Executive%20Impact%20JAL%20president%20pilots%20airline%20to%20new%20heights


TOKYO%0AIn%20January%202010%2C%20when%20Japan%20Airlines%20%28JAL%29%20filed%20for%20bankruptcy%20following%20massive%20financial%20losses%2C%20the%20country%20%u2014%20and%20the%20world%20%u2014%20sat%20and%20watched%20as%20one%20of%20Japan%27s%20leading%20conglomerates%20turned%20to%20ashes%2C%20ruining%20not%20only%20its%20reputation%2C%20but%20possibly%20its%20future.%20%u201CWe%20hit%20rock%20bottom%2C%u201D%20says%20JAL%20president%20Yoshiharu%20Ueki%20in%20retrospect.%20%u201CDays%20went%20by%20when%20we%20wondered%20if%20there%20would%20be%20a%20tomorrow%20for%20all%20of%20us.%u201D%0A%0ASix%20years%20later%2C%20JAL%20now%20appears%20to%20stand%20stronger%20than%20ever.%0A%0AIn%202015%2C%20the%20company%20announced%20a%20six-month%2C%20record-high%20net%20profit%20of%20103.4%20billion%20yen%20--%20up%20nearly%2029%25%20year%20on%20year%20%u2014%20a%20full-year%20profit%20forecast%20of%20172%20billion%20yen%20and%20a%20sales%20forecast%20of%201.35%20trillion%20yen%20for%20the%20fiscal%20year.%20At%20the%20beginning%20of%20this%20year%2C%20the%20company%20received%20more%20good%20news%3A%20it%20won%20the%20prestigious%20FlightStats%u2019%20%u201COn-time%20Performance%20Service%20Award%u201D%20for%202015%2C%20becoming%20the%20world%u2019s%20top%20on-time%20air%20carrier%20for%20the%20fifth%20time%20in%20its%20history.%20JAL%20further%20announced%20plans%20to%20provide%20full-time%20employment%20for%20all%20of%20its%20cabin%20attendants%20%u2014%20a%20move%20that%20surprised%20many%20in%20a%20field%20famous%20for%20contract-based%20employment%20and%20hourly%20wages.%0A%0AThe%20man%20behind%20these%20achievements%20is%20Ueki%2C%20who%20is%20fortunate%20enough%20to%20lead%20%u201Ca%20brilliant%20team%u201D%20%28as%20he%20says%20in%20a%20Kyoto%20dialect%29.%20Appointed%20to%20the%20post%20in%202012%20by%20Kazuo%20Inamori%2C%20the%20entrepreneur%20behind%20JAL%u2019s%20reconstruction%2C%20Ueki%20carries%20the%20responsibility%20of%20heading%20a%20company%20that%20%u201Cstands%20strong%20together.%u201D%20Dressed%20in%20a%20casual%20suit%20and%20smiling%20as%20he%20slips%20in%20a%20joke%20or%20two%20during%20his%20conversation%20with%20Japan%20Today%2C%20Ueki%20appears%20far%20distant%20from%20a%20typical%20Japanese%20company%20president.%20Starting%20his%20career%20as%20a%20child%20actor%20and%20piloting%20JAL%20planes%20for%2035%20years%2C%20Ueki%20is%20the%20first%20Japan%20Airlines%20president%20to%20climb%20the%20leadership%20ladder%20from%20a%20non-bureaucratic%20post.%20It%20is%20a%20role%20that%u2019s%20taught%20him%20that%20leading%20a%20company%20should%20come%20from%20the%20bottom%20up%2C%20not%20vice%20versa%2C%20as%20the%20company%20did%20for%20decades%20in%20the%20past.%0A%0AJapan%20Today%20visited%20Ueki%u2019s%20office%20in%20Shinagawa%20to%20hear%20more%20about%20what%20has%20changed%20at%20JAL%20and%20where%20the%20company%20is%20heading%20in%20the%20future.%0A%0AWas%202015%20a%20good%20year%20for%20Japan%20Airlines%3F%0A%0AYes%2C%20I%20think%20it%20was%20a%20good%20year%20overall.%20We%20were%20able%20to%20achieve%20our%20highest%20profit%20for%20the%20first%20half%20of%20the%20fiscal%20year%20to%20start%20off%20with%2C%20and%20we%20also%20observed%20a%20major%20increase%20in%20inbound%20travelers.%20I%20think%20the%20year%20was%20good%20for%20most%20Japanese%20airlines%2C%20including%20JAL.%0A%0AWhat%20led%20to%20your%20decision%20to%20provide%20full-time%20employment%20for%20JAL%u2019s%20flight%20attendants%3F%0A%0AThere%20are%20two%20main%20reasons%3A%20the%20general%20change%20in%20work%20standards%20and%20the%20necessity%20to%20strengthen%20female%20employment.%20Until%20now%2C%20most%20of%20our%20flight%20attendants%20were%20working%20on%20a%20three-year%20contract%20to%20start.%20However%2C%20we%20believed%20that%20the%20introduction%20of%20full-time%20employment%20would%20motivate%20our%20team%20to%20perform%20at%20their%20best%20in%20all%20aspects%20on%20the%20job%2C%20because%20it%20gives%20them%20more%20stability.%0A%0AWhat%20led%20you%20to%20temporarily%20suspend%20flights%20from%20Narita%20to%20Paris%20following%20the%20Paris%20terror%20attacks%3F%0A%0AWe%20have%20two%20daily%20flights%20to%20Paris%3A%20one%20from%20Narita%20and%20another%20from%20Haneda.%20The%20flight%20from%20Haneda%2C%20a%20Boeing%20777%2C%20can%20accommodate%20more%20passengers%2C%20while%20the%20one%20from%20Narita%20is%20a%20medium-sized%20aircraft.%20As%20the%20demand%20for%20flights%20drastically%20declined%20following%20the%20Paris%20attacks%2C%20we%20decided%20to%20temporarily%20suspend%20the%20Narita%20flight%20and%20instead%20promote%20the%20one%20from%20Haneda%2C%20which%20could%20accommodate%20all%20passengers%20for%20both%20flights.%20These%20are%2C%20of%20course%2C%20just%20temporary%20measures%20until%20demand%20is%20restored.%0A%0AAs%20the%20first%20former%20pilot%20to%20become%20a%20president%20of%20JAL%2C%20how%20does%20your%20business%20style%20differ%20from%20that%20of%20former%20company%20heads%3F%0A%0AAt%20JAL%2C%20we%20have%20three%20general%20divisions%3A%20administration%2C%20transportation%20and%20in-flight%20service.%20Up%20until%20now%2C%20the%20majority%20of%20the%20former%20presidents%20came%20from%20the%20administrative%20division.%20In%20reality%2C%20though%2C%20this%20department%20represents%20no%20more%20than%2020%25%20of%20all%20JAL%20Group%20employees.%20The%20vast%20majority%20of%20our%20employees%20work%20at%20the%20actual%20field%3A%20pilots%2C%20flight%20attendants%2C%20airport%20staff%2C%20mechanics.%20When%20I%20became%20president%2C%20our%20employees%20rejoiced%2C%20because%20for%20the%20first%20time%20in%20history%20they%20saw%20a%20president%20who%20knows%20the%20life%20outside%20of%20the%20administration.%0A%0AFor%20many%20years%2C%20JAL%20had%20friction%20among%20employees%20from%20the%20three%20departments.%20Rarely%20did%20we%20all%20agree%20and%20there%20was%20never%20true%20teamwork%20at%20JAL%20in%20the%20past.%20After%20the%20bankruptcy%20in%202010%2C%20we%20looked%20into%20the%20past%20and%20tried%20to%20learn%20from%20our%20mistakes.%20Mr%20Inamori%20appointed%20me%20president%20%u2014%20one%20supported%20by%20the%20employees%2C%20the%20base%20of%20the%20company.%20I%20have%20many%20things%20to%20polish%20in%20my%20current%20status%2C%20but%20I%20also%20have%20skills%20that%20former%20presidents%20didn%u2019t%20have.%20One%20of%20these%20skills%20is%20decision-making.%20For%20my%2035%20years%20in%20the%20cockpit%2C%20I%20was%20always%20exposed%20to%20risk%20%u2013%u2013%20the%20lives%20of%20500%20people%20were%20in%20my%20hands%20on%20every%20flight%20and%20I%20was%20put%20in%20the%20position%20of%20making%20critical%20decisions%20at%20crucial%20times.%20I%20think%20that%u2019s%20what%20makes%20me%20different%20from%20former%20presidents.%20Making%20wrong%20decisions%20could%20endanger%20the%20lives%20of%20everyone%20onboard.%20The%20%26quot%3Bshacho%26quot%3B%20%28president%29%20and%20%26quot%3Bkicho%26quot%3B%20%28pilot%29%20are%20very%20similar%3A%20they%20both%20should%20take%20responsibility%20and%20risks%20while%20protecting%20the%20people%20onboard.%0A%0AHow%20does%20JAL%20intend%20to%20cope%20with%20the%20increasing%20competition%20from%20low-cost%20carriers%20%28LCCs%29%3F%0A%0AThe%20airline%20business%20has%20been%20very%20slow%20to%20evolve.%20Take%20restaurants%20as%20an%20example%3A%20there%20are%20plenty%20of%20varieties%2C%20from%20fast%20food%20to%20luxurious%20restaurants.%20The%20introduction%20of%20LCCs%20brought%20choice%20and%20variety%20to%20customers%20and%20I%20think%20this%20is%20a%20great%20opportunity%20for%20the%20promotion%20of%20air%20tourism.%20In%20terms%20of%20competition%2C%20however%2C%20it%20really%20depends%20on%20what%20grounds%20we%u2019re%20competing%20with%20LCCs.%20It%u2019s%20never%20occurred%20to%20us%20to%20compete%20with%20them%20over%20cost%2C%20for%20example.%20We%20compete%20with%20them%20over%20hospitality.%20We%20want%20to%20be%20a%20company%20that%20offers%20superior%20service%20that%20can%20trump%20prices%20and%20we%u2019re%20happy%20to%20see%20that%20this%20appeals%20to%20customers.%20We%u2019re%20proud%20to%20say%20that%20our%20international%20flights%20average%20over%2086%25%20seat%20reservation%20rate%2C%20which%20are%20very%20good%20numbers%20in%20our%20field.%0A%0AWhat%20separates%20JAL%20from%20other%20airlines%3F%0A%0AWe%20promote%20both%20%u201Chard%u201D%20and%20%u201Csoft%u201D%20services.%20Aircraft%20are%20ridiculously%20expensive%3A%20prices%20may%20go%20as%20up%20as%20%A5105%20billion.%20But%20it%u2019s%20crucial%20for%20us%20to%20provide%20modern%20products%20that%20are%20equipped%20with%20the%20newest%20and%20safest%20technology.%20We%u2019re%20ready%20to%20replace%20aged%20machines%u2014even%20if%20it%u2019s%20costly.%0A%0AIn%20regards%20to%20in-flight%20comfort%2C%20we%20strengthened%20our%20business%20class%20by%20introducing%20the%20JAL%20Sky%20Suite%20fully%20flat%20seat.%20But%20our%20biggest%20adventure%20took%20place%20in%20economy%20class.%20We%20stretched%20the%20seat%20pitch%20from%2031%20to%2034%20inches%20on%20our%20777%20flights%2C%20allowing%20additional%20legroom%20of%20up%20to%2010%20cm%2C%20and%20we%20also%20decreased%20the%20number%20of%20seats%20to%20eight%20per%20row%20on%20our%20787%20flights.%20While%20other%20companies%20have%20an%20average%20of%20300%20seats%2C%20we%20have%20240.%20In%20other%20words%2C%20it%20meant%20a%20potentially%20major%20profit%20loss%20for%20us.%20But%20we%20took%20the%20risk%20and%20decided%20to%20go%20against%20the%20trend%20of%20shrinking%20the%20coach%20classes%20in%20order%20to%20provide%20a%20more%20relaxed%2C%20spacious%20flight%20for%20customers.%20What%20happened%20to%20our%20surprise%20is%20that%20profits%20soared.%20We%20think%20that%20it%u2019s%20this%20refined%20human-to-human%20service%20that%20makes%20us%20stand%20out.%0A%0AThat%u2019s%20a%20bold%20move.%20Did%20you%20have%20second%20thoughts%20when%20deciding%20on%20that%3F%0A%0AMajor%20ones.%20We%20decided%20to%20cut%20the%20number%20of%20seats%20in%20the%20summer%20of%202010%20%u2013%u2013%20right%20amid%20our%20bankruptcy.%20At%20that%20stage%2C%20we%20didn%u2019t%20know%20whether%20the%20company%20would%20survive%20another%20day%2C%20yet%20here%20we%20were%20%u2014%20acting%20boldly.%20There%20was%20major%20criticism%20about%20this%20move.%20We%20weren%u2019t%20confident%20that%20it%20would%20work%2C%20but%20we%20trusted%20our%20instincts.%20It%20turned%20out%20well%2C%20after%20all.%0A%0AIn%202015%2C%20there%20were%20some%20very%20major%20disasters%20%u2014%20terrorism%2C%20hijackings%2C%20disappearances%20and%20alleged%20missile%20attacks%20%u2014%20that%20affected%20airlines%20all%20over%20the%20world.%20How%20is%20JAL%20tackling%20these%20potential%20threats%3F%0A%0AIt%u2019s%20well%20known%20that%20we%20experienced%20hijackings%20in%20the%201970s.%20Since%20that%20time%2C%20we%u2019ve%20implemented%20top-level%20security%20measures%20against%20any%20potential%20threats.%20Terrorism%20is%20constantly%20evolving%2C%20so%20we%20must%20also%20continue%20to%20strengthen%20security.%20After%209/11%2C%20for%20example%2C%20all%20airlines%20had%20to%20rethink%20how%20they%20deal%20with%20terrorism.%20But%20while%20many%20companies%20think%20that%20all%20is%20well%20as%20long%20as%20mechanics%20and%20security%20officials%20do%20their%20job%2C%20at%20JAL%20all%20employees%20undergo%20security%20training%20%u2014%20even%20if%20it%u2019s%20not%20directly%20related%20to%20their%20field%20of%20operation.%20We%20should%20also%20never%20forget%20the%20Mt%20Osutaka%20tragedy%20%5BJAL%20Flight%20123%20crashed%20there%20in%201985%2C%20the%20deadliest%20aviation%20accident%20in%20Japan%20that%20killed%20520%20people%5D%20and%20learn%20from%20it%20over%20and%20over%20again%20in%20order%20to%20never%20repeat%20it.%0A%0AOn%20a%20different%20note%2C%20the%20GermanWings%20crash%20was%20a%20horrible%20tragedy%20that%20should%20never%20have%20occurred.%20It%20changed%20the%20image%20of%20pilots%20in%20an%20instant%3A%20from%20heroes%20to%20villains.%20The%20cause%20of%20that%20tragedy%20was%20rooted%20in%20the%20co-pilot%u2019s%20mental%20health%2C%20which%20made%20many%20wonder%20if%20that%20could%20happen%20on%20any%20flight.%20The%20JAL%20pilots%20are%20required%20to%20have%20mental%20health%20checks%20in%20addition%20to%20regular%20health%20checks%20four%20times%20a%20year.%20We%20deal%20with%20humans%2C%20which%20means%20that%20anything%20is%20possible.%20Thinking%20of%20every%20possible%20scenario%20and%20being%20ready%20for%20it%20makes%20us%20prepared%20and%20secured.%0A%0AIs%20the%20anticipated%20shortage%20of%20pilots%20a%20threat%20for%20JAL%3F%0A%0AFrankly%20speaking%2C%20a%20pilot%20shortage%20isn%u2019t%20a%20problem%20for%20the%20major%20airlines%20such%20as%20JAL%2C%20ANA%20and%20their%20group%20companies.%20That%u2019s%20mainly%20because%20we%20have%20an%20academy%20for%20training%20young%20pilots.%20We%20train%20them%20from%20scratch%20for%20approximately%20three%20four%20years%20until%20they%20obtain%20licenses.%20The%20pilot%20shortage%20problem%20is%20becoming%20serious%20primarily%20for%20companies%20that%20don%u2019t%20invest%20in%20training%2C%20but%20look%20for%20professional%20pilots%20instead%2C%20who%20are%20difficult%20to%20find%20%u2014%20mostly%20because%20they%u2019re%20already%20employed%20elsewhere.%0A%0AThis%20year%20marks%20the%20sixth%20anniversary%20of%20JAL%u2019s%20bankruptcy%20in%202010.%20It%20seems%20like%20the%20business%20is%20flourishing%20now%2C%20but%20how%20would%20you%20like%20to%20see%20the%20company%20evolve%20in%20the%20future%3F%0A%0AJAL%20hit%20rock%20bottom%20in%202010.%20It%20was%20a%20horrid%20time%20and%20we%20hurt%20not%20only%20our%20employees%20and%20customers%2C%20but%20Japan%20as%20a%20whole.%20Since%20then%20we%20have%20all%20vowed%20never%20to%20experience%20that%20again%20and%20to%20become%20a%20strong%20company%20with%20solid%20management.%20The%20bankruptcy%20made%20us%20reconsider%20everything%20we%20had%20been%20doing%20until%20then.%20That%u2019s%20why%20when%20we%20introduced%20our%20new%20corporate%20values%20in%202010%2C%20we%20promised%20to%20make%20our%20employees%20satisfied.%20We%20learned%20the%20hard%20way%20that%20nothing%20positive%20can%20happen%20if%20our%20employees%20are%20not%20united.%20They%20will%20not%20treat%20customers%20well%20if%20they%20aren%u2019t%20being%20treated%20well.%20So%2C%20my%20vision%20for%20JAL%20over%20the%20coming%20years%20is%20that%20we%20should%20continue%20to%20make%20our%20employees%20happy%20and%20satisfied.%20That%u2019s%20how%20we%20can%20keep%20growing%20and%20delivering%20our%20best.%0A%0AWhat%20is%20your%20motto%20for%20educating%20your%20employees%3F%0A%0ATo%20never%20lose%20their%20sense%20of%20themselves.%20Young%20employees%20always%20start%20working%20filled%20with%20ambitions.%20As%20time%20passes%2C%20though%2C%20they%20fall%20into%20doing%20what%20everyone%20else%20does.%20That%u2019s%20what%20many%20companies%20lead%20them%20into%20becoming%2C%20because%20it%u2019s%20convenient%20for%20the%20bosses.%20I%20believe%20that%20nothing%20productive%20can%20come%20from%20that%20and%20that%u2019s%20why%20I%20always%20tell%20my%20staff%20to%20be%20who%20they%20are.%20To%20not%20be%20afraid%20to%20stand%20out%20or%20speak%20up.%20To%20have%20one%20thing%20they%20believe%20in%20and%20stick%20to%20it.%20To%20not%20be%20afraid%20to%20make%20mistakes.%20That%20is%20very%20important%20for%20the%20future%20of%20the%20company.%0A%0ADid%20you%20make%20any%20mistakes%20yourself%20when%20you%20were%20new%20to%20the%20business%3F%0A%0AMany.%20I%u2019ve%20been%20through%20a%20lot%20of%20difficult%20moments%20and%20I%u2019ve%20learned%20from%20them.%20Being%20a%20pilot%20puts%20you%20in%20a%20very%20responsible%20position.%20The%20moment%20you%20put%20your%20hands%20on%20the%20control%20bar%2C%20the%20indicator%20is%20on%3A%20you%20can%u2019t%20hide%20any%20mistakes.%20That%u2019s%20more%20pressure%20than%20you%20can%20imagine%21%20But%20that%20helped%20me%20mature%20professionally%20and%20personally.%0A%0AYou%u2019re%20a%20busy%20man%20with%20a%20lot%20on%20your%20plate.%20What%20do%20you%20like%20to%20do%20in%20your%20free%20time%3F%0A%0AI%20enjoy%20taking%20walks%20with%20my%20wife%2C%20especially%20during%20the%20cherry%20blossom%20season.%20I%20also%20enjoy%20interacting%20with%20all%20our%20employees%20%u2014%20we%20sometimes%20go%20out%20for%20drinks%20and%20dinner%20together.%0A%0AWhat%20was%20your%20dream%20when%20you%20were%20little%3F%20Did%20you%20always%20want%20to%20be%20a%20pilot%3F%0A%0AI%20started%20being%20interested%20in%20aviation%20only%20after%20high%20school.%20Until%20then%2C%20I%20was%20trying%20everything%20I%20could%3A%20learned%20abacus%2C%20played%20violin%20for%20six%20years%2C%20studied%20this%20and%20that%20%u2014%20and%20I%20failed%20at%20all%20of%20those.%20You%20should%20try%20listening%20to%20my%20violin%20now.%20It%20sounds%20as%20if%20I%20were%20playing%20on%20a%20radish.%20But%20once%20I%20decided%20on%20becoming%20a%20pilot%2C%20I%20never%20had%20any%20other%20pursuits.



source https://www.flickr.com/photo.gne?id=50906150876

0 nhận xét:

Đăng nhận xét

Happy New Year !!

Wishing you all a very happy NEW YEAR, dear friends !! Here is an image of sunrise over Andaman sea as taken from Havelock islands in Andam...

My Instagram