British Airways teams up with London 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways has become the fourth Tier One sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics, the London organising committee said on Tuesday.

The national carrier will become the official airline partner for the Games, joining other Tier One partners Lloyds TSB (banking), EDF Energy (utilities) and Adidas (sportswear).

"British Airways is a natural partner for London 2012 and we are proud to become part of the team that makes the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games a success," British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said in a statement.

"We supported London's bid in 2005 and we will be proud to welcome the world to London when the global spotlight falls on the UK in 2012."

As part of the deal British Airways will provide flights for the British Olympics team to the Beijing Olympics later this year and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The London organising committee (LOCOG) has a two billion pounds budget to run the Games with nearly all of it coming from the private sector. Several more Tier One sponsor are expected to be announced later this year.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ossian Shine)