Short Connection in HND

[Gudetama]

I'm looking at booking a Qantas classic reward flying JAL from Bangkok to Osaka in business with a short stop in Tokyo Haneda. The international flight arrives at 6 pm and the domestic flight leaves at 7:10 pm. I'm surprised that it's allowing for such a short connection time when I have to go through immigration and terminals. But it doesn't offer me any options with a longer connection. Does anyone have experience making this type of connection at Haneda?

My understanding, confirmed by a Qantas agent, is that if the arriving flight is late they will rebook me, but that if I'm delayed by long immigration queues I am on my own. I don't think I can necessarily count on the queues being short so I'm wondering if this is indeed correct? In the past air Canada has booked me onto the next flight because of a delay at immigration when I connected between international and domestic at Toronto. Has anyone done this with JAL?

 

[Himeno]

It looks like they are reducing the JL-JL I-D min connect time at Haneda to 1 hour 10 mins from late March, so it appears to be a legal connection, but I wouldn't want to try it. Especially not at that time of day to get through immigration. 5-7pm is the peak arrival time for international flights arriving from North America.

There is a domestic transfer desk in the arrivals lobby of the International terminal, but they won't take accept bags less then 60 mins before the domestic flight. There is also a shuttle bus and security checkpoint to get from the international to domestic terminal, much like the Qantas set up at SYD T1.

If the JAL transfer desk isn't open (or their buses aren't running), there is an airport operated terminal transfer bus, or free transfers between airport stations on the train and monorail (have to visit airport info desk with next flight details to get a ticket).

The transfer process is easy and straight forward (as long as it is during the periods the transfer desk is open), but it does take time and I definitely wouldn't try it with a connection time that short. Even doing it without checked bags would be tight.

 

[elanshin]

Immigration can easily take 1 hour if you're flight lands behind a full chinese flight or two.

If all goes smoothly then that sort of turn around is indeed possible but I would lean on the less likely option. My personal fastest gate to exit speedrun at HND was about 20mins. But my last one was 70mins and ive seen 4hr+ immigration lines too last year (they've gotten better so hopefully it's not as bad this year).

I would expect JAL to rebook you if you couldn't make the connection due to immigration however, just make it known to the cabin crew or ground staff about your tight connection and they might even proactively do it.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Welcome on board AFF airlines Gudetama.

 

[yachty]

Welcome Gudetama.

Yes, JAL should rebook you if you miss your connection because of immigration queues but I don't know if they'd put you up in a hotel for the night or not though.

And +1 to what's already said, a very difficult connection... I assume the 70 min MCT is meant for residents/citizens who can get through immigration predictably quickly. There's a lot of international arrivals at that time of day so I wouldn't count on getting through in <35 mins (which is what you'd need to then get over to T1 and through security before the -20 cut off). If you're planning to check bags, no chance.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Not ideal, but can you bear t overnight at that hotel attached to HND airport?
And get the first flight out on the next morning from the flight into HND.
I have overnighted SYD before, when I come in several times, from CHC on the EK flight, and then catch the next days flight from SYD - ADL.
If I were doing the HND evening arrival, and not sure of what time I would get through, I would do the stay at that hotel, or one a bit away from the airport, if you like a bit of peace and quieter, a hotel on the monorail line, or the other line.
Downside, maybe the JL dom flight would entail extra yen, and might not be in J, but at the least, you are not rushing to get the last or 2nd last dom flight out of HND - KIX.
If you don't want to pay, see if the flight into HND is late, and see what JL do, assuming its a linked PNR for the flight from BKK, hopefully its a linked PNR,
If not linked PNR, stay overnight is better.
===
Its called the Haneda Excel Hotel.

 

[Himeno]

Downside, maybe the JL dom flight would entail extra yen, and might not be in J, but at the least, you are not rushing to get the last or 2nd last dom flight out of HND - KIX.

Far more likely that the flight to Osaka would go to Itami (ITM) instead of Kansai.
KIX does have flights to HND, but they are limited and designed to connect with the few international flights JAL still has at KIX. Where as ITM-HND is more like the QF SYD-MEL timetable.

Speaking of Kansai, is the JL BKK-KIX flight not available? JL has 4 flights to Bangkok, 1 from Narita, 2 from Haneda and 1 from Kansai.

JL708 BKK-NRT 0805-1555
JL32 BKK-HND 0955-1730
JL34 BKK-HND 2205-0540+1
JL728 BKK-KIX 0025-0800

 

[Gudetama]

Thanks for your replies everyone, this is really useful! I'm avoiding the KIX flight because I really don't like short overnights. I decided to move my visit to Kyoto to the other end of my trip as there is a comfortable two hours and 15 minutes connection I was able to buy

 

[skylabsea]

I wonder if the I-D MCT change is related to the plan to speed up immigration

 

[yachty]

I wonder if the I-D MCT change is related to the plan to speed up immigration

I think they're just trialling that for now... I saw the terminals set up in HND the other week when I came through, there weren't a lot. I expect people will just end up queuing for those for a long time instead haha.

 

[Himeno]

I wonder if the I-D MCT change is related to the plan to speed up immigration

Japan's visitor numbers have been up vs 2019 on a month by month basis since October.
They had 25 million visitors last year (80% of 2019 yearly total), and the border wasn't fully reopen for the first 3 months of the year.
They are expecting 31.1 million this year.

That article seems to be saying that they are going to roll out more of the Visit Japan Web kiosks, possibly adding them for immigration as well (maybe like the US Visit kiosk - CBP officer for stamp system they had at some US ports pre covid). The current system requires people have visitors stamps in their passports for tax free shopping, access to certain types of rail pass, some hotels check for them for tax requirements, etc. They will still require some sort of manual handling for passport stamps while the stamp is still required.

The current JP system has *both* the online Visit Japan Web form and the paper arrivals form available. This might just be an indication that they are going to get rid of the paper option.

 

[elanshin]

I think they're just trialling that for now... I saw the terminals set up in HND the other week when I came through, there weren't a lot. I expect people will just end up queuing for those for a long time instead haha.

Must be very recent, I didn't see them when i went through 2 weeks ago unless you mean those things they set off to the side of the immigration that they got everyone to scan their passports and fingerprints.

I'm hoping I can get my TTP in time for end of March so that future trips won't need to be stuck behind hordes of Chinese visitors.

It's also amazing the sheer number of people that have no clue about the forms to fill out to enter the country (or that it can be done online). I literally did mine as my QF flight taxied out of SYD cuz I forgot, took about 1 minute.

 

[yachty]

Must be very recent, I didn't see them when i went through 2 weeks ago unless you mean those things they set off to the side of the immigration that they got everyone to scan their passports and fingerprints.

It's also amazing the sheer number of people that have no clue about the forms to fill out to enter the country (or that it can be done online). I literally did mine as my QF flight taxied out of SYD cuz I forgot, took about 1 minute.

At T2 earlier this month they were set up immediately to the left as you enter the immigration hall.

And I think after the VJW thing changed from mandatory to optional a lot of people didn't realise they could still use it.

 

[Himeno]

Must be very recent, I didn't see them when i went through 2 weeks ago unless you mean those things they set off to the side of the immigration that they got everyone to scan their passports and fingerprints.

I'm hoping I can get my TTP in time for end of March so that future trips won't need to be stuck behind hordes of Chinese visitors.

It's also amazing the sheer number of people that have no clue about the forms to fill out to enter the country (or that it can be done online). I literally did mine as my QF flight taxied out of SYD cuz I forgot, took about 1 minute.

I haven't ever seen anything set up before the manned immigration booths for passport scanning besides the TTP/JP citizen gates. There was some mobile readers near the front of the immigration line one trip which were operated by staff, but that just appeared to be something pulled out during peak periods to reduce steps required by staff at the booth.

There's been VJW customs kiosks set up in the baggage hall, that allow you to complete customs requirements while waiting for bags, each visit since mid 2023, but few people seemed to use them.

 

[elanshin]

At T2 earlier this month they were set up immediately to the left as you enter the immigration hall.

And I think after the VJW thing changed from mandatory to optional a lot of people didn't realise they could still use it.

Ah that would explain things. ANA Flight?

The main Int'l terminal is T3 so turning left on immigration hall, its the automatic gates. I guess this makes sense that it's small scale trial at the T2 ANA Int'l portion.

 

[Himeno]

It's also amazing the sheer number of people that have no clue about the forms to fill out to enter the country (or that it can be done online). I literally did mine as my QF flight taxied out of SYD cuz I forgot, took about 1 minute.

The first time I used VJW, I had to edit it during transit in HKG because a delay out of MEL caused a misconnect and the new flight to TYO was going to NRT instead of HND

 

[yachty]

Ah that would explain things. ANA Flight?

The main Int'l terminal is T3 so turning left on immigration hall, its the automatic gates. I guess this makes sense that it's small scale trial at the T2 ANA Int'l portion.

Yeah. There's some stills from an NHK video showing where they are and what they look like:



Video is here: Tokyo's Haneda to test streamlined arrival procedure | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

In the article it said the trial was starting earlier this month, which would time well with when I saw them covered up. They're here in the arrivals hall (circled pink), so immediately to the left after you come up the escalator (in the background of the first screenshot):