Official airline of Canadian teams for PyeongChang 2018 Games and Tokyo 2020 Games
MONTREAL, December 18, 2017 – Air Canada announced today that it has renewed its sponsorship as the Official Airline of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee. The four-year agreement extends through the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.
“As Canada’s official airline, we believe our country deserves to be celebrated,” says Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams represent the best of Canada, showing off the ambition and drive of our people. We’re proud to be a piece of home connecting those athletes to their country while they’re abroad, and helping to make sure they arrive ready to perform at their very best.”
“We’re thrilled to be renewing our relationship with Air Canada for another four years,” says Chris Overholt, CEO and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Games after Games, our athletes have experienced the world-class comfort and surpassing professionalism that Air Canada offers.”
“As a world class travel partner, Air Canada plays an important role in our athletes’ care and comfort while travelling to the Games, which has a direct positive impact on their readiness to compete,” said Karen O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Paralympic Committee.
Air Canada has been a sponsor of Canada’s Olympic Team since 1988 and a sponsor of Canada’s Paralympic Team since 2007. The partnership builds on Air Canada’s commitment to Team Canada from their efforts at 2016’s Games, when Air Canada flew more than 690 Canadian athletes, coaches and support staff to Rio.
Through these arrangements, the airline provides special services and transport for competitions. As well, under the renewed agreement Air Canada will:
Renew its Altitude Podium Program to provide qualified athletes 35K status and access to International Maple Leaf lounges while competing abroad;
Give athletes individual Care & Share packages for added comfort during the flight and include memorabilia they can share with others at the games;
Sponsor the outdoor area, available to the public, at the Canadian Olympic House in PyeongChang;
And host airport celebrations as athletes arrive at and return from the games.
To further show its support, Air Canada has entered into an agreement with five high-profile athletes who will be featured in a campaign beginning in January. They include figure skaters Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir; freestyle skier (halfpipe) Cassie Sharpe; and Paralympic biathlon skier Mark Arendz.
