national

More men taking jobs in female-dominated profession of Japanese airline cabin crew

26 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

26 Comments
Login to comment

has created various needs including those that can be met by male crew members

Lol

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Looks don’t matter anymore. It used to be a profession that attracted attractive females, but the attraction is gone.So is the trill for the passenger. It’s just not as thrilling as it once was. The thrill is gone.

Even in these hypersensitive times I feel safe in saying that a male can hand me a food tray as well as a females.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

"An increase in young women and foreigners among passengers has created various needs including those that can be met by male crew members," said Hiroki Nakamura, 38, a male attendant of Japan Airlines.

For example?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

In contrast, Japanese airlines had until recently almost exclusively employed young female attendants on international flights, said an executive of a leading domestic airline, apparently because this was pleasing to their majority-male, business clientele.

Sure

And now you have the opposite as more women travel

The "need" being that young women want to look at and be served by handsome young men rather than women which is entirely natural and normal. Having a nice young man pour you drink etc is probably appealing.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Learned a new word today: sorodan (空男 I suppose). And sorojo (空女) looked up online came back as 'empty woman'!!

Must say, that seeing the line

 ... growing need to deal with unruly or drunk passengers, mean soradan (airmen) are being seen in larger numbers

made me think of drunk pilots.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I was told that women become nurses to marry doctors. I was told women become cabin attendants to marry pilots. This theory is totally wrong now.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Cue SJW outrage in 3...2...1...

Its nice to see people being hired for the needs that they can fill, not for their gender.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I was told that women become nurses to marry doctors. I was told women become cabin attendants to marry pilots. 

I know several women who became flight attendants for the explicit purpose of meeting rich businessmen, and dental hygienists who only date medical professionals. These are, of course, the exception not the rule.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Can we expect this happen to tea pouring role in Japanese companies, since usually that role always filled by clerk office-lady, even is some occasion they will ask any women beside clerk to do that job if there’s guest to their company.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In most white collar companies its now commonplace for the least senior member to prepare the morning tea, coffee, setup the meeting room, refill the copier, etc regardless of gender.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My wife moved out of her tiny village in the country in the hope of meeting a sophisticated, urbane chap with excellent prospects and a wholesome lifestyle.

I was sent to show her that nothing in life is straightforward.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

It might getting common for least senior member to prepare tea, coffee but but not all of it, still they give it that role to office lady.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030101654.html

clerical worker was nevertheless shocked a few years ago when her company suddenly decided to move all the men in her department to nicer offices while keeping the women in the old work space.

The affront, she said, did not end there. Koseki, whose job involves handling invoices and customs forms, was then ordered to trek down the hall to serve tea to male employees and visiting customers. The logic: There were no female employees in the new work area, a problem in a country where women in the office are still expected to pour beverages during business meetings.

"I bitterly complained, but my boss said, 'We can't hire a new woman just to pour the tea,' " said Koseki,

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Whatever glamour there was with flying is long gone, for economy at least. Everyone knows now that it's a bus with wings, with the added bonus of having to turn up at least two hours early. We have a gold AmEx which got me into one of the lounges at Haneda last time, but it was like the 200 yen drinks bar at Gusto. I had to Skype my wife to show her, because she said it would be gin and tonics and bar snacks.

My impression, mostly of the Japanese airlines, is that hostesses tend to be older women that I presume are on old-fashioned good contracts, are unsackable, and will do everything possible to keep working because they know they'll never be re-employed on the same conditions. When I got a flight on JAS, the cheaper version of JAL, the staff were young, but half of them were Chinese.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@kohakuebisu

Yes, cost and efficiency consideration it's more likely the reason rather than about equalizing gender roles

The change also shows Japan's airline industry is slowly modernizing and gender roles are beginning to reflect those considered normal across much of the world.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"I wondered why Japanese airlines employed only female cabin crew," 

That's what the Japanese male passengers want.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Most airlines have had male cabin crew members for decades. It’s just another example of Japan being a generation behind the rest of the world.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

SerranoToday 01:44 pm JST

"I wondered why Japanese airlines employed only female cabin crew," 

That's what the Japanese male passengers want.

Its also why Vietjet airlines is so popular

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"I wondered why Japanese airlines employed only female cabin crew. That's what the Japanese male passengers want.

@Serrano - I agree with you 200%. I am very disappointed if a man attendant is serviing my aisle. Females are much more suited to the job, and friendly to passengers. This move will back fire. Political correctness gone mad.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Political correctness gone mad

No, its called gender equality. Woman can be pilots now, hate to break that news to you. So young male cabin folk can marry pilots as well. Maybe that you will make you feel better.

BTW, it is not the 1950s now. Ganbare, I am guessing you were in HS during the Eisenhower administration?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I am very disappointed if a man attendant is serviing my aisle.

I'm sure they're not overjoyed with some passengers and their jurassic attitudes, either.

Females are much more suited to the job, and friendly to passengers.

Sexist nonsense without any evidence to back up your opinion.

Equality is coming. Please fasten your seatbelts.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I'm sure they're not overjoyed with some passengers and their jurassic attitudes, either.

How old ARE you!? It's amazing that you can remember the era of attitudes! And rather small to dismiss someone's opinion as if it were not as valid as your own.

Sexist nonsense without any evidence to back up your opinion.

You don't need evidence to back up opinions. So he thinks females are more suited to the job. So what?

Equality is coming. Please fasten your seatbelts.

You can take the seatbelt off. We've had equality for quite some time.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Ageism as well as sexism. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride, folks.

Here's hoping for a smooth landing this holiday season. And remember, you don't have to bring a lot of baggage on board.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ageism as well as sexism. Looks like we're in for a bumpy ride, folks.

Views that are disproportionately represented in backwaters of the intrawebs. Most people have adapted just fine to all these changes. Regardless of who's serving me tea or explaining the joys of vomit bags, I'd just like to see less industry consolidation and better treatment of customers (in my home country especially).

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I'd just like to see less industry consolidation and better treatment of customers (in my home country especially).

For sure. My heart goes out to those who have to endure some of the cheaper, more infamous airlines and the way passengers are treated.

It can go both ways, though. I've seen spoilt customers berate staff and other passengers and it's never a pretty sight and well done to the cabin crew for maintaining decorum in such cases. Especially at such a busy time of the year.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites