Why does UA use American FAs for language speakers?
Dec 10, 2017, 5:18 pm
#46
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Someone mentioned PANAM earlier. I remember when Japan became an important destination again, we started a program hiring "Nisei" stewardesses ( that's
what they were called at the time ) for their Japanese language skills. Of course we already had German speakers and other languages. Northwest Orient
followed and since then there was always Japanese speaking in-flight crew on board. Don't know about today's UA situation but I would venture to say that
the Unions pretty much killed the program and that's why you see mostly U.S. Citizens as foreign language speakers which might lead to some misunderstandings,
to put it lightly.
what they were called at the time ) for their Japanese language skills. Of course we already had German speakers and other languages. Northwest Orient
followed and since then there was always Japanese speaking in-flight crew on board. Don't know about today's UA situation but I would venture to say that
the Unions pretty much killed the program and that's why you see mostly U.S. Citizens as foreign language speakers which might lead to some misunderstandings,
to put it lightly.
Dec 10, 2017, 6:25 pm
#47
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
TPE was an AFA base. There also used to be CDG ad SCL AFA bases at one point but they closed.... It was and is a complex arrangement I don't think exists to the same extent at any other carrier, US-flagged or not (although I do know some other airlines have foreign language F/As here and there).
The genesis of PMUA's foreign FA bases was primarily for economic reasons. Language fluency for the benefit of customers was secondary at best. Regardless, UA won't be adding any more anytime soon.
Dec 10, 2017, 6:32 pm
#48
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
When I go to a foreign country where English is not the native language I appreciate any attempt to speak to me in English as I am woeful at foreign languages, with the exception of hello and thank you that I have learned in many languages. (People are amazed that I had such a global/international career but I was very fortunate English is the business language.) I take a similar approach with airlines. If I fly TAP I do not expect perfect English but I can generally understand the English that is spoken. Same with TAM, Azul, etc. I would hope that passengers who fly United take a similar approach. It is an American airline so the language will be English. There will be a FA communicating in the language of destination/origin but I do not think they should be expected to be native speakers.
Dec 10, 2017, 6:53 pm
#49
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,062
Dec 10, 2017, 9:13 pm
#50
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 1,659
Flights to and from Japan almost always have Japanese native speakers on. I recall that buyouts in 2014 took a bite out of the NRT base.
Dec 10, 2017, 9:53 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Somewhere I've Driven To
Programs: HiltonHonors, IHG Hotels, DL Skymiles
Posts: 2,070
I fly UA to/from Japan all the time and most of the Japanese speaking FAs are clearly native (note: I live in Japan and have done stuff like simultaneous interpreting so yeah, I can tell). Sometimes there are nonnative speakers but I can only think of one flight recently where the person obviously wasn't native (might have been AA though). Actually, sometimes the UA Japanese FAs aren't good at English, so I have to communicate with them in Japanese. NH and JL flight attendants are generally terrible at English and they basically only employ Japanese (last flight there was a Korean, although I highly suspect her family had lived in Japan for generations).
There are two GAs for UA in Chicago that I usually see at the NRT flight (and the NH flight to HND) that are obviously native speakers as well.
It is generally hard to find and keep employees who are good at two languages for many industries, not even considering the job and pay of an FA.
There are two GAs for UA in Chicago that I usually see at the NRT flight (and the NH flight to HND) that are obviously native speakers as well.
It is generally hard to find and keep employees who are good at two languages for many industries, not even considering the job and pay of an FA.
LOL. I recently flew NH from NRT to Ho Chi Minh City. Due to weather the flight was delayed almost three hours at the gate (after boarding). It was a late overnight flight so it became very uncomfortable while waiting with bright overhead cabin lights on the whole time. I asked several NH FA's if they could please dim the lighting (even with gestures pointing to the lights, covering my eyes, etc.) to no avail. Finally I asked again and was told "We have no WiFi". Ugh.
Dec 11, 2017, 1:05 am
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
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No. If you spend some time going through FAs' CBA, you will know that FAs are paid the same regardless of duty stations. The only difference is they are paid in the local currencies equivalent to their USD wages.