From flight attendant to first female president: Japan Airlines announces new boss

Osaka, Japan - November 29, 2013: Japan Airlines Boeing 777 taking off at Osaka International Airport in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan.
Edited by Travel Weekly


Japan Airlines has announced that a former flight attendant will become the carrier’s first female president.

Mitsuko Tottori signed on with the Japanese carrier in 1985 as a cabin crew member and, over the years, worked her way up to one of the top jobs. She will take over the position from Yuji Akasaka on 1 April.

The new president worked on the front lines of the airline up until 2015, when she became the senior director of the cabin attendants office. From there, Tottori made her up the company to chief customer officer in June 2023.

Tottori said she hopes that her promotion “can encourage them, or give them the courage to take the next step”, according to the BBC. She also said that she wants to prioritise safety more so now that she’s in the top job.

“I have spent most of my career at the frontline of safety and customer services – that is the cabinet attendants’ division,” she told a press conference.

“Operational safety is the foundation of airlines. I will continue to demonstrate my firm commitment to this principle.”

Tottori’s appointment comes after Joanna Geraghty was appointed as the CEO of JetBlue – the first time in history that a woman has held the top job in a US airline.

(Featured Image: Japan Airlines Boeing 777 taking off at Osaka International Airport)

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