- Airline unveils special Vince
Carter livery celebrating the Hall of Famer's career as
Toronto Raptors retire Carter's Number 15 jersey
MONTREAL, Nov. 1, 2024
/CNW/ - Air Canada is joining forces with Vince Carter to celebrate his career as the
Toronto Raptors prepare to retire his jersey tomorrow evening.
Adding to the excitement, Air Canada has unveiled a special
Vince Carter livery in honour of his
impact on basketball in Canada.
Carter, known for his gravity-defying dunks, earned the nickname
"Air Canada" during his seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors.
This connection was solidified as he played in the arena where, at
the time, Air Canada was the inaugural naming sponsor, tying the
athlete, the airline, and Canadian basketball together in a
memorable way.
"Everyone at Air Canada is beyond excited to celebrate
Vince Carter's trailblazing career,"
said Andy Shibata, Vice President,
Brand at Air Canada. "As national carrier the country's national
airline, we're proud of our long-standing support for Canada's teams and exceptional athletes.
Vince Carter's legacy shows that in
addition to his number taking its place in the rafters, it also is
meant to fly."
The livery will fly high until end of April 2025, proudly featuring Carter's
silhouette, signature, and jersey number. The aircraft
undercarriage will also bear Carter's name and number, so fans can
spot the plane as it soars over the country he helped catapult onto
basketball's global stage.
"The city of Toronto, and
Canada as a whole, has meant so
much to me throughout my career," said Vince Carter. "I am deeply touched by this
tribute from Air Canada and can't wait to share the excitement with
all the incredible fans across the country."
Air Canada is committed to
supporting and celebrating Canadian teams and athletes who
exemplify excellence while valuing diversity and
inclusivity, as part of its ongoing commitment to share the
best of Canada with the world. The
partnership in honour of Carter reflects this commitment,
celebrating a true icon and his remarkable career in Canada.
"Like Raptors fans, we are incredibly excited to celebrate a
pivotal moment in franchise history, and Air Canada is uniquely
positioned to join us in providing Raptors fans an unforgettable
experience to honour the basketball icon dubbed 'Air Canada'," said
Jordan Vader, Senior Vice President,
Global Partnerships, MLSE. "From the unveil of a first-of-its kind
livery to special branded activations during the jersey retirement
game, we look forward to sharing these history-making moments with
fans alongside Air Canada."
The airline will also salute Carter's legacy during his
November 2 jersey retirement, with
in-game virtual signage, an employee-led t-shirt toss and
heart-felt tribute video.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag
carrier and a founding member of Star
Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation
network. Air Canada provides
scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in
Canada, the United States and Internationally on six
continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air
Canada's Aeroplan program is
Canada's premier travel loyalty
program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's
largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an
extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners.
Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than
any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations
worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day
tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo,
provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of
destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and
freighter aircraft. Air Canada aims to achieve a long-term
aspirational goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Air
Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.
Internet: aircanada.com/media
Read Our Annual Report Here
Sign up for Air Canada news: aircanada.com
Media Resources:
Photos
Videos
B-Roll
Articles
SOURCE Air Canada