The only two things to like were the price and the actual flight crew. Other than that, there is nothing positive to report above making it to my destination safely, yet later than scheduled or reported by the system. The Spring website doesn't work. I was repeatedly advised to check in online. That's impossible. None of the web functions work. I couldn't check in, pick a seat, purchase checked baggage. The phone numbers don't work. I tried every number I could find and was never able to even connect. I tried calling from my US phone and from my wife's Chinese phone. So I knew I would have to pay whatever they said for my baggage. On arrival to the airport, (HRB international terminal is a mess and also poorly run), the staff charged over $150 usd for my luggage. The luggage requirements on the web site are confusing and not close at all to industry standards. They blur the line between "Spring Air" and "Spring Japan". Kayak lists it as Spring Japan, the web site only delineates between Spring Air Domestic, Spring Air International, and Spring Japan, but doesn't make clear whether an international flight to Japan would be on Spring Japan. After checking the 1 suitcase, which took a long time for the attendant to even figure out how to do, I was told later that my carry on was too much and then there was a communication problem and I finally told them (interpreted through my Chinese wife) that I didn't mind paying for 2 bags, but I had to rearrange because I had batteries in the carry on which arent allowed to be checked. That requires the attendant to refund my first payment and te-cjexk both suitcases. She so forgot to give me the bag ticket and came to find me later. I was then motioned to go upstairs to the security screening without my wife accompanying to help translate. Then while about to be frisked, the attendant came to ask me to look inside one of the suitcases. So I went back to the check in a 3rd time to literally show them a flashlight in my suitcase. After all that, I made the tedious path through screening, & immigration. The gate wasarked for my flight. But when boarding time passes, nothing happened. None of the announcements were in English. At some point, they announced something and half the people near that gate got in line, but it wasn't moving. Some people were eventually going up and asking. I did and it turns out there was another flight to Korea link g up at the same gate, unmarked by the board. So I had to guess when that line was finished and my tokyo ight boarding finally started. My flight was scheduled to depart at 10:35am. The line for the boarding didnt even occur until 10:49am. But the Kayak app was reporting the flight as only 10 minutes late. We probably took off at 11:30am or so. I don't believe the plane wasn't ready. They were just having difficulty organizing the crowds into the trams that transport the passengers to the tarmac. The flight was mainly done because it seemed to only be about half booked. So there were many empty seats which helped. But then I find out that the flight crew will only accept Chinese or Japanese CASH for food, beverages, and snacks...even WATER. If I had known prior, my wife had Yuan cash but it is never used in China so I didn't have any. This airline is horrible and I should have paid for a better flight but it was the only one that got my plans very well. My wife later told me that it was well known to be a poorly run airline, but she didn't realize that's who I booked. I didn't interact with the crew much, so nothing to complain about there. The check in staff were nice, but somewhat incompetent. Never again.
2.0 MediocreAnonymous, May 2024HRB - NRT
