You have clearly not seen the numerous Etihad TV commercials involving City.
I think he means there's a lot of ordainary people from the red and black part of Manchester land who would be quite seriously annoyed at flying on that Airbus.
It's not just a game to many, on the ground in the UK the feelings and outcomes may well be different from the Air Conditioned "thinking cushions" at MarketingGeniusInc HQ.....
I was trying to imagine my Celtic mad cousin ever getting on a jet spnsored by Rangers....it didn't end well! Also it doesn't need two threads!