Horizon Air says ‘Go Broncos!’
Published 12:23 pm Thursday, December 18, 2008
Finally, my Boise State Broncos are getting some respect – no, not from the BCS, but from Horizon Air.
The carrier announced today that it will paint one of its new Bombardier Q400s in Bronco blue and orange. Horizon is in the process of switching over its Bombardier CRJ-700s to more fuel-efficient Q400s. The airline hasn’t determined how soon its Boise State-themed aircraft will take to the skies.
Playing to its roots in the Northwest, Horizon already has in its fleet four university-themed aircraft for the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, the University of Washington and Washington State University.
“Our four university-themed aircraft have generated an overwhelmingly positive response, and they hold a special place in our fleet,” said Dan Russo, Horizon’s vice president of marketing and communications, in a press statement. “Like the others, the Boise State-themed aircraft will be painted at no cost to the university and flown full time across our route system.”
Perhaps after watching this year’s Apple Cup, the execs at Horizon realized they not only needed better aircraft (the Q400s), they also needed better universities/teams?
“Boise State is a university on the rise in the academic arena as well as on the field of play,” said Bob Kustra, president of Boise State University. “Our inclusion with the public universities in Oregon and Washington is another indicator of our increasing stature.”
The next university to get a themed-aircraft? Horizon hasn’t said yet. But I’m putting a word in for my other alma mater: the University of Montana Griz.
