OREANDA-NEWS. On August 19, 2009 The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee announced that Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, has been awarded General Partner status for the 2014 Games in the Sochi 2014 Passenger Air Transportation Services category. The company assumes the partnership to support the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, which will ensure maximum efficiency in cooperation during preparations for the main global sports event of 2014, reported the press-centre of Aeroflot.

The memorandum of understanding was signed between Aeroflot Director General, Vitaly Savelyev, and Sochi 2014 President and CEO, Dmitry Chernyshenko, at MAKS-2009, the international aviation and space industry show underway outside Moscow.

The respective contractual agreements will be completed by the end of 2009, thus granting Aeroflot official status of General Partner of the XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014 and XI Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, General Partner of the Russian Olympic and Paralympic Committees (until the end of 2016) and also General Partner of the Russian Olympic and Paralympic teams (at the 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 Games).

Air transportation regular and charter services will be a part of Aeroflot’s future sponsorship investment. Aeroflot’s tender offer includes air transportation services for the Olympic and Paralympic teams and also for official delegations within the period from 2009 till 2016. As soon as in February 2010 the Russian representative delegation will be flying with Aeroflot to attend the Vancouver 2010 Games.

The status of General Partner gives the Company exclusive rights to use the symbols of the XXII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games as well as symbols of the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees on the territory of Russia. Aeroflot is planning to fully capitalize on the partnership benefits through its marketing and advertising initiatives aimed at strengthening its image and developing its air transportation network. As part of its partnership programme Aeroflot will increase the number of regular flights bound for Sochi and launch new direct flights from Sochi to parts of Europe.

According to Vitaly Savelyev, Director General of Aeroflot, partnership with Sochi 2014 is a real opportunity to participate in a unique sporting and cultural event embracing and uniting the world. “Making our own contribution to this nationwide, socially important sports project will allow our company not only to raise its profile in the aviation market but also to enhance the value of the Aeroflot brand”, Savelyev stressed.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 President and CEO, said:

“Let me first thank all the companies who participated in the contest. Teaming up with Aeroflot means reliable partnership for us, a partnership with the company well known not only in our country but also around the world. 

I am confident that our cooperation will prove vital in delivering the Games in accordance with the highest international standards”.  

General Sochi 2014 Partners already signed up are Megafon, Rostelecom, Rosneft. In April 2009 a long-term partnership agreement was signed with Sberbank of Russia. Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up to this date in support of Sochi 2014 are Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Samsung and Atos Origin.