Papaya in the skies, and a feed of good vibes

I have to pinch myself to make sure that it’s real. Quite regularly, this job puts me in a situation where standing under a bright-orange aeroplane with one of the country’s business leaders before meet- ing a personal hero was definitely one of those moments. 

At Etihad Engineering in Abu Dhabi on Monday, a Dreamliner was revealed dressed head to tail in McLaren papaya. No one had ever put a Formula 1 team’s colours on a wide-body passenger jet. 

Before the big reveal (a World Record, apparently), Gulf News was given exclusive early access to the stunning aircraft and Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, who showed me around the shimmering paintwork before sitting down to update me on everything from fuel prices to route expansion.

If that wasn’t enough, Zak Brown, who runs McLaren Racing, came for a chat after the unveiling. I have to admit to be- ing a big fan of the British-based team and Brown himself. They say don’t meet your heroes, but Brown was everything I hoped he would be: engaging, positive, polite and someone who lives for racing. I could have talked to him for hours. 

Despite the companies being in very different industries, there’s a lot of crossover, including a lot of travelling, a focus on premium and winning in their markets. It is a fitting match and a proud partnership for the UAE. Look out for the papaya plane when you’re next at the gate. 

Oh! Yeah, we’re excited Monday was a privilege, but Wednesday was even bigger for the team and me.

Gulf News launched Oh! Yeah Dubai, our new sister brand on Instagram and TikTok at @ohyeahdubai. The excitement in GN HQ this week has been impossible to miss, and I’ll admit I’ve caught it too, wearing my new blue baseball cap with pride (even if I am slightly old for the audience we’re aiming for). 

It’s a young brand for anyone who wants to get more out of this city: where to eat, how to save a few dirhams, what’s free this weekend, what’s just opened, and what to do when your Friday plans fall apart at the last minute. You won’t find clickbait or doom-scrolling there. We have also promised not to gatekeep, which, I’m reliably told by colleagues a good deal younger than me, is the worst thing you can do online. 

Why would a media company founded in 1978 want to launch a new social media-focused brand? Because we have spent nearly 50 years telling the story of Dubai and the UAE, and many of the people living that story today start their morning with a scroll, not a homepage. If we want to keep telling it, we have to turn up where they are and talk the way they talk. 

Both big moments this week came about because people refused to sit and wait for their audience to find them. I feel fortunate to have been part of both, and I now know to push harder as being second isn’t acceptable. 

Now, go on, give us a follow (or tell your kids/grandkids to follow us if you’ve got as many grey hairs as I do).