Airliners-India

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

All,

This is the 3rd part of my set of trip reports, covering my Japan trip.

Given that i'm nowhere as good with the words in comparison to most here, usually, I hope that my pics (only relatively better) are able to convey what I intend to, with Trip Reports, it was however a striking blow when photobucket, without any notice, decided to make the third party image hosting rights payable charging $400 per year, ruining all my trip reports and literally hours of work and years of memories. Even if I could afford to pay $400 per year to an image hosting site, my ego won't permit me to do so.

Although its a moot point, this is the link to my previous trip report, in this series -

http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic14979.html

I finished the previous part, at Hakodate Airport, this tiny, quaint town at the southern tip of the northern most island in Japan, Hokkaido. This is what I intend to cover, over this report -

Hakodate City -> HKD-HND JL 763 -> HND Airport -> NRT-DEL JL 788

I had about 12 odd hours at Hakodate, from the time I landed to heading off to Tokyo early next afternoon. Rushed my way out to the shuttle bus service to the city center bus stand, a 45 min drive.

The main tourist attraction is Mount Hakodate, which oversees the city with the strait connecting the Pacific Ocean and south china sea on either side.

Having arrived late in the afternoon, so was short on time. The hotel was right at the busstand, and from the same busstand there were buses leaving every 20 odd mins to Mt Hakodate. Checked in, threw my bag inside the room, and went to the busstand.

About 45 mins later, I was at this fascinating place !

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Sunset

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Everywhere !

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Post Sunset

Came back down into the town, later.

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Busstop

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JR Hakodate Station

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Brilliant Ad!

Work up the next morning and went for some city exploration, early in the morning

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Ancient Trams !

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Cape Tachimachi

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Japanese graveyard. They, as a practice, cremate the remains of their dead, and the ashes are then stored in the stones, here.

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After a quick early lunch, pushed off to Hakodate Airport using the same shuttle service

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Check In Area

Was not able to select seats, for these domestic flights, so usually preferred arriving early. Friendly check in agents, assigned me a window, wished me a pleasant flight (all in Japanese, so I understood Squat, but you can tell if someone is wishing you well)

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Spotters deck

However at this point, it started raining heavily, so went back inside

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Post security check area

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My 763 landing from HND

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JAL had these boards, at all airports. Very informative and carry a lot of information

Extremely orderly boarding

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Pushback and take off on schedule

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Meal service was basically drinks

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Mood Lighting

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Enroute, was thinking of ways to spend another evening in Tokyo, but post a 1630 arrival, with luggage in hands, there's not much you can do, interms of touristy stuff, considering my flight to DEL was from NRT, and my hotel for the evening was very near NRT too. [Background - NRT is about 2 hours from the city, and about 1:30 hrs from HND Airport)

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Descending into HND

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Finals

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Saw this take off, and pretty much made up my mind to spend a few hours at this incredible airport, enjoying the action.

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Taxied in

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Got off, into the same area where departing passengers were waiting to board, there was a simple exit to the baggage collection area, and bags arrived within 10 odd mins after arrival

The way HND is structured, the best time to spot at the JAL terminal is early morning to early afternoon, given that post noon, the sun is right in your eyes.

Went off to the international terminal, again, and found my way up to the spotters deck, and found this waiting for me -

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Some more pics

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Fun, no?

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Haneda International Terminal

Once the sun had set, I went back to downstairs, and caught one of the many bus services between HND and NRT. The hotel I was staying at, had a free pick up service from the airport.

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View from my room

The next morning, had the 1130 JL flight to DEL

The hotel I was staying in, had free shuttle services, every 20 mins, to NRT Airport.

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Tiny check in line

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Post check in, went to the spotters deck

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Spotting at NRT is only a fraction of what spotting at HND is like, fun, none the less.

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Quick bite to eat, after which I went in through immigration / security

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NRT Airport is clean, efficient, to the point, serves its purpose, nothing fancy.

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JA845J - my 788 to DEL

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Went up to the agent to ask, if the seat next to mine was empty (yep, as greedy as I can get, even on a 2-4-2 configured 787), she said " no it isn't, however, the one 2 rows ahead of yours' is empty, let me switch" ! This was in keeping with the trip I was having. I was set for a very comfortable 10 hour flight to DEL

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Boarded on schedule

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Pushed back on schedule

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ANA Terminal

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The aircraft did a full spiral climb

Next thing I spot -

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Haneda, in its full glory !

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This is what was coming next !

Odawara station is where I caught the Shinkansen from

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Mount Fuji. In all its glory.

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Was riding some serious luck here !

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Have a look at the cruise speed. Barely managing 650 kmph, due to severe head winds

I spent the next 45 mins, gawking outside the window, and cross referencing the Japanese cities, from the IFE system

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Unknown Airport

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Leaving Japan

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Ofcourse this !

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Meal Options

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I went in for the delightful chicken pasta

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Desert

Settled into the ridiculously comfortable seat (18.5 inch width + the seat next to me being empty), watched a movie, slept --

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Economy Section

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PEY

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Second meal service, around 90 mins away from DEL

The Captain did come on the PA and announce that due to heavy tail winds, we will be delayed by 45 mins or so (despite the on schedule departure)

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Decending into DEL

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Lots of holding

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Business Class

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Said my thank yous and welcoms and walked out of the 787, to a gorgeous sunset view, against the 787, picked up my camera, and just then "hello .... photography not allowed"

I just lost it right there, told the CISF guy " this is a free country, upto rational limits, I can do whatever I want, unless its explicitly stated so, and nowhere here does it say, photography not allowed". Simple response from him, " I don't know all that, photography isn't allowed here". I took out my camera again, and started showing him HND spotting shots, only for the conversation to be halted by JALs India Security head, who quietly apologized and asked me to let it go.

Welcome back home indeed.

So that was Japan and Japan Air Lines.

Posting this right now, will do a place by place review, in one of the comments below, soon.

Thank you for reading

Rishul
_________________
Causal Determinism : We are hardwired to need answers. The Caveman who heard a rustle in the bushes and checked out to see what it was, lived longer than the guy, who assumed it was just a breeze.

- Greg House

ameya · Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 3:26 pm Post subject:

Was a fun read with plenty of pics Smile

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stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

- well you're right about the pictures they're super!
- I love those vending machines Very Happy

- Hakodate airport looks small and comfy
- the 350 shots were wow!
- 2 Alitalias at NRT Cool

- super aerial shot of HND and Mount Fuji! I remember getting a good view of NRT on the climb out as well ...
- vanilla ice cream yeakkk.... even EK does that why o why
Great picture TR
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eP007

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Rishul: what a lovely trip report!
I must say that no, you do write very well as well. ``I understood was basically squat'' took the cake Smile

You have a stunning eye for detail, right from Mother Nature with the greenery and the riot of colours, right to the man-made world that we love. You have also captured the airport action beautifully: smoky landings, the three racoons, and it is also nice that you decided to visit the air-side spotting gallery at HND. NRT brought back memories of 2012 for me: the part where the Finnair A332 uses is exactly the part which Air India also uses, at the airport. And you have lovely lovely A2A pics of interesting airports! Thank you for an enthralling half-an-hour of reading, and gawking at beautiful pictures!
Cheers, Sumantra.