Narita to build terminal for low cost carriers

About time. Now we can plan and spend some of our hard earned cash on long put off holidays because of the expensive charges fixed by JP airlines.

Build it quick, please!

Definitely needed. My sister lives in Europe and does at least 10 overseas flights a year due to the fact the flights are cheap.

I live here and do 3 overseas trips a year if I am lucky. Just too expensive.

Low cost air travel in Japan? Highly unlikely

Agree with gogogo - it will be lowER cost, but that doesn't mean it will be cheap.

Pity is is Narita. also, if they want more of these why not just lower the cost at existinf terminals. How does building a new one make flying cheaper?

what does a terminal for "low cost airlines" lack that an expensive terminal has? Bathrooms? Restaurants? The mind boggles...

Any hope for other airports to finally wake up and address the customer's needs?

What Narita needs is more runways, not more terminals. Isn't there only one that can handle jumbos?

Gelendestasse, in answer to your question, probably duty-free shops that charge more than discount shops outside the airport.

The budget terminal will be more like a bus terminal or shinkansen station, with hard plastic chairs, fastfood counters, no carpeting, noisy, etc. Singapore has one.

The building is ALREADY built, but it is a cagro warehouse now, so needs to be converted & improve the walk from Terminal two to what is now Cargo Bldg 5, just a short wlak from T2.

I live here and do 3 overseas trips a year if I am lucky. Just too expensive.

Same here. Nephew in Europe found a flight once between Spain and UK for about 2000 yen! Sis just also went on a European cruise and she's not exactly loaded. Parents have done cruises. Pre-2004, there were cheap package tours from Japan to Australia, Hawaii, etc which I took advantage of. Can't do that anymore.

Not sure if this is something that is needed or just a total waste of money. Personally, I don't use LCCs and probably never will. I don't mind paying higher fares for more convenience and better service for me and my family both on the airplane itself and within the terminal. And, like Wakarimasen and gelendestrasse, I wonder what Narita is going to have to cut out in order to really make it affordable for LCCs to use.

One thing I am pretty sure of though is that no matter how this terminal eventually turns out, some people are going to complain. If the amenities are too different from those in the other terminals, some people are going to complain about it being unfair. If the lounge areas aren't as nice, some people are going to complain about it being unfair. If the restaurants/shops aren't as nice, some people are going to complain about it being unfair. If there aren't as many bathrooms or they all don't have washlets, some people are going to complain. Lots of people want things on the cheap, but also want to complain when these things aren't as good.

More building out at Narita, when they should be closing it!

I can't imagine how building a new terminal would make it cheaper to the airport authority, even if they do it on the cheap. Why don't they just lower the fees for everybody? Japan's airport problem is its unrealistically high fees. What, Japan is such an attractive destination that airlines will make it their hub instead of Korea and Singapore even at a higher price? I think not.

@rmistric

I wonder what Narita is going to have to cut out in order to really make it affordable for LCCs to use.

&

If the amenities are too different from those in the other terminals, some people are going to complain about it being unfair. If the lounge areas aren't as nice, some people are going to complain about it being unfair.

You've actually answered your own question. There will be no lounges, and check in facilities will be minimal. There will be shops, as these make money, but everything else is gone. Also gone are the nice walk ways to the 'plane door. You will walk (sometimes bus, if far) from terminal to plane, and board using stairs.

Nothing too drastic, but it all adds up in fees to airlines which gets passed on to us as travellers.

@gaijintraveller

What Narita needs is more runways, not more terminals. Isn't there only one that can handle jumbos?

Both runways can handle up large widebodies, the second was extended a few years back. to be absolutely honest, I've not seen a 747 land there yet, but 747's are now on the decline in Japan with both ANA and JAL retiring theirs. Wonder if an A380 could do it?

gyouzaAPR. 09, 2012 - 12:50PM JST You've actually answered your own question.

You're right, I did partially answer my own question. But, I kind of knew that when I posted it.

Nothing too drastic, but it all adds up in fees to airlines which gets passed on to us as travellers.

Nothing too drastic perhaps, but take away something that people are used to getting for "free" (I know it's not really free, but many people think it's "free") and some will complain. There are some people want great and efficient service but they don't want to pay for it. They want low fares ceteris paribus.

I also don't get how they will make it cheaper for the air companies using 20 billion to built new terminal. All passengers are paying airport fees as well. So if the new terminal is with "Spartan" conditions does this mean there will be no fees to be paid to the airport operator? How about parking space, train, free shuttle etc., etc. If we have to travel longer, pay more for less convenient and minimal reduction in air fares I have to agree with rmistric and complain before even all this have started :-)

gyouza,

still lots of 747s & A380 are coming & going as well

bogva,

If you had read my earlier post you wud know the building already exists, but is a cargo warehouse they are looking to convert into a pax terminal, its a short walk from T2

I am curious to know the differences in facilities and services between ordinary, budget and private jet terminals at Narita. Can someone come up with the comparison chart?

I can hardly wait to see the low-cost terminal. Its passenger amenities will feature a bank of vending machines with an obento vendor tacked on. Security checks will be conducted by the yakuza.

The only plane that cannot take off/land on the Northern runway is the A380. A fully laden 747 cannot take off from the Northern runway. I have landed there on a 747 myself.

@GW: Why would they convert a cargo terminal to a passenger terminal? Your understanding of an airports business model is clearly fairly limited.

@ shanabelle: Why exactly should they be closing Narita? Where is international traffic suddenly expected to arrive/depart from? Do not answer Haneda please. Maybe you would just prefer to see Japan become a closed nation again! Haha.

JeffLee is correct above, very simple terminal building with few facilities. It then just comes down to choice about how much your expectation is.

Not sure why all the hate for LCC airports and the like. London has more than a few and no complaints here. None either for the Philippians, Thailand and Malaysia. If you want lounges and whatnot, pay more for your fare. I would rather pay less and be able to travel more. I don't need crappy duty free shops and overprices cafes.

I do not see anything special in the terminals now as far as food goes. Maybe it will just be vending machines. I hope they put beer machines there. Cold beer and vending machine go well together.

which is why the airport operator decided to build a new terminal, TV Asahi reported. The new terminal will be situated north of Terminal 2, currently occupied by a cargo handling building

Hey Res,

Perhaps you shud read the article prior to commenting, the bldg being refered to above is called Cargo Bldg 5, it is located basically right beside Terminal 2 a couple hundred metres away, note I am no way condoning or condeming the idea, merely pointed out where they were refering to, I know where this is because my work has me doing things around warehouses in & around the airport, but hey I wud advise you read the article before commenting further

Wasn't nearby Ibaraki Airport supposed to entice the LCC carriers in? Looks like its failed if this is even being thought about let alone built!

Would like to see more flights to Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. The airport does not need more traffic, limit the landing slots and make the airlines use the other airports. They can transfer to flights from there.

yuri

biggest market is Tokyo & its surroundings thats why they want to be there

GW, perhaps but it is a pain in the butt to change planes at Narita. It has count it, one flight a day to Okinawa. I use to like to fly through Kansai, NW 69 from Detroit. Kansai is a much nicer airport than Narita. Perhaps they might again with the 787. My point is airlines need to be forced to fly there for the public good.

My point is airlines need to be forced to fly there for the public good.

What if the airlines don't want to be forced? What if they just reduce their number of flights instead?

They can transfer to flights from there.

Which airlines would handle these connecting flights? Only Japanese carriers? Would connecting flights into Tokyo go only to Haneda?

My point is airlines need to be forced to fly there for the public good.

Sorry for the extra post. Forgot to add these.

When you say "public" are you referring to all of Japan, or just one particular group (in this case people flying to Okinawa)?

Who should decide what is the "public good"?

What happens many people say that something should be done for the public good, but you feel differently?

Could the same line of reasoning be used (i.e. for the public good) be used for other things as well? For example, the TPP, military bases in Okinawa, etc., missiles being deployed around Tokyo, etc. ,etc.?

Does the same apply to other countries as well? Should they do things for their public's good, even if you might not agree? For example, sinking an abandoned ship in their own territorial waters?

rmistric, public good means if Narita is shut down for any reason. Flights could continue to other cities. Public good means that residents of other cities can get direct service. Public good means less congestion at Narita. Have you ever tried to get a domestic flight from Narita? There are almost none, the other airports have much better connection service. IE you can even fly into Haneda, the current international service into there is not convenient. Again the problem with Narita is the connecting flights are always so full. Taking ground transport to Haneda is just painful when you can walk upstairs and check into your domestic flight. Also Narita is the airport of the walk and more walk. Kansai has a much better terminal. All of that is public good.

YuriOtaniAPR. 11, 2012 - 01:15AM JST rmistric, public good means if Narita is shut down for any reason. Flights could continue to other cities. Public good means that residents of other cities can get direct service. Public good means less congestion at Narita. Have you ever tried to get a domestic flight from Narita? There are almost none, the other airports have much better connection service. IE you can even fly into Haneda, the current international service into there is not convenient. Again the problem with Narita is the connecting flights are always so full. Taking ground transport to Haneda is just painful when you can walk upstairs and check into your domestic flight. Also Narita is the airport of the walk and more walk. Kansai has a much better terminal. All of that is public good.

That's all very interesting but it doesn't really answer the questions I asked you. First of all, I like Kansai. I've flown out f there many times when I lived in Western Japan. Before Kansai, I would have fly up to Narita and then catch another plane to fly international. So, I understand what you're saying about being inconvenient. When Kansai opened, I was for a while able to fly non-stop back home depending on which airline I took. But, quite a few companies still required at least one change be made (sometimes in Korea, sometimes somewhere in the US) before I could get to my final destination. So as great as Kansai was for me, I still ended up having to change planes somewhere most of the time. Now that I live up near Kanto, I almost never have to change planes no matter where I am going. All I have to do is get to the airport. So while it may currently be inconvenient for you, it is quite convenient for me.

So back to my questions.

Regarding public good:

Who should decide what is the "public good"?

When you say "public" are you referring to all of Japan, or just one particular group (in this case people flying to Okinawa)?

What happens if the majority of people say that something should be done for the public good, but you feel differently?

How do you decided whose "public good" is more important?

Regarding airlines:

What if they airlines don't want to be forced to fly into places other that Narita?

What if they don't want to provide direct service to other cities? What if they say it's not profitable for them to do so?

Which airlines would handle these connecting flights from say Kansai to other places? Only Japanese carriers?

Would you allow international carrier to fly domestic routes with in Japan?