UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways said it has joined hands with Alibaba’s Tmall and Alitrip to launch a specially-branded aircraft livery for the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival 2017.

Five aircraft decorated with this special 11.11 exterior will depart from Abu Dhabi and will travel to four destinations - Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hong Kong, said a statement from Etihad Airways.

In the coming months, the five aircraft will showcase this unique branding in over 40 cities across Etihad’s global network.

China has over 721 million internet users and its e-commerce industry has grown significantly over the past decade. Tmall is the leading player in the country’s e-commerce industry, and its 11.11 Global Shopping Festival has rapidly become the largest and most influential online shopping festival in China.

China is also the UAE’s second-largest trading partner. This partnership is proactively executing China’s "Belt and Road" initiative and facilitating mutual economic ties and cultural exchange. It also promotes Chinese culture in Europe, the United States, US, and Africa, via Abu Dhabi.

These five aircraft from Etihad Airways, complete with the new branding, will officially take to the skies for a five-day period. These aircraft include three models from the airline’s modern fleet, with two Boeing 787 Dreamliners flying to Shanghai and Beijing while two Airbus A330s will fly to Chengdu and Hong Kong.

To further celebrate the Tmall 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, Etihad Airways will work with its partners and top English Premier League team Manchester City Football Club, to share messages celebrating the festival, and some lucky guests who are booked to travel to the UK during the promotion will be eligible to win tickets to see Manchester City play Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in March 2018.

Etihad Airways is continuing to strengthen its long-term relationship with the Alibaba Group, and the airline has also signed a partnership agreement with Alitrip, to launch its first online flagship store in February this year, said the statement from the Abu Dhabi carrier.

By seizing the opportunities presented by the Tmall 11.11 Global Shopping Festival 2017, the two parties will expand their innovative e-commerce partnership and will continue to work together, with the ultimate goal of improving their awareness and influence in the global marketplace, it stated.

Etihad Airways has a strong global network and the best-in-class innovative technologies and services while Tmall boasts a complete commercial ecosystem and significant data resources. With these complementary strengths, the two parties are expecting to further widen their co-operation.-TradeArabia News Service