AIR STAGE

AIR STAGE (エアステージ, also styled AIRSTAGE) is a Japanese monthly magazine published by Ikaros Publishing that focuses on employment and career information for the aviation industry. It was first launched in August 1985 under the title Stewardess Magazine (スチュワーデスマガジン), a spin-off of Ikaros Publishing's passenger-aircraft magazine Airline (月刊エアライン). In January 2000, in line with the enforcement of Japan's Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women in April 1999, the magazine dropped the term "stewardess" and adopted its current name, AIR STAGE. The change reflected a broadening of coverage from female cabin crew to all aviation-related occupations, including ground staff such as ground hostesses and general-track positions, for both men and women. The magazine's content centers on recruitment information from airlines and on preparation for cabin-crew and ground-staff hiring examinations, including interview techniques, photo presentation, dress, and makeup advice. Each issue's cover features a current cabin attendant in uniform. Regular sections include job information for cabin crew and airport ground positions, introductions to the work of active cabin crew and ground staff, flight reports, recruitment-exam preparation, makeup and fashion lessons, and general-knowledge question collections. Although newer Japanese carriers such as Skymark and Air Do, as well as LCCs, have hired male cabin crew since their founding, Japan's largest airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA, have hired very few male cabin attendants, so the magazine has historically been dominated by content aimed at women, with very little content for men. In recent years it has sometimes run features for readers aspiring to be male cabin crew, and in 2020 it published a separate issue devoted to male cabin crew. As of the November 2020 issue, AIR STAGE is published by Ikaros Publishing, goes on sale on the 28th of each month, is priced at 1,188 yen (tax included), and has an annual subscription rate of 15,096 yen (tax and shipping included). In 2009, the Aviation Travel Handbook (航空旅行ハンドブック) was published twice a year, for summer and winter schedules, as a supplement to the magazine. The magazine is unrelated to the similarly named drone company AIRSTAGE (www.rc-airstage.com).

AIR STAGE originated as Stewardess Magazine (スチュワーデスマガジン), first published in August 1985 by Ikaros Publishing. It was a spin-off of the publisher's passenger-aircraft magazine Airline (月刊エアライン) and was positioned as a job-information magazine for aspiring cabin crew. The title reflected the era's terminology, in which female cabin attendants were commonly called "stewardesses." In April 1999, Japan's Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women came into force, prompting a change in the magazine's name. From January 2000, the word "stewardess" was removed and the magazine adopted the current title, AIR STAGE. With the rename, its scope expanded beyond cabin crew to cover all aviation-related occupations for both men and women, including ground staff such as ground hostesses and general-track positions. Over the following decades, the Japanese aviation market changed with deregulation. New carriers such as Skymark and Air Do, and later low-cost carriers, hired male cabin crew from their founding. However, the country's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA, hired very few male cabin attendants, so AIR STAGE's content remained largely oriented toward women, with only limited material for men. In recent years the magazine has occasionally run features for readers who aspire to be male cabin crew, and in 2020 it published a separate issue focused on male cabin crew. In 2009, the Aviation Travel Handbook (航空旅行ハンドブック) was issued twice a year, for summer and winter schedules, as a supplement to the magazine. As of the November 2020 issue, AIR STAGE is published by Ikaros Publishing, goes on sale on the 28th of each month, is priced at 1,188 yen (tax included), and has an annual subscription rate of 15,096 yen (tax and shipping included). The magazine is not connected to the similarly named drone company AIRSTAGE (www.rc-airstage.com).

• 2020

  A separate issue devoted to male cabin crew is published.

• 2009

  Aviation Travel Handbook (航空旅行ハンドブック) published twice a year as a supplement to the magazine.

• 2000

  Renamed AIR STAGE, dropping "stewardess" and broadening coverage to all aviation-related occupations for men and women.

• 1999

  Japan's Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women takes effect, prompting the magazine's rename.

• 1985

  First published as Stewardess Magazine (スチュワーデスマガジン) by Ikaros Publishing.

A specialized monthly employment-information magazine for the Japanese aviation industry, historically focused on cabin-crew and ground-staff careers.

• 月刊エアステージ (monthly magazine)

  Monthly employment-information magazine for the aviation industry, on sale on the 28th of each month.

• 航空旅行ハンドブック (supplement)

  Supplement published twice a year for summer and winter schedules, as of 2009.

• Male cabin crew special issue

  Separate issue focused on male cabin crew, published in 2020.

1. 1エアステージ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
2. 2AIR STAGE - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3月刊エアステージ (official site)ikaros.co.jp