maybe unsurprising as Japan is exposed to not only curfew ramifications but also earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons. I wonder what else NRT has up its contingency sleeve.

At the risk of being inflammatory, I suppose it’s not that different to how Japanese sleep which is maybe a Tatami + Shikifuton

I also wonder what was the disposition of the sleeping bags after the passengers finally departed.

 

[milehighclub]

I also wonder what was the disposition of the sleeping bags after the passengers finally departed.

My thoughts too - would be extremely wasteful. I hope they can be cleaned and reused.

I'm actually surprised most airports don't have some sort of emergency bedding kits, where small foldaway mattresses and blankets can be used in cases, such as this EK one. Airports have plenty of room to store it. Charge the airline a nominal amount for the cleaning.

 

[drron]

The problem at NRT with the EK flight would not have been the lack of hotel bed but Immigration. Not only would they have closed as the airport closes at midnight but very few of the passengers would have the paperwork for entrance and the Japanese love their paperwork.

 

[Rich]

If any of the passengers from the Baku diversion happen to come across this article, I think they'll be quite happy with how theirs turned out in comparison. This happened on EK two days later, also a A380:

Emirates Flight Misses Curfew In Tokyo, Hands Out Sleeping Bags While Passengers Loot The Lounge - View from the Wing

On December 23, Emirates flight EK319 from Tokyo Narita to Dubai became a miserable experience for 500 passengers and crew on the Airbus A380. The plane went mechanical, and missed taking off before the airport's midnight curfew by just a few minutes. The airline didn't bother getting hotel...

viewfromthewing.com

Comments on the article are interesting. A bit of debate about Japanese society and the comment from one that Japan "is also the second most unfriendly country I have visited. Australia still takes the cake in that category."

 

[encryptededdy]

Comments on the article are interesting. A bit of debate about Japanese society and the comment from one that Japan "is also the second most unfriendly country I have visited. Australia still takes the cake in that category."

Sometimes I wonder what these people do to end up with those experiences.... I can't imagine the vast majority of tourists would agree. anyway, off topic.

 

[drron]

Comments on the article are interesting. A bit of debate about Japanese society and the comment from one that Japan "is also the second most unfriendly country I have visited. Australia still takes the cake in that category."

It's actually a comment on the person making the comment. Something that Australians and Japanese have in common. We don't react well to people acting aggressively.
Wouldn't be surprised if that comment came from an American.