Airline forced to apologise over controversial tourism ad
An airline has copped major backlash over a controversial tourism campaign that promotes their return flights to Paris.
Pakistan International Airlines posted a photo of a plane flying at the Eiffel Tower on X as part of its campaign to mark the first flight from Islamabad to Paris after a safety ban was lifted.
“Paris, we’re coming today,” the ad reads.
The campaign has been viewed more than 21 million times, but after receiving thousands of negative comments, the airline was forced to issue an apology.
Many social media users drew comparisons with the Al-Qaeda attacks on New York’s Twin Towers on September 11th 2001 when two planes were hijacked and flown into the skyscrapers, killing nearly 3,000 people.
“This advertisement is sickening to see. Please do better with your imagery,” an irate user wrote. “Do you not see the airplane heading for the Eiffel Tower? Do you not know what it will be perceived as?”
Another wrote, “Who tf made this graphic to further ruin Pakistan’s image in the world,” while others questioned how the graphic was approved, adding, “Who thought this ad was a good idea?”
“Is this (an) advertisement or threat?” another user asked.
After being online for a week, the airline issued an apology saying it was “blown out of proportion”.
“Unfortunately, this was blown out of proportion with connations and perceptions that were not intended,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told AFP.
“It might have triggered some negative emotion, for which we truly apologise.”
Despite the controversy, the ad remains on the airline's official X account.
Image credits: Pakistan International Airlines