To celebrate UEFA EURO 2016TM this summer, Turkish Airlines has unveiled an A330-300 passenger aircraft painted in the competition's livery. The plane undertook its maiden flight to Paris, the location of this year's final on July 10, and is just one component of Turkish Airlines' drive to excite fans ahead of this year's tournament.

The livery was created by UEFA and Turkish Airlines as part of the airline's partnership with the competition and role as Official Airline Partner of Euro 2016. The sponsorship will also see the airline announcing a series of ticket giveaway competitions; unique EURO 2016 airport experiences for passengers; and a series of Fan Zones throughout the host French cities once matches get underway in June.

As Europe's best airline for the fifth consecutive year, Turkish Airlines takes an active interest in the continent's sporting competitions and cultural events. Football's global appeal, and its unifying force, is reflective of the carrier's position as the airline that flies to more countries than any other airline.

Ahmet Olmuştur, Turkish Airlines' Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) said: "Football is a great connector of people, breaking down social and cultural barriers and uniting people around a mutual passion for the game. We are privileged to be able to connect people from across the globe every day, and are delighted to be part of this year's EUROS. This plane is one of the many things we will be doing to excite fans and our passengers in the lead up to this competition."

Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director, UEFA Events SA, said: "We are very excited to see our first-ever airline partner's plans truly taking off. It will be fantastic to see the plane travelling across Europe, and bringing fans together to celebrate the best in European football, as we approach the kick-off of UEFA EURO 2016 on June 10."

The plane wrapped in the UEFA EURO 2016 colours will fly to a selected number of destinations across the Turkish Airlines' network. The airline currently flies to more than 280 destinations. Fans of the plane and the competition can engage on social media with the hashtag #eurointhesky.

Contributed by Turkish Airlines