It will be a great way to fly for national athletes representing Singapore at major Games overseas for the next three years.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has partnered the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) as the official airline partner for Team Singapore until the end of April 2018 in the first such partnership of its kind.

Under the partnership, the carrier will provide an agreed value of air tickets for Team Singapore athletes and officials who are travelling to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the 2017 Asian Youth Games in Hambantota, Sri Lanka and the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The agreement will also see SIA provide excess baggage allowance for athletes' sporting equipment, operational support for check-in and ground handling services, special flight-related services such as special handling of sports equipment and provision of special meals where required.

Said Chris Chan, SNOC's secretary-general: "Singapore Airlines has been very supportive in providing exceptional service and special dispensation to our athletes and officials travelling to major Games in the past. Therefore, we are very pleased to welcome Singapore Airlines on board as our official airline partner and share our journey to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and other major Games with them."

The airline's executive vice-president (commercial) Mak Swee Wah added: "We are proud to be the Official Airline Partner for the SNOC, in another example of our commitment to sports and tourism. SIA is honoured to extend support to our local sporting talents as they fly on us to represent Singapore in international events and bring the nation sporting glory."

SIA is also the official airline partner for next month's SEA Games, and has been supporting the annual Singapore Sports Awards since 1999, providing yearly tickets to the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Sportsboy and Sportsgirl of the year.