In a TV commercial aired all last summer, airline passengers are shown relaxing when the pilot comes on the PA to make the usual announcement about travel times and weather. Nobody seems alarmed when they learn that the skipper is teen golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa, who isn't old enough to drive a car much less a commercial jet.

In fact, they seem impressed. And so am I, not because Ishikawa is at the controls, but because All Nippon Airways, which operates the flight, was able to afford him. Ishikawa is one of the hottest properties in advertising right now, and the fact that ANA snagged him says something about their confidence in these financially troubled times.

To put the matter into perspective, ANA's competitor, Japan Airlines, which once set the standard for sophisticated TV commercials, appears to have withdrawn from broadcast advertising. According to the airline's Web site, its newest "commercials" can only be seen on JAL flights, thus rendering them pointless. The company can't afford air time. This past summer alone, JAL sold its stake in Hokkaido Air Systems, reported a quarterly group loss of ¥99 billion, announced that it will cut 10 percent of its workforce by 2012, suspended or reduced flights on 16 different international and domestic routes (26 since Jan. 1), begged its retired employees to give up part of their pensions, and switched from glass wine bottles to plastic ones — but only in coach. Some things just can't be compromised.