BA’s Flight Path To London 2012

As official airline partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, British Airways is giving its support to British talent through a series of brand and athlete partnerships. The airline has partnered with both UK Athletics (UKA) and British Swimming offering discounted and complimentary flights and support to UKA athletes, coaches and staff in the run up to the Games. This support extends to the GBR Swimming, Disability Swimming, Diving, Synchro and Water Polo teams.

British Airways is also supporting individual talent on their way to the London 2012 Games, and has signed up World Champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis, who joins sailing Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie, gymnast Olympic medallist Louis Smith and Paralympic medallist Shelly Woods as BA ambassadors.

These sporting heroes along with UKA and British Swimming athletes feature in a new print advertising campaign.  The athletes and governing bodies will also work with the airline to help spread interest in the 2012 Games internally through British Airways’ employee engagement programme. 

A PR and media campaign has been launched to support this and demonstrate how British Airways is helping athletes - whether through flights for training, qualifying or competitions, a bespoke fear-of-flying course, or a holiday from their training schedule.

Luisa Fernandez, British Airways global sponsorship manager, said: “We are delighted to work with such talented athletes who are set to soar to new heights at the London 2012 Games. They are a true inspiration to current and future generations of British talent, and we are proud to support them on their journey.”

This British Airways London 2012 activity forms part of the BA Great Britons programme, which alongside celebrating the best of British sporting talent offers career-defining opportunities in the fields of food, film and art.  Budding British talent can apply to collaborate with Heston Blumenthal, Richard E Grant and Tracey Emin on a creative project running up to the London 2012 Games – applications are open until July 27, 2011 at www.ba.com/greatbritons.com