Photo Journal: Girls' Day flight

Female staff involved in a "Hinamatsuri," or Girl's Day, flight bound for Miyazaki from Tokyo's Haneda Airport, launched by Japan Airlines Co. on March 3, pose for a photo at the departure gate at the airport in Tokyo's Ota Ward the same day. The flight, the ninth of its kind, was handled exclusively by some 20 female staff, including Captain Ari Fuji, the cabin crew and mechanics. As the Boeing 737-800 plane, carrying 152 passengers, started moving, female staff from various sections of the airline company stood by and waved. Kanami Ando, a mechanic in charge of confirming departure signs, said afterwards that although she had taken part in "Hinamatsuri" flights in the past, she had particularly been looking forward to taking charge of this year's flight in her capacity as a chief mechanic giving final approval of the aircraft's mechanical condition -- a title she was given in December 2016. (Mainichi)