Aer Lingus has teamed up with top local graffiti artist Qubek to create a massive new eye-catching street art mural showcasing the airline’s transatlantic Manchester routes.
The dazzling 49-foot wide by 38ft high mural appears emblazoned across a building in Manchester’s Thomas Street in the heart of the city’s creative district.
Designed over four days by Manchester-based Qubek – one of the region’s best-known street artists specialising in large-scale murals and graffiti – it brought to life the airlines’ colourful northern flight network through a high-impact interpretation of the carrier’s US and Caribbean destinations.
Aer Lingus successfully launched transatlantic services from Manchester Airport in October 2021, connecting the North of England directly to the US and Caribbean. The airline also operates direct non-stop flights to New York JFK, Orlando, Florida and Barbados.
The bespoke graffiti expression represents the excitement of travel, with Qubek celebrating the Irish carrier’s direct Manchester routes to New York, Orlando and Barbados, by blending different cultures to highlight why the destinations are so popular with UK tourists.
Highly distinctive works from Russ Meehan (aka Qubek), can be found right across the city, including on many walls and boardings around Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
His ‘Mancunian Bees’ artworks have grabbed people’s attention across the city for the last few years along with his giant tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing, making him a creative figurehead for uniting the Northern community.
Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus Chief Customer Officer, said: “Manchester is home to a vibrant art scene and through this collaboration with Qubek, one of the region’s most renowned artists, we wanted to showcase our long-haul routes operating from Manchester to the local community in a fun and engaging way.
“Since the commencement of our direct transatlantic flights from Manchester nearly a year ago, we have seen great demand for our services to New York, Orlando and Barbados.
“There is a real appetite for travel among the greater Manchester region and following the recent lifting of testing requirements into the US, there has never been a better time to jet off.’’
Qubek said: “Working with Aer Lingus has given me a great opportunity to showcase my work on a larger scale and to a wider audience. It’s been a really rewarding collaboration and extremely fun trying to fulfill their brief.
“I’ve really enjoyed creating a piece of artwork that the people of Manchester can not only interact with, but also engage with creatively and meaningfully, while also showcasing Aer Lingus’ transatlantic destinations they offer from their popular northern hub in Manchester”.
The artwork was completed on 10 June and will be on display for four weeks for visitors to take in and enjoy.
Fares to the US from Manchester start from £275 each way including taxes and charges. For more on Aer Lingus visit aerlingus.com.
