'Offensive' Ryanair ad criticised

A Ryanair advertisement which refers to the London bombings has led to a number of complaints to the British Advertising Standards…

A Ryanair advertisement which refers to the London bombings has led to a number of complaints to the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Under the headline "London Fights Back", the newspaper advertisement shows Winston Churchill giving his V for victory sign and saying: "We shall fly them to the beaches. We shall fly them to the hills. We shall fly them to London."

The ASA said that those complaining had spoken of the advertisement being "offensive and insensitive", but Ryanair said a lot of people had supported its message.

An ASA spokesman said: "We are considering whether we should investigate this advert. People have been saying it is crass, offensive and insensitive."

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Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said the airline had brought forward news of new routes and a special bargain seat sale to stimulate travel following the attacks.