Japanese for Cabin Crew and Airline Staff: Service Keigo, Safety and Interviews
Cabin crew and airline staff who serve Japanese passengers need polite service Japanese (接客敬語): offering drinks and meals, giving safety instructions, handling requests and complaints, and reading announcements clearly. Airlines that hire Japanese-speaking crew often test spoken Japanese at interview and may ask for a JLPT level, so check each job advert. The key is not a huge vocabulary but a small set of phrases said naturally, with the right level of politeness.
Who this is for
- Cabin crew applying for, or working on, routes to and from Japan.
- Ground staff at check-in, gates and lounges.
- Hotel, tour and airport staff who look after Japanese travellers.
Greetings and boarding
- いらっしゃいませ。 / ようこそ。 Welcome aboard.
- お座席番号を拝見してもよろしいですか。 May I see your seat number?
- お手荷物は上の棚にお願いいたします。 Please put your bag in the overhead locker.
- お手伝いいたしましょうか。 May I help you?
Service in the cabin
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| お飲み物はいかがなさいますか。 | What would you like to drink? |
| お食事は和食と洋食がございます。 | We have a Japanese meal and a Western meal. |
| 少々お待ちくださいませ。 | One moment, please. |
| お下げしてもよろしいですか。 | May I take this away? |
| 毛布をお持ちいたしましょうか。 | Shall I bring you a blanket? |
| 大変申し訳ございません。 | I’m very sorry. |
Safety instructions
- シートベルトをお締めください。 Please fasten your seatbelt.
- 座席の背もたれを元の位置にお戻しください。 Please return your seat to the upright position.
- 化粧室のご使用はお控えください。 Please do not use the toilets at this time.
- 電子機器は機内モードに設定してください。 Please set your devices to flight mode.
Safety phrases need to be clear and calm. In an emergency, crew use short, firm commands rather than full keigo, as Japanese crew do too.
Requests, complaints and problems
Japanese passengers often make requests indirectly, for example ちょっと寒いんですけど… (“it’s a bit cold…”), which means “could I have a blanket?”. Listen for the unfinished sentence. When something goes wrong, apologise first, then explain what you can do: 申し訳ございません。すぐに確認いたします。 Our guide to Japanese customer service phrases covers this in more depth.
Announcements
Many airlines have scripted Japanese announcements. Reading them well is about rhythm and pronunciation more than understanding every word: practise long vowels, double consonants and pausing at the right place. See our pronunciation guide.
Preparing for an airline interview
- Prepare a polished self-introduction and reasons for applying. See the Japanese job interview guide.
- Expect role plays: serving a meal, dealing with a complaint, helping an elderly passenger.
- Reading an announcement aloud may be part of the test.
- If a JLPT level is required, see what Japanese level you need for a job.
How Hanabuddies can help
A native tutor can drill service keigo, safety phrases and announcements with you, and run interview role plays the way airlines do. Lessons are online and one-to-one, so they fit around rosters and time zones.