Emirates takes big leap in sports aid

Dubai: Emirates is taking one giant leap in the world of sports sponsorship by flying its A380 to Milan for the official unveiling of AC Milan's new Fly Emirates shirt.

The superjumbo gesture, the first chance passengers have had to fly commercially to and from Italy on an A380, will form the backdrop of a high profile event on July 29 at Malpensa Airport.

The A380 will replace Emirates' morning Milan service out of Dubai, (EK093). It will depart from Terminal 3 at 6.40am and arrive at 12.15pm in Milan.

The double-decker offers 14 first class private suites, 76 new generation fully-flat seats in business class and 399 seats in a roomier economy cabin.

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However, the most talked about aspects of the Emirates A380 are the onboard lounge where premium passengers can enjoy a drink and talk business with other travellers, as well as the onboard shower spas.

Salem Obaidullah, Emirates senior vice-president of commercial operations for Europe and Russian Federation, said: "Emirates enjoys making big statements and they don't get much bigger than this. The AC Milan shirt unveiling is a great opportunity to showcase our A380 product and demonstrate our commitment to sport, especially when it is just two days ahead of the Emirates Cup in London on July 31 when the new shirt will be worn by the team for the first time during a game."

In the presence of world famous players David Beckham — who was on loan from LA Galaxy at the time, and Ronaldinho, Emirates announced in February a new 60 million euro (Dh278 million) deal with AC Milan, giving the airline prestigious shirt sponsor status over five years.

The adidas shirt will be unveiled officially at Malpensa Airport attended by the AC Milan team and VIP guests.