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BA reveals name for the plane bringing home Team GB
British Airways has chosen the name ‘victoRIOus’ for the aircraft that will fly Team GB and ParalympicsGB home from the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The name was one of a short list of four selected by the athletes and BA staff after the airline put out a Twitter appeal for ideas.
To mark the occasion, the VIP charter aircraft has been named flight BA2016.
It will be decorated with a gold-nose and has its name ‘victoRIOus’ emblazoned on the side.
For Team GB’s homecoming, it also features ‘#greattobeBAck’ – a hashtag that the fans and athletes are encouraged to use.
BA chairman and CEO Alex Cruz said: "We’re excited to be bringing the athletes home ‘happy and glorious’ following the Games! victoRIOus is a very fitting name, reflecting the great pride we have for our sporting heroes, and is a great play on words too."
Team GB depart on flight BA2016 from Rio de Janeiro on Monday August 22 and land into Heathrow Terminal 5 the following morning at 9.55am to an invite-only media reception.
Fans can visit facebook.com/TeamGB from 9.55am on Tuesday for a live broadcast with the athletes once the aircraft touches down.
The aircraft will take flight again on September 20 when ParalympicsGB return home from the Rio 2016 Games.
British Airways is official airline supplier to Team GB and ParalympicsGB.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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