British Airways will be showing a selection of the best sports films as voted by Team GB for customers flying during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The athletes nominated more than 30 titles, including their favorite, Coach Carter, a basketball film featuring Samuel L. Jackson, as well as Cool Runnings, which took second place. Oliver Stone's award-winning Any Given Sunday took bronze and was nominated by a number of athletes including Gymnast Louis Smith.
Triathlete Helen Jenkins voted for the boxing classic, Rocky, while three times Olympic Champion Ben Ainslie swaps water for the track with his preference for the recent Formula One documentary Senna. Team GB rower, Zac Purchase said: "I don't think you can get better then Al Pacino's 'inches' speech in Any Given Sunday. “It’s such a poignant moment, with many true parallels with the way each and every sports person across the world prepares for the performance of their lives."
British Airways sponsorship manager, Luisa Fernandez, said: "We know that customers love catching up on films when they fly, and now they have the opportunity to re-live some of the classic sports films of all time in preparation for the London 2012 Games." Customers on board flights this summer will also be able to enjoy an exclusive Olympic-inspired menu created by Michelin-starred chef Simon Hulstone who worked with Heston Blumenthal on the project. To complement the menu and enhance the dining experience is a specially commissioned on-board soundtrack.
The soundtrack recalls iconic British moments from previous Games with uplifting music and commentary. The airline is encouraging the nation to get behind the UK athletes this summer by tweeting their support using the hashtag #HomeAdvantage.
Learn more at BritishAirways.com.
