AirAsia honors Pacquiao with livery
AIRASIA PHILIPPINES took its partnership with Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao a notch higher, honoring the fighter with a livery on one of its aircraft.
Launched last Tuesday, the Manny Pacquiao livery is painted on AirAsia’s 180- seater Airbus A320 airplane. It bears the image of Mr. Pacquiao with his name and team logo set in the Philippine colors of red, blue and yellow.
According to officials of the airline, the livery was made for a month by its in-house artists. The design was approved by Mr. Pacquiao and his team.
The livery will be on the aircraft for a year, officials said.
AirAsia Philippines Chief Executive Officer Joy Cañeba said the Pacquiao livery, the first of its kind in the country, was done primarily to honor Mr. Pacquiao for what he has accomplished in the boxing ring and the pride he has brought to the Philippines.
“We celebrate Manny as a hero and icon who showed us that perseverance can make dreams come true. In his honor, we have paint- ed our aircraft with his name and face…” Ms. Cañeba said.
For AirAsia Philippines President Maan Hontiveros, having Mr. Pacquiao as a brand representative has been great for the company, describing the eightdivision world boxing champion as a “perfect partner.”
“It has been great. Pacquiao is self-made. Man of the masses. In spite of the heights he has reached he remains humble,” Ms. Hontiveros said when asked by
BusinessWorld during the livery launch on her thoughts on Mr. Pacquiao being a partner of the company.
“He’s a perfect partner for us because that is what we aspire to be. We want to be for the people. We don’t ever want to be on the state of being arrogant. We are inspired by him and we hope we can emulate what he has achieved as well,” she added.
To celebrate the livery launch, AirAsia surprised lucky guests on board the Airbus A320 with the Pacquiao image with free passes to nationwide live viewing party of Mr. Pacquiao’s much- awaited welterweight fight against American Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on Sunday, as well as souvenir items.
Officials said the free passes to watch the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will be given until May 2 which can be used at SM Mall of Asia Centerstage Cinema in Pasay City, Regency Hotel in Boracay, New Cebu Coliseum in Cebu City, USEP Gymnasium and Cultural Center in Davao City and Nazareth Gymnasium in Cagayan de Oro City.
AirAsia is also offering promotional seats from as low as P399 as base fare for a one-way trip to or from Manila, Cebu, Kalibo ( Boracay), Tagbilaran ( Bohol), Tacloban, Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.
The promotional fare also covers international destinations, such as Hong Kong, Macau, Incheon (Seoul), Kuala Lumpur, and Kota Kinabalu for guests traveling from June 15 to Oct. 15 this year. —