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 Wide World of Sports
I am delighted that Celebrated Living is once again devoting its spring issue to the sporting life because to me, sports and air travel go hand in hand. One of the nice things about operating a global network is the ability we have to satisfy just about any sports craving. Whether your passion is skiing, golfing, surfing, hiking, or just spectating (one of my favorites), getting to your “away games” has never been easier. This year, American Airlines is launching new service to three international destinations, each of which offers unique sporting opportunities. In May, we begin service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to both Milan, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain. A month later, we’re launching non-stop flights between Chicago O’Hare and Moscow.
If you feel the need for speed, you need to check out Milan. The Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), one of professional cycling’s most important long-distance stage races, always culminates at the center of Milan. If cycling isn’t fast enough for you, the Gran Premio d’Italia (Italian Grand Prix), one of the premier events on the Formula I motor racing calendar, takes place each September in the circuit of Monza, just outside of Milan. When the adrenaline wears off, you can enjoy the culture and shopping of Milan, or perhaps make a short drive, at a moderate pace hopefully, to Lake Como or the Mediterranean coast. Your Italian journey will likely take you through small villages, where bocce, an ancient sport whose modern incarnation somewhat resembles bowling, is enjoyed, often on Sunday after High Mass.
Sports enthusiasts will find no shortage of exciting activity in Barcelona. The windy climate on the Mediterranean Sea makes it a great spot for every kind of surfing. What’s more, if you like skiing and snowboarding, many of Spain’s northern ski resorts, in the Catalan Pyrenees, are a short drive from Barcelona. For outdoor adventurers, the Pyrenees mountain range offers dramatic scenery, river valleys, rocky cliffs, lakes, and ravines to explore.
Combining a love of travel with a love of sports can produce an experience that is at once familiar and exotic. One of the interesting sporting attractions you might find in Moscow is bandy. In Russia, this sport is usually called “hockey with a ball,” and that moniker describes it pretty well. As in field hockey, the objective of the game is to use your stick to put a ball into a goal. However, bandy is played outdoors on a sheet of ice by players wearing skates. The game differs from ice hockey in that the field is much larger than the rinks to which most hockey fans are accustomed, and there are 11 players on each side. While bandy is played in numerous countries, including the U.K., Norway, and Sweden, Russia is the reigning world champion, and in fact this year’s World Championships will be held in Moscow.
Whether you’re a participant, a spectator, or a little of both, there is, to borrow a phrase, a wide world of sports out there to discover. And we naturally want to help. Whatever adventures you’ve got planned for your trip today, we appreciate the fact that you included us. Thanks for f lying American Airlines. Have a great trip!
Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman and CEO American Airlines
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