About Us

Virgin Blue Launches Gold Coast Suns Aircraft

18/02/2011

COOLANGATTA, Friday 18 February 2011: The Virgin Blue Group of Airlines today launched an official Gold Coast SUNS branded Boeing 737 aircraft to mark their official sponsorship of the team.

The Gold Coast SUNS team today travelled on the aircraft, departing Coolangatta for Sydney to compete in their first ever official game on Saturday night as part of the NAB AFL Cup.

Virgin Blue Group Executive Commercial Liz Savage said Virgin Blue was very proud to partner with the SUNS and the branded plane was a flying symbol of strong support for the team.

“We wish the SUNS all the very best for their first ever match and want them to know that Virgin Blue and the Queensland community are right behind them for this important day.

“As the new official airline of the AFL we recently also launched another 737 aircraft that proudly displays the AFL brand and the logos of each AFL club.

"This is just one of the many ways that we will support the Gold Coast SUNS and the AFL through our new partnership and we look forward to continuing to provide the AFL with great service on our extensive network,” Ms. Savage said.

Facts on the Gold Coast SUNS 737 aircraft:

·200m2 of environmentally friendly vinyl went onto the plane to create the Gold Coast SUNS logo.

·It took five days to digitally print and then cut the vinyl and another three days to install it.

·A team of five hand-picked specialists installed the vinyl onto the Gold Coat SUNS plane.

·A fine coat of special paint was coated over the vinyl to stop airflow lifting it off.

·The installation took place in the Melbourne Virgin Blue hangar.

·A special print process for the vinyl ensures it handles the extreme environments that aircraft operate in (travelling at 900km per hour and -50 degrees while in the air and then sitting on a tarmac in Darwin in up to 50 degree heat).

·120cm wide strips of vinyl were installed onto the plane. The longest strip fitted was five metres long.

Still images of the plane are available upon request.

Issued by Virgin Blue Group of Airlines Corporate Communications