Team GB may have brought back dozens of medals from Rio, but as they touched down at Heathrow airport it was team sponsor British Airways that seemed to have struck gold – thanks to a string of gushing endorsements from the UK’s Olympians.
The airline, longstanding sponsor of Team GB, was repeatedly mentioned in athletes’ social media postings as it returned the Olympians to the UK in a Boeing 747 repainted with a golden nose and renamed “victoRIOus”.
Swimmer Adam Peaty, who won the men’s 100m breaststroke, Team GB’s first men’s swimming gold medal for 28 years, tweeted: “Touch down! Back in the greatest country in the world #Greattobeback @British_Airways.”
Rower Pete Reed, who won gold in the men’s eight, wrote: “GloRIOus flight home @British_Airways! Thank you so much for your love and support. See you very soon.”
Sam Quek, part of the winning women’s hockey team, tweeted: “WE ARE HOME!! Huge thank you @British_Airways for an amazing flight. Such an honour to be a part of this moment with@TeamGB #greattobeBAck.”
Gymnast Louis Smith, a silver medallist, wrote: “Homeeeeeee #greattobeback @British_Airways thank you for such an amazing flight back safe and sound.”
The 320 athletes and support staff on the flight were treated to 77 bottles of champagne and a three-course meal, with some of the winners sitting in first class.
Video footage filmed onboard shows athletes singing the national anthem before takeoff. The Olympic-themed film Chariots of Fire was shown on the flight, which carried home pole-vaulting equipment, javelins, bicycles, and a 6.7-metre sail.
Some athletes, including swimmer Aimee Willmott and runner Stephanie Twell, also thanked BA for its hospitality.
Pilot Steve Hawkins said flying the plane was the highlight of his career. “I flew one of our prime ministers around on a VIP trip and I’ve also been involved in a couple of other high-profile flights,” he said. “Nothing as important as this, nothing as high-profile as this, nothing as prestigious or as exciting as this. So bringing back Team GB from Rio 2016 has got to be the pinnacle of my flying in BA so far.”
Excitement’s building at #T5 ready for the #victoRIOus return of @TeamGB share your messages using #greattobeBAck pic.twitter.com/fGxz9gsh8I
— British Airways (@British_Airways) August 23, 2016
Blue skies and plenty of applause! What a lovely way to return home. Thanks @British_Airways 🇬🇧 #GreattobeBAck pic.twitter.com/Pus9RtUong
— Aimee Willmott (@aimee_willmott) August 23, 2016
Home sweet home, and it feels #greattobeBAck Thank you @British_Airways for looking after us so well pic.twitter.com/NIOQ87L8dQ
— Stephanie April (@StefApril) August 23, 2016
GloRIOus flight home @British_Airways! Thank you so much for your love and support. See you very soon #GreattobeBAck pic.twitter.com/25FtVhHTBr
— Pete Reed (@PeteReed) August 23, 2016
The highlight of my flight was singing the national anthem with all the athletes & @British_Airways So special!! #greattobeBAck ✈️🇬🇧❤️
— Jazz Carlin (@JazzCarlin) August 23, 2016
Finally back home with the rest of @TeamGB Thank you very much to @British_Airways for taking care of us #GreattobeBAck
— Angus Groom (@angusgroom) August 23, 2016
Feels so good to touch down in beautiful Great Britain!☀️🇬🇧 Thank you @British_Airways crew for making it extra special!#greattobeBAck
— K Richardson-Walsh (@katewalsh11) August 23, 2016
WE ARE HOME!! Huge thank you @British_Airways for an amazing flight. Such an honour to be a part of this moment with @TeamGB #greattobeBAck
— Sam Quek (@SamanthaQuek) August 23, 2016
On board the @british_airways VictoRIOus, going to be a very special flight home #greattobeBAck #teamgb #oneteam pic.twitter.com/T0A4rNM601
— Sophie Bray (@sophiebray19) August 22, 2016
There will be a victory parade for Team GB in Manchester, and a celebration event in London in the autumn. Meanwhile, Theresa May has said that the unofficial limit on the number of honours for sports luminaries in any one year has been torn up.
