Boeing

Executives from Japan Airlines and Boeing [NYSE: BA] break open a sake (rice wine) barrel May 7 to commemorate JAL's 149th and 150th Boeing twin-aisle airplane deliveries. The latest 777-200 and 777-200ER will be joining the JAL Group's predominantly Boeing fleet of 737s, 747s, 767s, 777s, DC-10s, MD-11s and Airbus A300 types.

On hand for the occasion were Japan Airlines' Norio Ogo, managing director and senior vice president of Engineering & Maintenance and president of Engineering & Maintenance Company; and Takashi Obara, vice president and deputy general manager of Maintenance Planning and Administration. From Boeing Commercial Airplanes were Alan Mulally, president and CEO; and Larry Dickenson, senior vice president of Sales.

According to Japanese tradition, the breaking of sake barrel during a ceremony signifies a new beginning of a happy and prosperous time to come, and also marks the event as an important milestone. In addition to celebrating JAL's 150th Boeing twin-aisle airplane delivery, Mulally also recognized the 50th anniversary of Boeing's operation in Japan. The JAL Group currently operates approximately 280 airplanes to 173 destinations throughout the world.