JAL’s Manila plan to staff the skies

Moreover, the establishment of the Manila base serves a dual purpose: it shores up JAL’s labor supply and directly enhances the passenger experience on high-growth routes, such as Tokyo-North America.

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is also decreasing,” Takayuki explained. “Conversely, more people from other countries are visiting Japan. The planning team saw this trend coming."

The choice of the Philippines was also far from accidental. While other East Asian nations like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia were considered, Takayuki said JAL decided that “Filipino hospitality is a perfect fit for our Japanese-style service.”

The airline’s long-term target is to increase its proportion of foreign cabin crew from a “very small” number to at least 15 percent of its total workforce. The Manila base is the engine for this growth, with a goal to hire 100 Filipinos in the next five years.

Takayuki said this hiring pipeline would ensure reliable, English-proficient, and service-oriented workforce.