Travel New Narita Airport bus tours bring visitors closer to aircraft

[thomas]

Whether you are an aeroplane spotter or just curious to see parts of Narita Airport that are usually off-limits, the new tours have also recently drawn more bookings from international visitors.

Bus tours that take visitors into the restricted areas of Narita International Airport, including the apron, have become increasingly popular among aviation enthusiasts eager to get close to aircraft rarely seen by the public. More recently, the tours have also attracted a growing number of overseas visitors.

Narita Airport Special Bus Tour (photo credit: Greenport Agency Co., Ltd. via Nikkei).

As the bus moves around the airport, the guide keeps track of flight operations on a smartphone before pointing out arriving and departing aircraft. "The Boeing 787 from Los Angeles is now landing," the guide says. "Jetstar's flight to Matsuyama is taking off." Information about each aircraft and its origin or destination is shared as the tour continues. Narita Airport, in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, serves around 120 domestic and international destinations. It handles a wide variety of aircraft that are uncommon elsewhere in Japan, including the giant double-deck Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 freighters operated by cargo airlines.

The tour lasts about two hours and covers the apron and other restricted areas of the airport. Along the way, visitors can watch cargo being loaded and aircraft being refuelled, offering a behind-the-scenes look at airport operations.

The tour is usually held two days each month, with spring and autumn programs featuring an open-top double-decker bus. Adult tickets start at 12,000 yen ($74). As different aircraft can be seen at different times of the year and day, repeat customers are common. Each tour accommodates roughly 40 people and typically sells out within one to two weeks. In May, a promotional video targeting inbound travellers went viral, with more than 15 visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong and other locations signing up for tours in July and August. The tours are operated by Greenport Agency (GPA), a subsidiary of Narita International Airport Corp., the operator of the airport. GPA primarily provides insurance and foreign exchange services.

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asia.nikkei.com

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