Apr 22, 2022 (Japan Times) - With the government relaxing entry restrictions and bumping up the cap on daily arrivals to 10,000 earlier this month, more passengers are crowding the immigration and quarantine areas at airports, raising concerns about whether authorities have the necessary staff to deal with them.
Even before the daily cap was raised, it took more than five hours in some cases for passengers to reach the arrival lobby, since authorities need to check numerous documents on paper rather than in a digital format. Travelers also need to get tested for the virus and download designated apps on their smartphone before they pass through immigration.
“We need to check whether they’ve cleared all the necessary hurdles. So it’s become the norm for people to wait for many hours,” said an airport official.
Even when the daily arrivals cap was set lower at 7,000, Narita Airport was already busy with passengers, especially in the evening, when there were many flight arrivals, and on weekends.
Airports are not designed to conduct virus testing on all passengers, forcing them to create makeshift spaces near the boarding gate or walkway, with airline staffers dispatched to help out.
The strict entry procedures have been criticized by business organizations as tantamount to the “national isolation policy” of the Edo Period (1603-1868). Airline companies are calling for further easing of measures, as an early recovery in international flights is crucial for their business, and major travel agencies are resuming tours to Hawaii, upping the momentum for increased overseas travel. ...continue reading
