Congratulations, you found this valuable article at FlyGosh! The reason why there is so limited information about JAL cabin crew on top of sns (social networking service) rule, the main reason is probably because there are barely 100 JAL Singapore based crew. There are over 5000 crews in Japan Airlines.
If you are considering Japan Airlines, you probably (1) got rejected by SIA for whatever reason, (2) really love Japan and the culture, (3) you can speak Japanese, (4) your mum asked you to.
Here, I will share as much as possible, the good and the bad of being a SIN based JAL crew.
Japanese lesson
Singapore Training
Japan Training
Salary during training
OJT (on job training)
Salary after training
Salary scheme, Allowances, Medical, Benefits
Flight schedule and destination
Working culture
Pros and Cons
After you pass the interview and the medical exam, you will be invited to view the contract. You are given one month to consider signing the contract. During the one month, if you have no Japanese background you are required to attend 4 basic Japanese lesson, Friday evenings 2.5h at Ikoma Language School (Shaw House). You have to learn to read, write, listen and given a set of words to learn and be tested every week.
Japanese lesson
The 20-month bond (including training) starts the day you sign the contract. You have to wear standard Japanese style black and white business attire, bun up hair, company standard plain pumps, natural nail colour, black handbag. You will attend Japanese lesson at Ikoma Mon-Fri 10am-6pm for one month. You have to learn to read, write, listen, learn a list of 40-80 new words daily and have spelling test every day, learn grammar and how to form sentences. Two main exams, the mid-term and final exam – written and listening. The passing mark is 80%. If you fail, you have a retest. It is fast-paced for beginner but trust yourself to pull this through. The Japanese teachers are very patient, engaging and teach really well.
Singapore Training
There are few days of non-Japanese training in the JAL office (airport) before and after Ikoma training. Although the real training starts in Japan, some lessons will be conducted by SIN based seniors. You will have to start memorising the emergency training in Japanese.
JAL SIN based has a very strong Chinese/ Singlish culture. We are primarily hired for knowing Chinese/ Mandarin although I am still quite puzzled about this being the main reason. Do not be surprise when you are brief and taught using mandarin by the seniors and management. After working you will know that mandarin is mostly used to gossip about the Japanese crew at work.
After knowing your batch mates and seniors you will realise JAL do not hire based on appearance, you will be amazed at how well your nerdy batch mates can perform during training and is good at this job but also question how some people are still getting not kick out of training yet.
Training in Japan
Information will be given in Singapore but the seniors and management are doing the job of relaying the message from Japan. As training centre in Japan is constantly changing some aspects of the training. Singapore base is not always equipped with the answers and sometimes not sure of the details until the latest batch experience it first-hand. Management will try to give as much information and senior will share their experiences.
Flight to Japan info:
You will be a “deadhead crew” meaning a crew member flying in a passenger seat as part of work but not part of the working crew. Japanese style business attire, ladies can wear work pants, but must bun up hair. Allow to take off blazer at seat. Not allow to use call button or choose their meal. Only get your meal after all passenger are served. Sleeping allow.
Japan Training info:
Training schedule will not be given until you arrive in training centre, which is next day after arriving in Japan. You have to wear standard Japanese style business attire until you pass emergency training only then you get your uniform. You will have a few days to warm up, orientation, get to know your trainers, beauty class, some Japanese lesson on emergency training. You will go through two weeks of emergency training (I was shocked at the Japanese I have to memorise on top of the English ones but again trust that you can pull through it, we all did, just study). You will study about JAL philosophy, different aircrafts, first aid, customs and regulations, meal and liquor service, safety, sales, and the other main component is flight duty (the entire work flow in the cabin, be surprise at how much work and precision is required, I was constantly overwhelmed especially with the pre-flight preparation). The passing mark for all the test (mostly MCQ, older batches had to write word for word) throughout your entire cabin crew training is 80%. It is doable and encourage to get full marks. If you fail, you have to retest which is pretty normal. The trainers for my batch are generally nice and patient, lessons are conducted in English but sometimes it can be difficult to understand or communicate with them. Little emphasis is place on English during the training and in Japan Airlines.
Japanese lessons are conducted 3-4 days a week either half day or full day throughout the entire training. About 90 over conversations to be remember by the end of training. Spelling test every lesson. Two main exams, the mid-term and final exam – 3 components; role play conversation, written and listening exam. Japanese lessons trainers are generally stricter.
The training is not really sufficient considered so much time is spent on Japanese lesson. There is only one proper sales class on how to use the machine and the mock up room to practice flight duty is not realistic enough. Some of my batch mates still have problem counting the meal number and time difference after training. While counting time difference is a prerequisite for some other airline during interview.
Accommodation, everyone will have their own room with a balcony, a stove but no cooking, toilet and Japanese style bathtub. You have to clean your own room. You can change bedsheet once a week (ignore the bedsheet duty). There are washing machines and dryers you can use for free, do your own laundry. There is a cafeteria meal that cost only 500yen (S$6.25). There is a train station, some restaurants and a mall nearby. Location, look up the map of Japan you will be staying at Kozunomori near to Narita airport but the training is in Haneda airport.
By right there is a curfew of 12am every day and not allowed to stay out. By left you can actually still enter the building after 12am or the next morning. The dormitory management are quite chill about it.
There is gym and yoga centre nearby dormitory - Dunlop Sports Club and Carlo Yoga but is quite pricey and difficult to communicate with the Japanese staff.
Training hours is Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Bus will pick up at 7am and 615pm and takes about 1.5h - 2h depending on traffic. In the bus, you can do your homework, revise, study, do your make up, eat breakfast, snack, sleep, chit chat. I quite like the bus ride even though staying in Tokyo will be nice. To get to Tokyo on your off days will be a 1.5h – 2h train ride.
Salary during training
