[Anonymous]

[NewBAexec]

Heathrow to Haneda

Can someone please explain to me why there are no Japanese national crew on this route?

This flight is operating with more than 50% of the customers being Japanese, yet no announcements in Japanese are made. There are no Japanese crew to assist the customers but also to understand and respect the culture.

Yet they have it on the Narita route. I’m amazed – Talking about damaging the brand, well here’s a good example!

I hope any of you who have been to Japan or knows a bit about the Japanese culture, would understand my point of view.

[FrDougal]

This route is one of the pride of Mixed Fleet. BA value its Japanese customers so they have placed the “superior” crew on this route who cannot fly with the Narita Based crew due to the substantial differences in their T&Cs.

But dont worry, the trade off is you get an airport closer to the city center but if you slog it out to Narita you get a more enhanced culturally aware mix of japanese crew…….

….I really dont know who came up with that one! La Lala Lala Lala

[oldchinahand]

With only 2 flights a day to Tokyo BA are seemingly not focused on developing their Japanese business.

My guess as to the reason why there is no Japanese speaking CC would be an overall lack of Japanese speaking staff within BA and the relativley low priority of the route .

[Henkel.Trocken]

We start out with a sensible question from the OP, the second poster replies in a manner which is demonstrates perfectly what I and so many other people are sick of here.

AnthonyStanley, would you please take yourself and your sarcastic commenting elsewhere?

Thank you.

[Bucksnet]

While I support BA on this route, the timings are not good due to international slot restrictions at HND. It would be better if JAL flew the route and left after midnight, which would result in an early arrival at LHR. The return could then be operated around the same time as BA7 is now. BA could then fly double daily to NRT and save the cost of operating 2 stations, though if they can’t use mixed fleet then it might cost more. The 2 carriers should of course codeshare on each others flights.

Also, when you search ba.com for the timetable for HND or NRT only that flight comes up. If you search for LHR-JFK, then flights for EWR and LCY-JFK come up as well. The same for the 2 Milan airports. BA need to show all flights for Tokyo when a search is made.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“AnthonyStanley, would you please take yourself and your sarcastic commenting elsewhere?

Thank you.”

I second that proposal, it is exactly the kind of trashy comment that has been ruining threads.

[HonestCrew]

Not having Japanese nationals is purely a cost thing.

It is much cheaper to use LHR based Mixed Fleet crew member than a Japan based crew member, even though as a premium airline you would expect a Japanese speaker to be on board.

Customer service is now secondary to cost saving.

[BTBAsccm]

It’s BA policy not to have International Cabin Crew ( in this case Japanese crew ) fly alongside Mixed Fleet Cabin Crew. As Haneda is a route currently operated by MF crew, it’s operated solely by London based crew.

As one of the ‘older’ BA crew, I’m astonished that this route operates with no Japanese crew. Of all the routes that BA flies, Japan really does require crew with an insight into the culture and language.

However, as routes do swap between MF and ‘legacy’ crew, I do see it one day being operated by ‘us oldies’ and therefore Japanese crew too. I think this will come when the slot timings change to more favorable ones, and the route becomes more popular.

I don’t want this to become a slagging match between MF crew and legacy. Of course MF is here to stay, but our Japanese based colleagues are pivotal to delivering the service on our flights to Tokyo. Their work ethic, sense of fun, and cultural insights make working a flight to Japan an absolute delight for London based crew, and of course make the vast majority of our Japanese passengers feel at home, valued and welcome on a BA flight.

[NewBAexec]

BTBAsccm

I completely agree with you. Having flown the route recently, I was astonished too! The new fleet crew are not the best to operate this route and cope with Japanese customers unfortunately, after what I have witnessed. So sad to see all this happening only because of BA’s cost-cutting measures(i.e No Japanese crew), and yet they still expect the route to be successful!

I look forward to this route moving to the old fleet with Japanese crew onboard.

[Bucksnet]

Are there not any Japanese who are British citizens, or who simply live in a commutable distance from Heathrow? Why can’t these people be recruited by BA as mixed fleet crew? Why can’t existing British crew learn a bit of Japanese? Do ANA or JAL employ British crew, or do they simply employ locals who are required to learn English?

[JordanD]

Bucksnet – 05/03/2012 08:26 GMT “The 2 carriers should of course codeshare on each others flights.”

With any luck, this should happen before long – I believe I read recently that BA & JL have put in for ATI/JV on London-Japan. (Others may correct me if I’m wrong).

[NewBAexec]

Bucksnet

It is not only about learning to speak the language, it is also about knowing and valuing the culture, which only Japanese nationals would do best. BA should recruit Japanese crew based in Haneda to operate with the new fleet London-based crew.

As far as I’m aware, BA has International stewardesses/stewards on all of their Indian routes – New Delhi, Bombay, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. So why Narita but not Haneda?!

Just my opinion.

[Bucksnet]

I agree BA should improve the on board experience and not focus solely on cost, but do Japanese carriers employ British staff who know the language and culture to cater to British passengers?

[HonestCrew]

Bucksnet – If a Japanese person living in the UK is bilingual they will put that skill to good use for good reward.
MF pay is low and does not attract applicants with skills and experience which could be better rewarded in a different industry.
Sad really.

NewBAexec is right about it being more than just language. In Japan customer is KING and service is nothing like you see anywhere else in the world. This cannot be learned in a 2 day course, it needs Japanese nationals.

[Author]

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