'Fast and Furious 7' takes flight with Etihad's '777'

Etihad airways and Universal Pictures unveiled the luxury ‘Fast & Furious 777’ airliner at Los Angeles International Airport.  
 
Actor/producer Vin Diesel was on hand as Etihad Airways Flight 171 arrived from Abu Dhabi to kick off the global junket and world premiere of Furious 7, which takes place in Los Angeles on April 1.  
 
Representing a welcome first for the franchise, the ‘Fast & Furious 777’ will fly the direct route between Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles, which Etihad Airways opened in June 2014.
 
The film arrives in theatres on April 3.
 
As the United Arab Emirates offered an opportunity to inject striking elements and locales into the series’ mythology, Abu Dhabi became a key location for the Furious 7 production.  

Over the course of two weeks in April 2014, the team lensed in areas outside Abu Dhabi in the Liwa Desert, as well as in the city centres like Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace hotel, the Yas Marina F1 race circuit and the Etihad Towers.  
 
“When we began filming The Fast and the Furious in 2000, if you told me that we would one day have our logo on a wide-body jet, I would have said you were crazy,” said producer Neal H. Moritz, who has shepherded all seven films in the series.
 
“We are so honored that Etihad has partnered with us to support this very personal film, and we thank the people of the United Arab Emirates for all the kindness and graciousness they showed throughout production.”

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