Manchester United has announced a new multi-year partnership with Malaysia Airlines with the latter becoming the Premier League club’s official commercial airline partner.
The partnership was announced by Malaysia Airlines’ Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group, Izham Ismail, at a major industry trade fair in Kuala Lumpur.
In honour of the announcement, former Manchester United defenders Patrice Evra and Wes Brown flew to the Malaysian capital to attend the event, to share their experiences of travelling the world as both players and ambassadors for the club.
Evra commented: “Manchester United has fans from all over the world, and the passionate support we have here in Asia never fails to impress me. I am pleased to be able to share our partnership with Malaysia Airlines with those fans and introduce them to the best-in-class service they offer.
“Wes and I travelled here on Malaysia Airlines, and I would like to thank them for such a comfortable journey. From the food to the comfortable seats and friendly service, everything was perfect.”
Brown added: “I am fortunate enough to represent Manchester United at events all over the world. I have visited Malaysia many times, and I am always blown away by the warm welcome I receive. Malaysia Airlines is a true representation of Malaysia’s friendly culture, and I cannot wait to work with them to engage with our fantastic supporters.”
Manchester United visited Malaysia for the first time in 2009 as part of a pre-season tour of Indonesia, where they played against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur.
Asia and Southeast Asia are markets of considerable interest for the 13-time Premier League winners, having played pre-season friendlies in the past several years in Bangkok, Thailand and Yokohama, Japan.
Malaysia Airlines aims to represent its “best-in-class” customer experience for its passengers and United fans throughout the duration of its partnership with The Red Devils.
Ismail stated, “We are delighted to announce this exciting partnership with Manchester United, a club synonymous with excellence and sporting passion around the world.
“This collaboration brings together two global icons, Malaysia Airlines and Manchester United, and will create unforgettable experiences for our fans and customers. Aligning with a globally recognised club like United places Malaysia Airlines in front of a massive worldwide audience, significantly boosting brand recognition, especially in Europe and Southeast Asia where United has a large fanbase.
“We look forward to the exciting opportunities this collaboration brings and the joy it will bring to football enthusiasts worldwide.”
