Manchester City might not be flying at quite the heights of last season yet, and we stress yet, but that hasn’t stopped their main sponsor, Etihad Airways, from unveiling a special Manchester City-branded Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The special Manchester City livery design appears on a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, as Etihad celebrates its longstanding partnership with the current Premier League champions. The aircraft made its inaugural flight to Manchester from Abu Dhabi on 21 October, and guests travelling on the flight were given Manchester City merchandise before being met by Omar Berrada, chief operating officer for Manchester City, Joleon Lescott, Karen Bardsley and mascots when they landed on UK soil.
Robin Kamark, chief commercial officer of the Etihad Aviation Group, said: “As we celebrate a decade of this successful partnership, we are proud to see the Manchester City colours grace our runways and skies, as the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner takes flight. This livery pays tribute to the club’s incredible accomplishments on and off the pitch.
“Manchester is a very important destination in the Etihad network serving both business and leisure travellers. We are proud to showcase the city, and our partnership with the club through this uniquely branded aircraft. It is only fitting that its first commercial flight is to Manchester."
Omar Berrada added: “Manchester City’s partnership with Etihad Airways continues to go from strength to strength and this new livery is yet another example of how Etihad are celebrating the achievements of the Club with fans around the world.”
