An image posted by the airline on social media appears to show a plane crashing into the Eiffel Tower, with some on social media comparing the campaign to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York.
advertisementThere has been anger and dismay online over an advertisement used by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to promote the resumption of flights to Europe after a four-year safety grounding.
An image posted by the airline on social media appears to show a plane crashing into the Eiffel Tower, with some on social media comparing the campaign to the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York.
In a post on X, Omar R. Quraishi, a Pakistani PR expert and former political consultant, called the ad “completely tone-deaf” and said he was “absolutely speechless.”
“Didn’t the idiots who designed this graphic see the PIA plane heading for the Eiffel Tower? One of Europe’s iconic landmarks. Don’t they know about the tragedy of 9/11? Did they use planes to attack the building? They didn’t think this would happen? Would it be perceived the same?” he posted.
The ad drew a mix of dismay and ridicule from X users who posted on PIA’s official account.
One user wrote: “Worst ad ever. Looks like they’re trying to crash a plane into the Eiffel Tower.”
“They already lost Notre Dame once, so now they’re trying to take the Eiffel Tower?” wrote another.
Meanwhile, another user posted: “Wait? Is this a joke? Is this a parody account? I’m really confused.”
However, some defended the ad, saying it served to promote the new route from Islamabad to Paris.
One user said: “Honestly, if it weren’t for the terrible design of the post, no one would even know that PIA is flying to Paris right now.”
Another posted a photo of Osama bin Laden with the caption: “Newly hired graphic designer at PIA.”
Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, was killed in a US military operation in Pakistan in 2011.
X users were also keen to post advertisements used by PIA in 1979 to promote the Islamabad-Paris route.
The black-and-white ad, which features the shadow of an approaching airliner spanning the two towers of the World Trade Center, was so suggestive of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that many online I thought it was fake.
However, fact-checking website Snopes confirmed its authenticity and traced it to at least two French periodicals, L’Expansion and Le Point.
advertisementFlights to Europe resume
State-owned Pakistan International Airlines resumed direct flights to Europe on Friday following a decision by the European Union’s aviation safety agency to lift a four-year ban over safety standards.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the resumption of operations, saying it would improve the airline’s image.
The flight from Islamabad to Paris was full with more than 300 passengers, the airline said.
Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif vowed to start twice-weekly flights and that PIA would soon expand its operations to other European countries.
advertisementIn his speech, Asif said the European Union Aviation Safety Agency had banned PIA from flying to Europe due to the former aviation minister’s “irresponsible statements”.
The restrictions on PIA were imposed in 2020 after a PIA plane crashed in Karachi, killing 97 people.
The then aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, said an investigation into the incident found that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their pilot exams. A government investigation later concluded that the crash was caused by pilot error.
Officials said the ban cost PIA nearly $150 million (146 million euros) in annual revenue losses.
advertisementNeither French nor Pakistani officials have commented on PIA’s advertising campaign.
