Even though June is the rainy season, the day was sunny from the morning. "Enjoy a Hawaiian Trip with Charter & Hotel! 2 Days" began with a refreshing breeze. After 10:00 a.m., 181 customers were visible near counter 8 at Haneda Airport Terminal 1. Normally, a "dynamic counter" covered with panels appears, and staff dressed in aloha shirts welcome customers.
"What if we added accommodation to a charter?" This is the first tour in JAL's history to make this a reality
We have a wide variety of customers, including families, couples, and groups of friends, but the reason we see smiles on everyone's faces may be the charm of the word "Hawaii." At the same time, another reason is that this program is more luxurious than any other charter flight we've ever had.
"Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, we have been offering themed charter tour programs, but this is the first time we've tried a tour that includes accommodation. We chose Hawaii as the theme because it is a popular travel destination for many of our guests, and since Prince Hotels, with which we work, were planning a Hawaiian fair starting in July, the timing seemed good."
Yukiko Niwa of the Route Business Department, who organized the tour, explains. After passing through security and moving to the bus terminal, there is a commemorative photo booth. There are also staff members holding banners to welcome the passengers near the gate.
The aircraft that you board using the stairs is a Boeing 767-300ER for international flights. It's a touch that makes you feel like you're traveling abroad. And here too, many staff members are waiting to welcome you. On the ground, the maintenance staff have also created mop art with the word "HAWAII" and palm trees. Apparently, this is the first time that mop art has been displayed at Haneda Airport.
In-flight meal on a Hawaii route, enjoyed under the clear blue sky after takeoff
Thus, at midnight, the special charter flight JL1801 took off! The weather had changed from clear skies to slightly cloudy at the time of takeoff, but one of the benefits of flying is that once you leave the clouds, you are in a blue sky bathed in sunlight. As we head north, the clouds below us gradually thin out.
Meanwhile, the decorations continued inside the plane. The headrest covers were a special JAL x Prince Hotels collaboration, and on top of the seats were amenity kits made in collaboration with BEAMS that are usually only available in business class, as well as boarding certificates. It was impressive to see so many passengers picking them up and taking photos.
"Hello everyone. Thank you very much for boarding today. Today's flight route is to avoid the influence of the rainy season front and will be heading towards northern Japan. We will pass through Yamagata and Aomori prefectures, circle over Hakodate, and show you the cityscape. After that, we will head to Haneda via Sapporo and Asahikawa. Please enjoy your flight at your leisure."
After the captain's announcement, the long-awaited in-flight meal begins. All the menus are the same as those served on international flights to Hawaii. Business class passengers can choose between Japanese and Western meals.
The Western-style meals served in business class and economy class were prepared by L'Effervescence's Grand Chef Shinobu Ikue. It's a delight to be able to enjoy this cutting-edge French restaurant, which has just been awarded three Michelin stars, on board.
When I opened the package of my economy class in-flight meal, I found the hamburger steak with the rich flavor of butter, and the soft pearl onions and crunchy young corn added texture to the meal. The corn mousse served as an appetizer was also delicious, taking advantage of the natural flavor of the ingredients.
After the meal, enjoy a talk show and quiz with the captain and flight attendants.
After the meal, a talk show was held by Captain Nanbu, a flight attendant and Hawaii route fan who was on board as a guest, and flight attendant Sugimoto, who acted as his assistant.
Captain Nanbu: "When flying to Hawaii, we usually depart at night, so the pilot flies through the night. We arrive in Honolulu early in the morning local time, so we land in the morning sun. It feels really good to land in the gentle breeze from the east, the Kona wind."
Captain Nanbu's recommended spots in Hawaii are the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium, while flight attendant Sugimoto's recommendation is the gourmet food. He especially recommends the acai bowl, eggs Benedict, and ahi poke. There were also many other programs, including quizzes and questionnaires that passengers had filled out in advance. And so the approximately three-hour flight came to an end in the blink of an eye.
When we got off the plane, we got a surprise. Captain Nambu played the ukulele as he saw the passengers off. But the unique feature of this tour is that it doesn't end here. After returning to Haneda Airport, the passengers will travel to the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa.
A Hawaiian welcome dinner in Shin-Takanawa amid the sunset and ocean blue.
6 p.m. When the sunset paints the sky crimson red, it somehow reminds me of Hawaii. The Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa's International Pavilion Pamir "Konlun" is also painted in ocean blue and sunset orange, creating a moody Hawaiian atmosphere.
At the entrance to the venue, flight attendants will greet guests with a lei service before dinner time begins.
The opening act was a full-scale hula performance hosted by radio host Rachel Chan. The dinner menu, which began with a shout of "Aloha, everyone!", was something special prepared for the night.
The appetizers were lomi lomi salmon and various poke dishes, and the main course was a plate dish. The grilled paniolo steak was topped with Polynesian sauce. Garlic shrimp and fried rice with pineapple were also served, giving it a gorgeous impression. The dessert was a papaya board topped with mango passion fruit sorbet, which was also gorgeous.
The non-alcoholic Hawaiian cocktails are all-you-can-drink. There are lots of events during dinner.
In the talk show, five flight attendants in charge of flights to Hawaii provided plenty of information about Hawaii's charms, how to spend time there, and information on hidden gems.
There were also various sales corners at the venue, such as "Aloha Outlet" which had a wide selection of Hawaiian goods, "Fraction" which sold original bears, "Maui Brewing" which produced Hawaiian craft beer, and an information corner about the local resort hotel "Prince Waikiki".
A live program just like a local resort hotel
The entire venue was enchanted by Mami Koga's live Hawaiian music performance, with her smooth and gentle singing voice. A collaboration with traditional hula from all over Hawaii was also performed, creating an atmosphere just like a showtime at a resort hotel in Waikiki.
The final lottery was presented by Makoto Yamamoto, General Manager of Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, and a flight attendant. The lottery included accommodation and meal vouchers for Takanawa Hanakohro, provided by Prince Hotel, as well as a pair of domestic round-trip tickets from JAL to anywhere in Japan. Many guests applauded as the lucky guests made their way to the stage. The event ended with a rather unique announcement.
"Thank you for using our codeshare flight today between oneworld alliance member Japan Airlines and Prince Hotels."
Breakfast is also Hawaiian. Please look forward to our new and elaborate travel experiences in the future.
The next morning, breakfast is also Hawaiian style. You can choose between Hawaiian pancakes or eggs Benedict, a special treat for this tour, and local gourmet food will add a touch of class to your pleasant morning.
The flight attendants all said, "We look forward to seeing you all again on board our flight to Honolulu," and it seemed the staff involved had special feelings about the occasion as well. Thus, the two days, which had left many feeling excited about Hawaii, came to a close.
Niwa: "During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we took great care to hold the event, such as setting a larger-than-normal dinner venue, but I'm glad that the guests who participated enjoyed it. In fact, this project started a long time ago, with both JAL and Prince Hotels brainstorming various ideas and finalizing the tour content until the very last minute. We hope to continue to enrich these types of programs in the future."
By the way, the "Hawaiian Fair 2021" is being held at 12 Prince Hotels in the Tokyo metropolitan area until August 31, 2021. Under the title "Tokyo Hawaii Project," Hawaiian cuisine and various events are being held.
By combining a charter tour with lodging, you can enjoy a resort stay without leaving the city. The high level of satisfaction is evident from the smiles of many of our customers. This new form of travel, born out of the inability to travel abroad, is likely to continue to evolve in the future.
Metropolitan Prince Hotels "Hawaiian Fair 2021"
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
