Ryanair’s New Ad Campaign Banned by UK Consumer Watchdog

Ryanair’s New Ads Features Glamour Models from its Controversial Calendar

A UK consumer watchdog has banned this Ryanair ad

Irish airline Ryanair has had its new ads, featuring glamour models in bikinis, banned from being run the United Kingdom because of its ‘sexist’ nature.

The ads were part of the “Red Hot Fares & Crew!!!” promotion promoting cheap airfares (see image above). However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ads would cause ‘widespread offence’:

It said the ads – featured in national newspapers – were done to ‘promote its 2012 cabin crew charity calendar’ and that it did not consider them to be ‘offensive or unsuitable for public display’.

However the ASA said: ‘We also considered that most readers would interpret these images, in conjunction with the text “Red Hot Fares & Crew!!!” and the names of the women, as linking female cabin crew with sexually suggestive behaviour.

‘Although we acknowledged that the women in the ads had consented to appear in the calendar, we considered that the ads were likely to cause widespread offence, when displayed in a national newspaper.’

Some employees of Ryanair object to the ad campaign.

A Ryanair flight attendant called Ghada said:

‘I’m a member of cabin crew. I love my job and take it seriously, so I was disgusted to see this Ryanair ad which basically portrays cabin crew as glamour models.

‘My work colleagues, many of whom are male, work hard with me to ensure the safety of our passengers.

‘Safety is our number-one priority, not the brand of our underwear.’

Ryanair came under fire late last year when they launched their yearly glamour calendar to raise money for charity.

I do understand how some employees would not like that ads because they would feel that it may ‘cheapen’ what they do. I don’t see it that way. I personally think the ads are great in my opinion.

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Image: Ryanair