It seems like more and more commercial airplanes are turning into Flying Billboards, which is probably smart marketing given their constant location changes and prominent positioning at airport gates when thousands of people can see the message during turnarounds. Now and then, something special comes along, be it the Lord of the Rings in New Zealand, the K-Pop Stars in Korea, or the makeover of an Air Transat jet revealed yesterday.

Spreading the word about CF Montreal

On Thursday, Canada’s Air Transat and professional soccer club CF Montréal celebrated their partnership with the unveiling of an exclusive new livery. The livery features the Club’s logo and sits in peaceful harmony with the Air Transat branding on the Airbus A321LR, symbolizing the ongoing collaboration between these two Montreal institutions.

An Air Transat A321LR taxing down for take off at Glasgow

Photo: Liner / Shutterstock 

Featuring CF Montréal’s logo on the narrowbody marks an important milestone in the partnership that began this year. The two organizations share a passion for soccer [aka football] as a universal and unifying sport that reflects the airline’s values of diversity and dynamism.

Air Transat Airbus A321LR

Photo: Airbus

The new livery is also an opportunity to raise Montreal’s profile on the international scene, highlighting its position as a sporting and cultural hub of Canada. Xavier Szwengler, Vice President Marketing and Loyalty at Transat, said the airline is delighted to add a new dimension to its partnership with CF Montréal thanks to this livery. He added:

“By flying this aircraft throughout our network, which spans four continents, we are helping to position Montreal as a must-see destination on the international stage while raising the profile of our partner outside the country.”

A makeover for a brand-new jet

The aircraft carrying the soccer club’s logo is a 2024 Airbus A321LR, registration C-GOKE and MSN 11802, that arrived at Air Transat on May 30, 2024. The narrowbody was ferried from Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW) in Germany to Montréal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

Air Transat Airbus A321LR landing.

Photo: Tea and Biscuit Photos | Shutterstock

Within a week, the A321LR was in service, and since then, it has flown more than 300 flights, with almost all on international routes from Montrèal. Some recent destinations include Nice (NCE), Paris (CDG), Brussels (BRU), Cancun (CUN), Lima (LIM), Dublin (DUB), London (LGW), Glasgow (GLA) and Varadero Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport in Cuba.

According to data from Planespotters.net, Air Transat has an all-Airbus fleet of 43 aircraft, with an average age of 10.8 years, although its A321neo aircraft average just 2.7 years old. The fleet includes eight Airbus A321-200s, 19 A321neos, 14 A330-200s and two A330-300s.

Air Transat Airbus A330 Departing From Manchester

Photo: Bradley Caslin/Shutterstock

The A321neo single-aisle jets are configured in a two-class layout of 199 seats, including 12 in business class and 187 in economy. The A330-200s are set up to carry 345 passengers, while the A330-300s carry 346, with 12 in business and 334 in economy.

How does the soccer club feel about the livery?

CF Montrèal Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Eric Nadeau said the unique livery is more than a visual representation; it is a celebration of our partnership with Air Transat. He said it “reflects the synergy between our two organizations.”

“We are thrilled to see our Club’s colors soar through the sky on the wings of such a respected airline. This initiative will reinforce our visibility and reach our supporters in a different way. “

He also hopes that the passengers who can fly aboard the customized aircraft will feel the same pride. CF Montrèal was founded in 1992 and has been playing in the MLS (Major League Soccer) since 2012, winning the Canadian Championship five times and reaching the final of the CONCACAF Champions League in 2015.

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