Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Strange Nature Gin from New Zealand, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
UAE. Today’s images come in photo and video form courtesy of Zayed International Airport CEO Elena Sorlini, who pointed us to this scintillatingly joyous film that will appeal to lovers of the beautiful game and air travellers alike.
It is a collaboration between national carrier Etihad Airways and Manchester City Football Club, the airline having been an official partner of the multiple trophy-winning English team since 2009.
The short film has generated over 3 million views since being premiered this week in New York at a celebratory event marking the return of Etihad’s A380 connecting Abu Dhabi to the Big Apple.
Titled ‘Football should always be Fun’, it sees layovers turn into playovers as elite players from the Treble-winning Manchester City men’s first team produce some breathtaking football inside Etihad Airways’ new home, Zayed International Airport, which opened in late 2023.
The story begins with a young Emirati watching a clip of Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola on his mobile phone while walking through the airport. He looks up to see a pyramid display of footballs before spotting some of the Manchester City stars, including Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, at the airport.
The young fan motions to grab a ball but is discouraged by Jack Grealish. However, he decides to take one after receiving a nod of approval from Pep Guardiola himself, causing the pyramid to collapse and hundreds of balls to scatter across the terminal.
Manchester City players then show off their remarkable football skills to rebuild the display. The video – also featuring Ederson, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Nathan Ake – ends with the players and manager catching a flight back to Manchester.
Etihad Chief Executive Officer Antonoaldo Neves said: “This video captures the joy of any young football fan given the opportunity to interact with their favourite sporting stars. It’s also a fantastic medium for showcasing Etihad Airways’ stunning new terminal – the backdrop for a compelling story where a boy and his fellow passengers get to see some of the modern era’s greatest players.
“Working with Manchester City on this project represents our latest collaboration with the world’s champion football club. We thank Pep Guardiola and the Manchester City players for making such a wonderful video to showcase the premium experience that our guests can expect when travelling to, from or through Zayed International Airport.”
Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director and CEO Elena Sorlini said: “Since its inception, we wanted Zayed International Airport to be a welcoming place for travellers worldwide, a place that reimagines the airport experience and where everyone can feel at home, enjoying the sense of a place they feel comfortable in. We are happy that this iconic video shows how at ease the Manchester Football Club players are, playing football like the terminal was their training field.
“It is a stunning video with an outstanding narrative celebrating our brand new Zayed International Airport as Etihad Airways’ new home and featuring the mastery of the elite players from the Manchester City Football Club. We believe it will propel our objectives of re-imagining the airport experience while displaying the onsite Emirati culture and hospitality that concur to make Zayed International Airport unique by connecting past and present to welcome travellers from all over the world to Abu Dhabi.
“A breathtaking fusion of modern materials, natural light and space, Zayed International Airport proved to be the ideal location for such a spectacular display of the Manchester City football players’ skills.”
Manchester City Football Club Chief Executive Officer Ferran Soriano said: “Manchester City has a longstanding partnership with Etihad Airways and together we have celebrated a number of very special moments. The unveiling of this video is one of them as it marks a special moment for Etihad Airways and for the new and extraordinary Zayed International Airport.
“Our players and managers were delighted to participate in such a high-quality, creative video campaign, shot in such an impressive venue. They also had a lot of fun filming it and are proud of the result.
“We hope that Etihad and Zayed International Airport customers and City fans around the world will enjoy it.”
Zayed International Airport has the capability to handle up to 45 million customers annually, supporting Etihad’s growth plans as part of its Journey 2030 vision.
Etihad’s expansive new terminal lounges feature an array of cuisine and dining options, a rooftop cocktail bar, a variety of relaxation spaces, games room and a family room.
Look out for our extensive coverage of this modern-day wonder of the airport world, coming soon. ✈
