Commonwealth Games Scotland and Emirates Airline today announced that the award-winning airline will be the ‘Official Airline and Travel Partner’ of the Scottish Team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October next year. Last year Scotland’s Youth team travelled to India with Emirates to compete in the third Commonwealth Youth Games.

With daily direct flights from Glasgow to Dubai and onward to Delhi, Emirates will provide the team of approximately 250 athletes and staff with the best possible travel option to reach the Games in great shape. Be they 4ft gymnasts or 6ft 6″ rugby players, team members between 15 and 65 years of age will all get acquainted first hand with the flying experience that has won Emirates numerous awards since its conception in 1985.
Rugby legend and Commonwealth Games Ambassador, Gavin Hastings, was at the Emirates’ fifth anniversary celebrations in Glasgow to meet some of Scotland’s up and coming athletes who won medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, last autumn. Gavin was there to share the benefits of his experience as a world class athlete and to provide encouragement to the youngsters as they set their sights on teaming up with Emirates on the route to Delhi.

Tomorrow (1 May) also marks the start of the selection period for athletes across all 17 sports in the Games and the chance to book their seat on the plane. Delhi will be the first occasion that tennis has been included in the Games programme and archery will make a welcome return after a lapse of 28 years.

On board, athletes will be able to relax in preparation for the Games and experience Emirates’ award winning inflight system, ice.

With up to 24 meal choices on each flight, Emirates will also have the recipe for success when it comes to providing the team with the correct nutritional requirements as they fly to the other side of the globe.

For Delhi, Emirates SkyCargo is gearing to transport up to 55kg of luggage per athlete as well as sports equipment such as pole vaults averaging 4.6m in length, 13 kit bags of bowls weighing a total of 83kg, 32 bags with hockey sticks, pads, balls and goalkeeping equipment, 20 bicycles with 60 wheels.

Jon Doig, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland welcomed the Emirates sponsorship. He said “We are delighted that Emirates has agreed to be our Official Airline and Travel Partner for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This will be the second successive Games we have joined forces with Emirates and there is no doubt that the quality of service that our team experienced when we went to Melbourne in 2006 played a significant factor in our team’s superb performance and we are confident that the same will apply in Delhi.

“We look forward to working closely with Emirates over the coming months to put our detailed travel arrangements in place.”

Laurie Berryman, Emirates’ Area Manager UK North, said: “The Commonwealth Games remains a remarkably unifying sporting tradition that we have enjoyed for 79 years.”

“The Scottish Commonwealth Team brought back its highest medal tally in 2006 and Emirates are proud to be a part of their journey as they strive for renewed Commonwealth success next year in Delhi.”

Pictured alongside 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games Medallists Martin Campbell (Badminton), Jonathan Slowey (Boxing), Robyn Matthews (Swimming), Lynsey Sharp (Athletics), Douglas Scott (Swimming) and Craig McKenna (Wrestling) are Gillian Turner and Jill Sutherland (Emirates), Laurie Berryman (Emirates Area North Manager, Gavin Hastings (2006 Commonwelath Games Ambassador) and Jon Doig (Chief Executive Commonwealth Games Scotland)