Hideki Matsui to fly high with JAL

See a familiar, or not so familiar face for those who do not follow baseball, flying through the skies at 30,000 feet, no need for concern it is most likely Hideki Matsui! The Japan Airlines Group is enlisting the aid of their U.S. Major League baseball image character, New York Yankees' power hitter Hideki Matsui, in a summer campaign to attract Japanese domestic air travelers that features two aircraft decorated with the famous slugger's portrait.

Japan Airlines and Japan Air Systems are merging and one of the objectives of the new airline group is to become one of the world's leading air transport groups.

'Together with Matsui-san,' say the two carriers,' we want to create a new dream this summer, hence the summer campaign - the JAL and JAS GO-GO MATSUI CAMPAIGN'.

The Japanese love puns and GO GO has several meanings in Japan. For example, 'go' in Japanese means number 5, and Matsui's Yankee shirt bears the number 55, which can be read as GO GO.

A JAL domestic 747 and a JAS Airbus 300-600 will carry Matsui's portrait, plus an image of the ball that he hit for his first home run as a Yankee. 'Matsui-Jet Number One,' the JAL 747 with the batter's portrait, makes its debut on June 25 on the Tokyo-Komatsu route and later that day will make two round trip flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Sapporo. The JAS Airbus, 'Matsui-Jet Number Two' will fly from July 18.

Passengers on all flights by the eight JAL Group domestic* carriers during the campaign period are eligible for a draw either for tickets for a special two-hour 'GO-GO Matsui Dream Flight' or for 55,000 mobile telephone straps decorated with a miniature Matsui figure. Additionally, the JAL Group is running a competition for junior school children for Dream Flight tickets.  Entrants have to submit a pictorial diary with the theme 'My Dream Trip'. There are also consolation prizes of 55,000 yen gift coupons for 55 people who fail to win a 'phone strap or a pair of tickets for the 'GO GO Matsui Dream Flight.

The' JAL and JAS GO-GO MATSUI CAMPAIGN' will run from July 18 through September 30.