About this flight
In May 2022, I flew from Haneda to Paris in ANA Business Class.
Due to the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine in May 2022, flights could not pass over Russian airspace. Additionally, many flights to Europe had been significantly reduced due to the pandemic. As a result, in order to reach Paris, I ended up booking a flight from Haneda to Frankfurt via Vienna using the southern route over Central Asia. From Frankfurt, I continued to Paris on a Lufthansa flight.
Originally, I had a direct flight booked to Paris, but it was canceled. So the only way to get to Paris that day was to travel via Vienna and Frankfurt.
At Haneda Airport, I spent about an hour and a half in the ANA Suite Lounge, enjoying champagne along with sweets, a hamburger, gratin, and more.
Onboard, I relaxed in the comfortable business class seat and enjoyed delicious meals including a Western-style dinner, a katsudon and ramen as mid-flight snacks, and pasta for breakfast.
Table of Contents
Haneda Airport
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Departure Lobby
This is the departure lobby at Haneda Airport.
Departure Information Board (1)
This is the departure information board for flights departing from Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport on this day. Of the 26 flights listed on the board, 14 are marked as "Cancelled."
Today's ANA Flight 1923 to Vienna is scheduled to depart at 8:20 a.m.
Departure Information Board (2)
This is the same departure board, shown in English. I’ll be boarding ANA Flight 1923 to Frankfurt via Vienna, departing at 8:20 a.m.
Security Checkpoint
This is the security screening area before immigration.
Heading to the Boarding Gate (1)
Leaving the lounge and heading toward the boarding gate.
Heading to the Boarding Gate (2)
On the way to the boarding gate.
Boarding Gate
Arrived at the boarding gate for ANA Flight NH1923 to Vienna.
Aircraft
This is the aircraft I’ll be boarding today.
Lounge
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To the Airline Lounge
After passport control (immigration), I headed to the ANA Suite Lounge*. This is the entrance to the airline lounge.
[*Editor’s note: The ANA Suite Lounge is available to First Class passengers and ANA Diamond Service members.]
ANA Suite Lounge
Inside the ANA Suite Lounge. It was still early in the morning when I arrived, so no other passengers were around.
Restroom
These were the amenities placed on the sink in the restroom inside the ANA Suite Lounge.
- • “Medicated Sekkisei” — Lotion
- • “THANN” — Moisturizer from Thailand
Departure Info Board
At 6:46 AM, inside the ANA Suite Lounge.
According to the departures board, 4 of the 10 scheduled ANA flights had been canceled.
Salads and More
This is the food corner.
- • Vegetables for salad (carrot, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, etc.)
- • Yogurt
- • Bread, etc.
Alcoholic Drinks
This is the alcohol section.
- • Wine, sparkling wine
- • Beer (Yebisu, The Premium Malts)
- • Shochu (“Aya Kogane” sweet potato shochu)
- • Whiskey (Suntory “Chita,” etc.)
- • Bourbon (“Maker’s Mark,” etc.)
- • Campari, etc.
Ice Cream
This is the ice cream section.
- • Vanilla
- • Cookies & Cream
- • Strawberry
Rice Balls and Inari Sushi
This section includes rice balls, inari sushi, and bread.
Snacks and Pierre Hermé
Here is a selection of light snacks and chocolates.
- (Front)
- • Snacks, rice crackers, madeleines
- (Back)
- • Pierre Hermé chocolates
White Wine and Champagne
This is the section with champagne and two types of white wine.
- • Paul Berthelot (Champagne, France)
- • Koonunga Hill (Australia)
- • Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (France)
My Meal
I enjoyed some snacks and desserts, along with champagne and wine.
- • Champagne “Paul Berthelot,” red wine
- • Bavarois, smoked salmon salad, cherry tomatoes
- • Two flavors of Häagen-Dazs ice cream
- • Madeleines
- • Pierre Hermé chocolates
Western Breakfast Set
This is a Western-style breakfast set that I ordered and had brought to me.
- • Scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, salad
- • Soup
- • Croissant
Hamburger
I also had a hamburger. It wasn’t made of meat, but rather soy-based meat. Still had a meaty texture.
Seafood Rice Bowl
This is a seafood rice bowl. It was very delicious.
Gratin
Gratin.
In-Flight Seat
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Business Class Seat
Today’s Business Class seat comes equipped with a spacious side table, offering added comfort and convenience.
Just After Takeoff
The view outside shortly after takeoff from Haneda Airport.
Restroom Amenities
Amenities inside the restroom.
Business Class Seat
I took my seat.
Amenity Pouch
A golden amenity pouch was provided with the seat.
There are two in the picture—one is for my travel companion.
Flight Time to Vienna
The screen showed the expected flight time from Haneda to Vienna as 13 hours and 52 minutes.
Since the aircraft couldn’t fly over Russian airspace, the route took longer. Normally, it would take about 12 hours if flying over Russia.
In-Flight Meal
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Champagne
The champagne I had today.
- • Duval-Leroy
Champagne and Amuse-Bouche
This is the amuse-bouche served with the champagne.
- • Pie stick
- • Vegetable-infused light fish cake
Sake
The sake I had on board.
- • “Masuizumi” Junmai from Toyama
The champagne was delightful, but this sake was also excellent.
Appetizer and Bread
Appetizers and bread. I enjoyed these while sipping champagne and sake.
Appetizer
The appetizer plate.
Japanese Appetizer
This is the Japanese appetizer chosen by my companion.
- • Sashimi — probably tuna, sea bream, and squid
- • Pork shabu-shabu salad, possibly
Japanese Main Course
This was my companion’s Japanese-style main course.
- • Simmered fish
- Served with fuki, bamboo shoots, and carrots
Sake
The second sake I tried — “Shichida” Junmai Daiginjo from Saga.
Western Main Course(1)
This was my Western-style main dish.
Western Main Course(2)
This was the main dish:
- • Braised beef cheek and vegetables (green beans, onion, carrot) in a rich sauce
Cheese and Dried Figs
Cheese and dried figs served after the meal. They were cut for easy pairing with bread.
Cake
The cake my companion had. It had beautiful spring-like colors and looked delicious.
Mid-Flight Snack: Ice Cream
This was a Häagen-Dazs ice cream I enjoyed as a mid-flight snack.
Mid-Flight Snacks: Ramen and More
I had several things as snacks during the flight:
- • Ramen
- • Katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowl)
- The katsudon was made with soy meat instead of real pork. The texture still felt meaty, so it was satisfying.
View from the Restroom
The view from the restroom window during the flight. Possibly over the Middle East. No greenery in sight — very different from the scenery in Japan.
Pre-Arrival Meal
This was the meal served before arrival.
- • Spaghetti with sautéed chicken and vegetables (cherry tomatoes, asparagus, bell peppers)
- • Fruit (apple, pineapple, kiwi)
- • Cheese and bread
Frankfurt
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Vienna Airport
We landed at Vienna Airport for refueling. Passengers did not disembark, but the cabin crew was changed here in Vienna.
Arrival in Frankfurt
After flying from Vienna, we arrived in Frankfurt.
This is the arrival information board.
Transit in Frankfurt
I transferred to Lufthansa German Airlines in Frankfurt to continue on to Paris. I walked through Frankfurt Airport on the way to the boarding gate for the Paris-bound flight.
Wine Section
I entered the Lufthansa Senator Lounge.
This is the section for sparkling wine, red wine, and white wine inside the lounge.
Ham and Cheese
This is the corner for ham and cheese.
- • Prosciutto, salami, cherry tomatoes
- • Cheese, grapes
- • Cake, etc.
Pretzel
This knotted bread is the German-origin pretzel.It has a chewy texture and is quite tasty — a salty type of pretzel.
- (Salads)
- • Potato salad (served in a jar)
- • Green salad
- (Fruits)
- • Apple, banana
Bread Section
- (Left side)
- • Pretzel — sunflower seed and cheese-flavored varieties
- (Right side)
- • Semmel — a common type of bread in Austria and Germany
Meal I Had
The meal I enjoyed at the lounge.
- • Cheese pretzel
- • Prosciutto, salami, cheese
- • Soup
- • Champagne and white wine
Lufthansa Aircraft
This is the Lufthansa German Airlines aircraft for the Frankfurt–Paris leg.
Arrival in Paris
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Charles de Gaulle Airport
We finally arrived at the airport in Paris.
Airport Shop
This is one of the shops inside the Paris airport.
Baggage Claim
This is the baggage claim area.
Transit Information Board
This is an electronic notice board in the baggage claim area displaying some sort of transit alert.
Arrival Lobby
After passing through immigration, I finally made it to the arrival lobby.
It was a long journey, but for an aviation enthusiast, being able to take a flight from Haneda to Frankfurt via Vienna made it a truly memorable experience. Currently, flights to Europe are not only operating on the southern route over China and Central Asia, like this one, but also via the Arctic route—allowing for direct flights without connections once again.
