Japan Airlines flight attendants will be hired as temporary employees of the government of Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, in April, as the airline has been affected by passenger numbers declining due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The 35 flight attendants will work for up to a year at areas such as the My Number card issuance desk, public relations section and secretarial section.
According to JAL, which has been under pressure to curb personnel costs due to the decline in air travel demand, about 1,000 employees a day have been working at companies and local governments across the country since last April on temporary assignment.
In response to this, Edogawa Ward considered strengthening a project to promote the issuance of My Number personal identification cards in the new fiscal year, which starts in April. As of March, there were about 37,000 foreign residents registered in the ward, so the ward approached JAL, seeking personnel with language skills and proficiency in dealing with customers.
According to the ward office, 30 of the flight attendants will be assigned to clerical work related to My Number cards, and five will be assigned to the sections in charge of planning and management. They will work at the ward office about four days a week, and work as flight attendants on other days.
"This is a valuable opportunity for ward employees to learn the hospitality skills of flight attendants up close," said a ward office official. "We hope to improve services for residents of the ward and raise the awareness of the staff."
JAL also hopes that the program will provide an opportunity for the flight attendants to provide better service by gaining various experiences outside the company.
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