New MEL-NRT Capacity in December~March (QF49)

[elanshin]

I wonder if there's enough demand to chuck a 380 to NRT

 

[Nank]

Having recently flown to Haneda and back on the daytime flights, I have been turned off daytime flights. Transport to the airport early in the morning was difficult and the windows on the plane stayed shut the whole time. I pretty much lived in darkness for 36 hours taking into account the night before departure and after arrival.

I don’t even bother trying to get transport to the airport. I stay at the Villa Fontaine which is just outside the terminal QF uses. Walk 5mins down the hallway and you’re in the check in area. Perfect!
It’s not cheap but a very nice hotel, extremely quiet and the convenience trumps all.
Also means you can drop your bags, get some food from the Lawson downstairs or one of the airport restaurants, and then go up to the viewing deck on top of the terminal for a while if you’re into the planespotting side of things
As to the flight, I do sympathise with the darkness bit. I’ve never understood why people book a daytime flight but then want the whole plane pitch black so they can sleep? I keep my window shade opened a little so it doesn’t blind folks who want to watch a movie or rest, but it also means I can still have a look outside and take some photos.
I find day flight arrival times much nicer as well. Last time I took a redeye flight JFK-DUB and then connected straight on the BHX I was awake the whole day prior to my flight, awake for the whole night during the flight, and then had to stay awake the whole of the next day too because once I finally got to Birmingham I couldn’t check into my hotel until like 4pm! Needless to say I really wasn’t a happy camper by then….. At least with an afternoon/evening arrival you can go straight to your hotel, check in and go to bed. I find it screws with my circadian rhythm a lot less than night flights.

 

[Assassin]

I don’t even bother trying to get transport to the airport. I stay at the Villa Fontaine which is just outside the terminal QF uses. Walk 5mins down the hallway and you’re in the check in area. Perfect!
It’s not cheap but a very nice hotel, extremely quiet and the convenience trumps all.
Also means you can drop your bags, get some food from the Lawson downstairs or one of the airport restaurants, and then go up to the viewing deck on top of the terminal for a while if you’re into the planespotting side of things
As to the flight, I do sympathise with the darkness bit. I’ve never understood why people book a daytime flight but then want the whole plane pitch black so they can sleep? I keep my window shade opened a little so it doesn’t blind folks who want to watch a movie or rest, but it also means I can still have a look outside and take some photos.
I find day flight arrival times much nicer as well. Last time I took a redeye flight JFK-DUB and then connected straight on the BHX I was awake the whole day prior to my flight, awake for the whole night during the flight, and then had to stay awake the whole of the next day too because once I finally got to Birmingham I couldn’t check into my hotel until like 4pm! Needless to say I really wasn’t a happy camper by then….. At least with an afternoon/evening arrival you can go straight to your hotel, check in and go to bed. I find it screws with my circadian rhythm a lot less than night flights.

I get the shades down when you are flying during what is “night” at the destination but there is daylight outside. But it makes no sense on a Japan - Aus routing with only a 1-2hr time difference….

 

[elanshin]

As to the flight, I do sympathise with the darkness bit. I’ve never understood why people book a daytime flight but then want the whole plane pitch black so they can sleep? I keep my window shade opened a little so it doesn’t blind folks who want to watch a movie or rest, but it also means I can still have a look outside and take some photos.

Slightly OT but i was just on QF255 to SIN. This is a predominantly day (afternoon) flight but if we adjust for destination time, it starts at about 11pm Central European Time. Some people on board tried to goto bed, others were up doing stuff.

There are many circumstances for both sides of the argument.

 

[Himeno]

As Japan continues to rise as the premier medium haul overseas holiday destination for Aussies it’ll be interesting to see if we eventually get double daily flights out of every major city across to Tokyo, or at least the ones that are currently served by QF.
Perhaps these new A321XLRs will make additional flights possible from other cities too, like ADL, CNS, PER, OOL etc. that may have demand but not enough to fill an A330.
Time will tell I suppose.

Australia has open skies with Japan. Australian carriers can operate unlimited flights to any international airport in Japan (subject to available space at that airport), except HND. (and QF could operate A380s to NRT without any problems, but they want their SYD flights going to HND.)

 

[offshore171]

I don’t even bother trying to get transport to the airport. I stay at the Villa Fontaine which is just outside the terminal QF uses. Walk 5mins down the hallway and you’re in the check in area. Perfect!
It’s not cheap but a very nice hotel, extremely quiet and the convenience trumps all.

Seconded. The Villa Fontaine is the way to go if you've got an early AM flight. Or a late evening arrival for that matter.

It's a great setup. As you say, Lawsons downstairs, heaps of restaurants in the Terminal and in the Haneda Airport Garden complex connected to the hotel.

 

[I love to travel]

I don’t even bother trying to get transport to the airport. I stay at the Villa Fontaine which is just outside the terminal QF uses. Walk 5mins down the hallway and you’re in the check in area. Perfect!
It’s not cheap but a very nice hotel, extremely quiet and the convenience trumps all.
Also means you can drop your bags, get some food from the Lawson downstairs or one of the airport restaurants, and then go up to the viewing deck on top of the terminal for a while if you’re into the planespotting side of things
As to the flight, I do sympathise with the darkness bit. I’ve never understood why people book a daytime flight but then want the whole plane pitch black so they can sleep? I keep my window shade opened a little so it doesn’t blind folks who want to watch a movie or rest, but it also means I can still have a look outside and take some photos.
I find day flight arrival times much nicer as well. Last time I took a redeye flight JFK-DUB and then connected straight on the BHX I was awake the whole day prior to my flight, awake for the whole night during the flight, and then had to stay awake the whole of the next day too because once I finally got to Birmingham I couldn’t check into my hotel until like 4pm! Needless to say I really wasn’t a happy camper by then….. At least with an afternoon/evening arrival you can go straight to your hotel, check in and go to bed. I find it screws with my circadian rhythm a lot less than night flights.

Seconded. The Villa Fontaine is the way to go if you've got an early AM flight. Or a late evening arrival for that matter.

It's a great setup. As you say, Lawsons downstairs, heaps of restaurants in the Terminal and in the Haneda Airport Garden complex connected to the hotel.

Just for clarity which Villa Fontaine are you referring to - there seems to be 2 and HND. Thanks

 

[elanshin]

Just for clarity which Villa Fontaine are you referring to - there seems to be 2 and HND. Thanks

Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport

[Official website] Sumitomo Fudosan Villa Fontaine | Directly connected to Haneda Airport's international terminal / Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport

www.hvf.jp

This one that's connected to HND T3 (and the small shopping area).

 

[Melburnian1]

Why not book a window seat and then you can keep the shade up?

On many airlines, staff try to insist window shades are kept down, even for dayime flights.

 

[I love to travel]

Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport

[Official website] Sumitomo Fudosan Villa Fontaine | Directly connected to Haneda Airport's international terminal / Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport

www.hvf.jp

This one that's connected to HND T3 (and the small shopping area).

$170 a night in Feb next year seems reasonable enough to me

 

[offshore171]

Just for clarity which Villa Fontaine are you referring to - there seems to be 2 and HND. Thanks

The two are conjoined. Basically like two wings of the same hotel. VF Grand and VF Premier.

Premier is supposedly the more upmarket. We just use the standard one and it’s great. They even provide pyjamas so you don’t have to unpack!

 

[serfty]

The Haneda Mercure is generally cheaper, has a shuttle bus as well as being close to regular public transport.

1/2 hour each way.

 

[elanshin]

The Haneda Mercure is generally cheaper, has a shuttle bus as well as being close to regular public transport.

1/2 hour each way.

I find that to be true, however it is an extra (almost 1hr) of sleep. Despite the journey only being about 20 mins or so, you'll be up earlier, waiting in the lobby etc. You also have more options to get to HND the day before than Mercure.

I also recommend the onsen even if you're not staying overnight at Villa Fontaine. It's actually a solid way to end your Japan trip even for the overnight flights. Get to HND in the afternoon / early evening. Drop bags as soon as you can and go for a soak.

Pros and Cons of both.

 

[markis10]

1/2 hour each way.

It’s closer to 10 minutes, and has an absolute plethora of dining options, oh and the odd ff point, personal preference but imho much of a muchness, although I must admit the beds are superb.

 

[DC3]

I don’t even bother trying to get transport to the airport. I stay at the Villa Fontaine which is just outside the terminal QF uses. Walk 5mins down the hallway and you’re in the check in area. Perfect!
It’s not cheap but a very nice hotel, extremely quiet and the convenience trumps all.