Major airlines in Japan join forces to tackle employee harassment; JAL and ANA launch guidelines to protect employees

ANA Holdings Inc. and Japan Airlines Co. have jointly developed guidelines to protect employees against unreasonable demands from customers, the two companies announced on Friday.

The airlines say they have set out a basic policy to make it easier for the industry to respond to what has become known as “customer harassment” by providing a clear, common definition and classification of the term.

The guidelines specify customer harassment as “actions by customers who abuse their superior position to commit illegal acts or make unreasonable demands that adversely affect the working environment of employees.” The policy makes it clear that companies will respond to such acts in an organized manner. Specific actions in the guidelines are divided into nine categories, including verbal abuse, sexual assault and sexual harassment.

The policy also gives examples of “excessive demands,” such as requests for compensation that go beyond company policy or seat upgrades. Acts that deceive employees, such as fraudulent use of boarding passes or false claims for damage to baggage, also fall under this. “Sexual harassment” includes acts such as taking unauthorized photographs, indecent acts, and following employees.

Before the guidelines were announced, companies did not have a uniform standard of rules. By clarifying the definitions of unreasonable acts, frontline employees can more easily determine whether a passenger’s words or actions constitute harassment. The adoption of the guidelines is also intended to prevent harassment before it happens by educating customers about the rules.

ANA and JAL each saw about 300 incidents of customer harassment at their companies last fiscal year. According to a 2022 survey conducted by the Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions, whose members include unions from both companies, more than 70% of flight attendants said they had been voyeuristically photographed or videotaped without permission during a flight. Work time. 37% of employees said they had experienced customer harassment within a year.

“If the sector becomes less attractive, fewer people will want to work in it. This is an issue that cannot go unnoticed,” said a director of customer satisfaction promotion at ANA.