Southeast Asia: October 2025: Day 6: NRT-ROR inaugural

Southeast Asia

Day 6: NRT-ROR inaugural

Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier lobby.

Tokyo Yakiniku Heijoen at Haneda Airport Garden. Inside.

Inside.

Quality is good, portions small. Nom.

Nom.

Walking from Haneda Airport Garden back toward the airport.

Terminal 3 is directly connected.

Airport limo bus between HND and NRT.

Was a full bus, but finally arrived at NRT.

New flight alert.

Char shu ramen at Ippudo. Ippudo.

Ippudo.

President of Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr., highlights the traditional sake barrel ceremony.

Sake barrel ceremony for the new route on United, Tokyo Narita to Palau, UA 143.

Lots of VIPs.

Lots of cameras.

Group photo with all the passengers.

Big group.

737-800 full of pax, plus ground staff and VIPs.

Flight crew.

Yay for inaugurals.

Ready to board.

UA 143, first flight.

Shaking hands with the President of Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr.

Inaugural flight swag.

Mini-poster.

Postcard.

Always nice to have an audience.

Flying Honu, aka ANA Airbus A380.

Water cannon salute on departure is unusual.

Water cannon.

Chicken in economy.

President of Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr., giving more speeches.

4hr 33min flight time (actual), 2,063 miles (Flightaware), 1,989 miles (great circle).

Water cannon salute on arrival.

Welcome to Palau.

Semi-outdoor walk to/from the gates.

N33264, 24 year old 737-800, arrived in Palau.

Everyone is excited for United's new flight from NRT-ROR.

Fruit and welcome gifts.

Captain McElligott, myself, FO Resillez.

UA 143, NRT-ROR, arrived.

Steve Morrissey, vice president of regulatory and policy at United Airlines, with President of Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr.. VIPs.

VIPs.

Crowded.

COVE Resort Palau.

Gifts from Palau tourism board.

The beef at Tokyo Yakiniku Heijoen was much better than last night's meal, and being right at Haneda Airport Garden, it was very convenient. Portion was definitely smaller, but worth the trade off for the quality. Then a somewhar cramped but efficient ride in the airport limo bus from Haneda International Airport to Narita International Airport for the third inaugural flight of the trip, Tokyo Narita to Koror, Palau, on United.

By now the group of United frequent fliers/inaugural flight chasers I was with was down to just two, although the crowd at the gate was full of other inaugural flight chasers and frequent fliers. Caught up with Will air-side in Narita, had a solid lunch at Ippudo, and then a very well-attended set of inaugural flight festivities at the gate. The President of Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr., one of his ministers, along with Steve Morrissey, vice president of regulatory and policy at United Airlines, headlined the list of dignitaries. Speeches, sake barrel ceremony, and ribbon cutting were all done, along with a big group photo with all the passengers. 166 passengers on a Boeing 737-800 is a lot less than 252 on the Boeing 787-9's earlier in the week, but still a lot of people for a group photo.

NRT-ROR, United flight 143, is blocked at nearly 5 hours, food in economy was rather adequate chicken by United standards, and there was both a water cannon salute on departure in Narita as well as on arrival in Palau. Roman Tmetuchl International Airport in Palau (nee Palau International Airport) has a semi-outdoor covered walk from the jetbridges to the similarly-outdoor arrivals area, plus quite a bit of fanfare on arrival. Plenty of inaugural flight swag, including a big bag of stuff given to everyone on arrival, meant a bit of a struggle to pack the next day.

The drive from the airport to COVE Resort Palau is a few minutes, but not long at all, and the rooms are spacious. A/C isn't the most cold, internet isn't the fastest, but none of that is why you go to Palau.