We can all agree that things are uncertain around the globe right now, amidst a global pandemic. Yet, I found a pretty rad opportunity to work in Japan, so I took it. I was not sure what to expect when travelling, so I documented my experience in case it could shed some light on airport and flying conditions right now.

Also, big thank you to Mike Palmowski (@mikepalmowski on instagram, show him some love!) for the feature photo.

IN FLIGHT

I would like to mention that I am currently on a plane heading to Tokyo while I am writing this. In this entire section of the cabin, there are only 5 passengers. In the other cabin, there seem to be around the same number of occupied seats. I would not be surprised if the number of staff onboard are the same as number of passengers.

On the one side, this is great for us passengers as we can fly with the peace of knowing that we are quite successfully maintaining social distancing, and we are also all wearing masks for the entire duration of the flight. Meals and snacks cannot be opened until the remainder of nearby rows have been served and flight staff have moved on. Then we can take our masks off for a few minutes to eat.

The meals are served in cardboard folded boxes (which are weirdly designed as they struggle to stay closed on their own and have an open side –  which made disposal difficult as I tried to make sure nothing would fall out) and because of this, I am not sure if hot food is even an option at the moment. The first meal was a cold pasta with a sort of pink mayo-based sauce? I couldn’t tell you what the flavour is. It wasn’t bad but would have been more enjoyable if it wasn’t all stuck together, and makes me wonder if this was supposed to be served warm. Alongside this was a small salad cup, a bun, and a brownie. If you ask for a pop, they you automatically get the entire can to avoid cross-contact. Unfortunately for me, I can’t be *that* passenger and ask for a cup of 50:50 ginger ale and apple juice. Oh well. (Try it! It’s good. Especially with a splash of water to reduce the sweetness.)

The announcements at the start of the flight asked us to wash our hands and sanitize often, wear masks, and to use a paper towel to open the door to leave the lavatory. I wondered if the table trays were sanitized, or the other buttons I have access to, like the seat reclining button and window tint adjuster, I realized for the first time that the glass in these windows adjust for brightness, and that I can control them to some degree. Exciting! It was nice that we were given alcohol wipes with our meals so we could wipe down the folding tray.

Pro side tip: the headrests on a 787 flight are adjustable. Hate having your head roll around while you’re trying to fall asleep? Pull the sides forward and they’ll fold up to support your head. No more head rolling or sore necks!

Before boarding to Vancouver, we had our temperature taken. I don’t remember having my temp taken getting onto the international flight to Japan. Both flights offered kits with a water bottle, mask, rubber gloves, alcohol wipes, earbuds, and a pack of pretzels. All individually wrapped and placed in a plastic bag. 🙃

I am horrified by the amount of excess garbage created by our management of the pandemic. Individually wrapped masks and wipes. All of the paper towels for door handles, single use cardboard food boxes instead of trays, and allllllllll of the paper masks filled with microplastics. I’m wearing a paper mask because I was given one – and feel a bit sketched out about being in an airport/airplane… I hate to admit that I just didn’t feel like dealing with the anxiety of hand-washing a cloth face mask that I wore while travelling. Ugh.

Call this a moment of self-awareness, because with the amount of steady sanitation going on everywhere – I’m sure my risk of contracting covid here is not much different than going to a bigger, central grocery store in Edmonton. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Shockingly sparse passengers on an international flight means that the amount of fuel it took for us to arrive is far more per person, than when divided among a full plane, not to mention the cost of fuel. I heard of a mutual acquaintance who will be flying to Japan later this week, and I can’t help but wonder why they can’t limit it to one flight per international destination a week because I could easily point out what other seats *could* be occupied safely. We should still make an effort to maximize passengers on a plane, within reduced capacity limits. I am absolutely certain that airlines are losing far more money than they are making on this flight, yet I am grateful that I am still able to go at this time.

The mid-flight snack was a pretty standard tuna sandwich and a soft, chocolate cookie that I would feel bad giving to children for Halloween…. The final meal was a chicken & ham bistro wrap that was quite tasty, with a cup of melon cubes and some European cookies.

It feels like I’ve eaten a lot today. Right before I got on the flight at noon BC time, I had a teen burger from A&W too. Breakfast, lunch, second lunch, lunch sized snack, and first dinner, I guess!! I’m travelling thousands of miles today, I don’t even care.

We had the small screens per seat attached to the seats in front of us, so I had the flight tracker on the whole time and napped for most of the flight. The times I was awake, I listened to some hip hop and solved a couple of sudoku puzzles on expert mode.  LOL

AIRPORT CONDITIONS

It was disorienting to go to the airports (YEG, YVR, NRT) and see all of the shops closed. It felt like I was going to be on the redeye flight where business hours are generally closed, in Canadian airports anyway.

But the airports are quiet. Only a few restaurants are open, with the convenience store shops. I haven’t seen many operating kiosks – every other currency exchange kiosk is open but none of the ones that were floating around the walkways with scarves and jewelry.

Via Giphy

Upon arrival at Narita, we were immediately required to test for covid via saliva test. We were given a test tube with a small funnel to spit in. I had to laugh because we were asked to go into a booth to spit into the tube, and on the wall were photos of lemons and omeboshi for encouragement. The text at the bottom read along the lines of, “think of sour foods and citrus to help you salivate.” I would have taken photos but photos were generally not allowed at this time.

Since giving the tube back, I’ve been waiting in a large room in a numbered seat, waiting for my test result so I can go get my luggage. I have been sitting here for two hours at this point, and am getting genuinely worried about my luggage. Have my two checked bags been spinning on the carousel this entire time? I distracted myself by playing Mario Kart on my phone. 

2 hours later 

My number was called, and I was given a red card to indicate that my covid test had come back negative! I passed through customs and was allowed to grab my luggage which was waiting for me off of the conveyor belt along with the other bags from the same flight. A quick sniff test from the adorable small beagle puppy working as security, and I was free to leave the airport. I took the shuttle to my hotel, where I will be staying for the next two weeks to quarantine.