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A Delta A330-900 aircraft is revealed with a livery supporting Team USA.
The custom Team USA aircraft livery aims to embody Delta’s enduring support for the athletes, and a pursuit of excellence—the very spirit of Keep Climbing—as it takes flight both at the Games, and every day of the year. Video: Delta Air Lines.
ATLANTA - The U.S. Olympic team's airline partner will charter a flight from Los Angeles to Beijing to bring about half the American athletes to the Winter Olympics.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said Friday that the federation had reached a deal with Delta Air Lines to bring between 80 and 100 Olympians straight to Beijing at the end of January.
This is a major breakthrough for the U.S., which had been dealing with logistical challenges because of the shutdown of routes between the U.S. and Beijing. Those flights all but stopped in the wake of schedule changes prompted by COVID-19, and haven't resumed.
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Applying the custom Team USA livery to Ship 3411
The livery features the Team USA logo, along with a blue gradient representing the sky or "the rise to the top" and a grounding red element representing the resilience needed to get there. Video: Delta Air Lines.
The USOPC did not divulge the exact date of the charter, and while the charter solves a major logistical problem for the U.S. team, it does not eliminate all challenges. Normally, athletes tailor their flights to fit their specific competition schedules — for instance, building a schedule that ensures they'll arrive with plenty of time to acclimate to the time change.
"Some will be there for a shorter time than they'd prefer and others longer," Hirshland said. "But it's helpful to get some certainty so you can give everyone the ability to plan."
Most of those not on the charter will get to Beijing from Europe, where they are in the middle of their winter seasons. Still evolving are the USOPC's plans to get dozens of coaches and support staff to Beijing. Most of the Beijing Organizing Committee's travel instructions have revolved around people making connections in Tokyo, Hong Kong and other countries outside North America.
Delta's A330-900 aircraft is revealed with a custom livery in support of Team USA. Photo: Delta Air Lines.
News of the charter came the same day that Delta unveiled a Team USA-branded aircraft. This year, Delta began its sponsorship of the U.S. team that will make it the team's official airline through the LA Olympics in 2028. The deal was worth a reported $400 million and also had tie-ins with Olympic TV partner NBC.
Delta's support of Team USA is represented by a custom livery on an A330-900 aircraft. Photo: Delta Air Lines.