Catherwood LibraryILR School

Japan is experiencing a shortage of airport ground handlers and needs an increase of workers to prevent delays in flight departures and arrivals. Airport ground handlers are responsible for ramp handling, cargo loading, and passenger assistance duties. The number of employees who worked in passenger assistance decreased more compared to the decline in ramp handling workers. The Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Union created a website that showcased promotional comics about airport ground handling. Using comics as a medium allows the union to reach younger high school and college audiences. Last year, Japan formed an organization called The Airport Ground Handling Association, and the country’s 400 ground handling companies are a part of the organization. The group was created to address the worker shortages in the industry, which are largely due to mediocre wages and difficult working conditions, as well as a large number of resignations during the COVID-19 pandemic.