Business travel stirs, but many road warriors stay grounded

zichiToday  03:00 pm JST

Hopefully soon, those returning to Japan fully vaccinated, and with the vaccine passport will be able to skip the quarantine, as it is in America.

Would love to enter US and Japan and other countries easily with proof of vaccination.

Japan needs to get its act together---no social distancing at the airports, and there were affected people in those lines.

zichiToday  02:45 pm JST

So that I can understand. If you leave the country before the end of the required 14 days quarantine you would have to take a test and use private transport from your home to the airport?

Yes. Got the swab shoved down the the nose each time. Hired car to go to airport.

And the first time I left in January, I asked immigration at Narita about such case where I return but leave before the 14 days, and was told for them, there is no issue, but it might be something that matters to quarantine. At that time though, there was no checking in on apps all day; I think they started that middle March.

Also, I was not asked at the airport if I was vaccinated; strange as I thought that might be information quarantine would want to know.

Regardless, I am leaving Japan again in August.

zichiToday  02:19 pm JST

so you are in your fourth quarantine period? 4 x 14 days = 56 days. Not many people would be able to take that amount of time off work.

Correct--my fourth, but 2 of those quarantines did not go the full 14 days as I left Japan again before the full 14 days..

I do remote work; otherwise it would not be possible to take off all that time.

zichiToday  02:02 pm JST

CommodorePerry

from your postings you make it sound like you made several trips including returning to have the vaccines. Each return back would need 14 days of quarantine. So you are still in quarantine?

Very difficult for business people who need to travel back and forth. Constant tests and quarantines. American entry requires much more personal details these days.

I have been to the US and back 4 times this year. Most recently returning last week.

Got shots end of April, then 3 weeks later in May.

Also, once you re-enter Japan and install the necessary apps, the subsequent entry procedure takes a little less time.

Longest time at airport was at Narita--3 hours off the plane and out of customs. Most recently 2 and a half hours at Haneda.

zichiToday  01:22 pm JST

how many days have you spent in Japanese quarantines?

Not the full 14 yet. Why, you need something?

RecklessToday  09:18 am JST

I have to disagree. 14 hour flight from Atlanta to Haneda with mask, then 2 hour processing with mask was exhausting.

I snagged a flight and got the three seat section to myself on one trip so could lie down. Others, I took biz.

It was 2.5 hours for me at Haneda; and btw I got an email from the quarantine folks telling me someone on my flight had tested positive. Nice. Didn't tell me where that person was sitting. And of course that person was in close proximity to everyone else meandering through the lines at Haneda upon arrival.

Shouldn't I be eligible for a covid test here?

knittyelfToday  09:33 am JST

Cheap international fares? Where? The flight from Tokyo to DC used to be around $1300-1400, but now it’s hard to find a basic economy seat for under $2000.

True, prices are higher now, during peak season. I had bought a one way from Japan, so upon return I was buying tickets to Japan.

Also, a little trick you might know of, but buy points, and then upgrade on one of the Japanese airlines---biz class for under $1500 one way on some routes.

And, for the longer trip home, go through Europe; stop in FRA or LIS.

Cheap international fares? Where? The flight from Tokyo to DC used to be around $1300-1400, but now it’s hard to find a basic economy seat for under $2000.

This past year has been the best for traveling by air. Vacant airports and airplanes, and cheap fares even for biz class seats about,

their fares subsidize other passengers

Haha, but the rich don’t pay their fair share now do they, haha

zichiToday  12:19 pm JST

Some returning people to Japan are shelling out ¥50,000 for private transport from the airport to home. How does it work with the requirement to down the location app?

My driver told me the farthest he took a customer was Nagasaki, for 220,000 yen.

Location app is no problem if you tell in advance where you will be staying.

Righto.

What are you going to fly instead, Southwest?

RecklessToday  09:22 am JST

No one misses flying on Delta.

I fly Star Alliance and Oneworld more, but for domestic US, I think Delta is the best.

Newer planes, better seats, friendlier service, and the Delta One suite coming to Japan is as good as ANA's new biz room.

Pandemic logic: Business customers are the ones most able to operate virtually. Tourists cannot operate virtually. You have to be there for tourism. The business customers will be allowed to fly, the tourists will not.

Pandemic logic: Nations will still operate blocks to stop people who are tested as covid free from crossing an artificial line on a map from one country with delta to another with delta.

Pandemic logic: Fully jabbed people with clear tests will still have to quarantine, in a nation bubbling with unvaccinated people where covid is rife.

We are all getting scammed. It's so obvious, it is embarrassing.

Get vaccinated, wear a mask and maintain some personal space. The more you do, the sooner governments will run out of 'reasons' to lock us all in.

No hotel coming from the US having been there 14 days straight.

This is a great time to travel. International biz class is wide open. Sometimes I'm the only one in the cabin.