Suga Takako, 31
Flight Attendant from Nagasaki
What was your schedule like?
Flight attendants (f/as) work a maximum of 81 flight hours a month. This seems very little, but only the time when an airplane is moving counts. So boarding time, transfer between flights, nights spent away from home, etc. don’t count.What were the good/bad points about your job?
I could travel very cheaply. There are not many options for Japanese to work in Canada--Japanese restaurants, tour companies or souvenir shops. Also, there’s some status with the job. In North America and Europe there’s no status, but if you are a f/a in Asia, people still respect and envy you. For many Japanese men, it’s still a fantasy to date a f/a. On the other hand, we had long flight hours with bad air and little sleep. Many native speaking f/as had bad feelings because they were afraid we (foreigners) might take away their favorite flights to Asia, where passengers are easier to handle. But that wasn’t the case!Why did you want to become a flight attendant?
I first wanted to while working as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. I was 22, on a working holiday visa. I wanted to work using both Japanese and English, so I came back with a working visa two years later and was lucky enough to become an immigrant.Is being a flight attendant glamorous?
In Japan, the f/as think they are glamorous, and most Japanese think so too. In North America people think that f/as are just like waitresses in a bad restaurant! I agree. Nowadays most North American airlines try to improve safety and cut expenses. This means fewer staff, worse service, and shorter times between flights. Customers get in a bad mood about tight space and late flights. Some of the older f/as who worked during the old days are still glamorous and very elegant.What was your salary? Benefits?
I earned about C$1300 which is about ¥100,000 per month. This seems very low, but it’s the same for bank or department store workers. F/as have a retirement plan, medical and dental insurance, and free travel for two. I’ve been to almost 20 countries, many on short trips.the end
This interview was originally published in Kansai Time Out magazine.