Emirates kicks off Rugby World Cup 2019 with referee Nigel Owens

Rugby Referee Nigel Owens features in ‘Emirates etiquette guide to Rugby World Cup 2019’ campaign.

Emirates, Official Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2019 (RWC 2019), has teamed up with famous Welsh Rugby referee Nigel Owens to create a campaign to inform travellers what’s fair play and what’s foul play when flying – so we can all Fly Better!

The campaign, ‘Emirates etiquette guide to Rugby World Cup 2019’, comprises a series of short, light hearted and witty videos, which sees Nigel, known for his unique tongue-in-cheek way of talking to rugby players on the pitch, blow the whistle on bad traveller etiquette during flights. The first of the videos is being released across several digital platforms and the airline’s social media channels to coincide with the start of the tournament. Rugby World Cup, in which 20 qualifying nations compete for The Webb Ellis Cup, is hosted once every four years, and will take place at 12 venues across Japan from Friday, 20 September to Saturday, 2 November, 2019. RWC is the third largest sports event in the world after the Summer Olympics and the Football World Cup. “Through our partnership campaigns, we always try to find creative and new ways to connect people’s passion for sport and travel. In this instance, we focused on the role of a referee in a rugby match, and applied it in a light-hearted way to some of the experiences people may have when travelling, while at the same time bringing to life our brand promise of ‘Fly Better’ through awareness of good travel etiquette,” said Emirates’ Divisional Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand Senior Vice President Boutros Boutros. To help ensure jet-setting rugby fans do not miss any of the Rugby World Cup 2019 action, Emirates flights with Live TV will screen the competition’s matches live on dedicated in-flight sports channel Sport 24, available on the airline’s award-winning ice entertainment system. Emirates currently has 175 aircraft equipped with Live TV, including all Boeing 777 aircraft and most of its A380 fleet.

Emirates also has exclusive rights to joint branding with World Rugby of the kit worn by the World Rugby Match Officials in all 48 matches during RWC 2019.