Dubai-based Emirates is well known as the world’s largest Airbus A380 operator. It has also been known to adorn some of its superjumbos in various special liveries in the past commemorating or marking various events, sporting teams, or outreach programs in which it is involved.
However, on October 18, 2024, the airline revealed arguably its most stunning special livery yet to be applied to an A380. The carrier rolled out an all-blue plane to mark the carrier’s appointment as the Official Global Airline Partner of the US-based NBA (National Basketball Association) as well as being the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup.
The livery features an all-blue fuselage with the standard billboard ‘Emirates’ titles in red (outlined in white) rather than the conventional gold. The rear fuselage features the NBA logo alongside a bouncing basketball motif. Lastly, the tail of the aircraft displays the regular Emirates tail featuring a stylized UAE flag of white, red, green, and black, while the engine nacelles are also bold red similar to that of the main titles, which are also emblazoned with the distinct white calligraphy-style Emirates logo.
According to a statement issued by the company, the newly-revealed livery celebrates the arrival of the much-anticipated 2024-25 NBA season, and “captures the spirit of the Emirates and NBA marketing partnership, making its way across the airline’s global network.”
The Emirates-NBA A380 livery was a full repaint of the carrier’s A380 registered A6-EOD – an “elaborate project encompassing design, painting, production, and installation to bring the customized aircraft to life.” The repainting process, which was carried out in-house by the Emirates Engineering Aircraft Appearance Centre, took 24 days to complete, which included the stripping down, repainting, and graphics application processes. The A380 is one of only four aircraft in the airline’s fleet to carry full nose-to-tail bespoke designs.
From November 1 until December 17, 2024, to coincide with the Emirates NBA Cup, customers flying on A6-EOD will experience specially produced NBA-inspired products and services on flights when traveling to and from 14 points in the US and Canada served by the carrier.
According to the company, “Passengers in every cabin will board to see the aircraft dressed in co-branded headrests, receive drinks served on specially designed coasters, and can order from courtside-themed menus. The airline will serve sports-inspired dishes and drinks across all cabin classes and to passengers socializing at the Onboard Lounge on flights operated by the iconic A380 aircraft. Basketball fans will also be able to watch select Emirates NBA Cup games live on Sport24 on ice, Emirates’ inflight entertainment system.”
Additionally, before boarding their flight to Dubai, eligible passengers can also enjoy a limited-time NBA-themed menu at Emirates’ lounges in New York-JFK (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), and Boston (BOS) airports. As a special treat for those who are not able to fly the real thing, Emirates has released a limited-edition replica aircraft model of the NBA A380 available for purchase through its online shop.
“We are proud to be the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup,” said Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing, and Brand. “The new livery is a celebration of the marketing partnership and the game which brings people together from around the world, and we hope to spread the passion and connect with fans across basketball-loving nations across our network.”
“We also look forward to showcasing unique onboard experiences starting next month, with a host of NBA-themed products and services to inspire and delight our customers,” he added.