 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm in the planning stages of a trip to Japan (3 weeks or so next January), and already have a bit of money set aside. Doing some research into flights, one of the Fall Line guys talks about flights for £600 return (but the same flight later going up to £900...
I've found a flight for £624, with China Airlines (from Frankfurt), which seems like a good price, and maybe worth booking now... Now, I can just about cover that, but should I wait to see if prices come down? What sort of prices have other people paid? Anyone have experience of China Airways (ski friendly?)?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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To Tokyo?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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dunno what days you are going but saw this
China Eastern
13:35 FRA – 12:50 NRT
14:30 HND – 05:10 FRA
£577
longish stopover in shanghai on return
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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£650 direct from Heathrow - Tokyo is about the best you can get. I've seen some slightly cheaper indirect flights, but not much cheaper. And yes, I've seen similar price increases as flights fill up. The flights I've got booked to go to Japan later this year have gone up from about £650 when I booked them in the autumn to £950.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mike Pow, to Saporro.
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| tiffin wrote: |
dunno what days you are going but saw this
China Eastern
13:35 FRA – 12:50 NRT
14:30 HND – 05:10 FRA
£577
longish stopover in shanghai on return |
Pretty flexible atm really (generally thinking January would be a good time), what dates are those for?
Cheers for the info, everyone.
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I think 4 to 21
but it was to Tokyo, sorry.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've flown to Japan a couple of times in the last few years, but always to Tokyo (family visit) and then on to Sapporo as a separate flight. From memory, I've ended up choosing between about £625 rtn with BA/Virgin (usually into Haneda) or about £570 with a random carrier via a European hub.
Flights to Sapporo have then been something like £140 rtn with SkyMark. They can be super-cheap if you get in early enough, but from memory their booking system isn't very geijin-friendly...I think it demands a Japanese phone number (use your hotel?).
clarky999, £624 doesn't sound too bad to go all the way...the snow's worth it 
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clarky999, I'd go business, all that way need to keep the legs in good shape for the pow, and to keep the pow sorry dvt out of your brain.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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One thing to consider when booking this far in advance, China Airlines are notorious for changing flight schedules. Happened to us once coming back from Bangkok to Sapporo via Beijing, but luckily was only a minor inconvenience. Friends have had 24 hour plus layovers in Beijing, or missed connecting flights.
Might not be such an issue on the long haul flights though. And that is a really good price.
Give me a shout if you need any other info for Hokkaido.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Keep an eye on Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic & BA. (Maybe not the later two if you're flying out of FRA).
They occasionally have sales in autumn for the following year if you fancy waiting until then.
Also worth keeping an eye on http://www.japantravel.co.uk/flight.html to see who's having sales.
Hope that helps!
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Buy at that price clarky999.
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You know it makes sense.
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Christ their website is awful... As far as I can work out, in economy class you get 20kg of luggage (no size limits?), plus 7kg hand luggage. So within that a ski bag should be free? If I take a ski bag and hold bag, within or over weight limits, it gets seriously difficult to work out what the extra charges might be... Has anyone taken skis with them before? What sort of fees did you incur? Cheers.
MagSeven, I'm sure I'll be posting about accommodation in the next couple of months!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Aah, China Eastern is only £558, even better...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Dammit, not anymore it isn't
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I always fly Cathay Pacific via HK to Tokyo and Osaka. Can't comment on economy class prices I'm afraid though
I go out there on business a few times a year and Cathay are cheapest 90% of the time. I have used Virgin once, they were cheap last summer but crazy prices at the moment - and also ANA once. Try www.Dialaflight.co.uk
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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clarky999, Have you looked at KLM flights from Schipol? I flew on KLM to Japan a few years ago and back then it was a very competitive price. Flying to Japan from a non UK airport means that instead of paying £81 Air Passenger Duty you'll only pay £13 APD on your connecting flight to Schipol....
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FAQ
