Japan’s two largest commercial airlines are taking a tougher stance against travelers who verbally or physically abuse airline staff.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways updated their websites on Friday to add a “customer harassment” policy following rising incidents of abuse of frontline workers across industries across Japan.
Using similar wording, both airlines listed nine behaviors that constitute “harassment” in their policies, including:
- Abusive language, offensive tone, insults, discrimination, slander
- threatening words or behavior
- Excessive or unreasonable demands
- assault
- Conduct that disrupts business operations (long-term detention, excessively repetitive requests or complaints)
- Entering the workplace without permission
- deceiving employees
- Defame the company or its employees on social media and online
- sexual harassment
ANA’s Customer Harassment Policy Also included is voyeurism, stalking and indecent behavior – an unpleasant reminder of what airline employees can face in this often-occurring industry See travelers at their worst.
Yoshiko Miyashita, ANA’s vice president of customer service promotion, said the policies are intended to address a lack of clear standards that make it difficult for employees to handle customer interactions. Nikkei Asia.
“This has placed a significant burden on our staff, resulting in some being furloughed,” she said.
Japan Airlines Policy Airline staff will also be required to undergo harassment training – staff will be provided with manuals detailing how to respond quickly and appropriately to “malicious” behaviour.
“We are also providing aftercare support for our employees’ physical and mental health,” the airline said.
Both airlines’ policies state that travelers who harass their employer will receive a warning, with consequences that could include denial of boarding and police involvement.
Japan, what about you?
In the United States, air rage incidents have jumped from about 10 per month before the pandemic to about 500 per month in 2021, with the majority involving mask compliance, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The number of accidents has dropped sharply since then, but “recent increases indicate there is still more work to be done,” according to the agency. FAA website.
The incidence of viral “air rage” incidents on Asian airlines is not as severe as on Western airlines, and although these incidents have passed, in-flight crashes continue to occur. crying baby and flight rules To a Husband’s eyes wander.
But that doesn’t mean airlines based in Asia are immune to these passengers — even in the country known as Japan. The most polite country in the world It is defined as the “Four Ps”: politeness, patience, punctuality and precision.
On June 5, a Japanese passenger insulted China Airlines staff, causing an EVA Air flight from Fukuoka to be delayed for 40 minutes. Because she doesn’t speak her native language.
In January, an ANA flight returned to Tokyo after a drunk passenger bit a flight attendant, according to The Japan Times. However, the passenger was reportedly a middle-aged American man.
Municipalities and companies are taking stricter measures to protect employees amid rising incidents of customer harassment in Japan.
Some city and county governments Remove employee’s name and photo from name tags According to local media reports, this is to prevent staff photos and personal information from being leaked online.
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