British watchdog probes Qantas ads

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The advertisement itself does not have to make any specific reference to it being a new or old skybed. It's what it looks like to an ordinary member of the public.

I have always thought it was the fully flat version they showed in the advertisement, and I have always thought it misleading.

It's only because I happen to know that fully flat skybeds are not yet available to London that I don't book and fly with Qantas expecting to see one. If I were 1st time flyer with qantas I reckon I could reasonably expect to see a seat that looks like the one in the ad.

For me, it looks like the guy is flat, not on an angle like the earlier skybed.

Regards

MEL_Traveller

And by the same argument, would you also say that the SQ and CX ads that I see in MEL are misleading since neither of those airlines offer their new cabins or the A380 to MEL?

I am not naive enough to expect that CX offers herringbone flat J seats on every flight or that SQ have 1st class suites on every flight - I think it is perfectly reasonable for QF to also advertise in exactly the same manner.

 

[NM]

Similarly would someone watching the SQ ad for their new first class believe that they would be the only passenger in the cabin because that is what is illustrated in the ad. Do that make it misleading too?

 

[Dave Noble]

And by the same argument, would you also say that the SQ and CX ads that I see in MEL are misleading since neither of those airlines offer their new cabins or the A380 to MEL?

I am not naive enough to expect that CX offers herringbone flat J seats on every flight or that SQ have 1st class suites on every flight - I think it is perfectly reasonable for QF to also advertise in exactly the same manner.

There's a difference between advertising a product that is not available on all flights to advertising a product that is not available on any flights

I do find it strange that there is such a defence of misleading advertisements

Dave

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And by the same argument, would you also say that the SQ and CX ads that I see in MEL are misleading since neither of those airlines offer their new cabins or the A380 to MEL?

I am not naive enough to expect that CX offers herringbone flat J seats on every flight or that SQ have 1st class suites on every flight - I think it is perfectly reasonable for QF to also advertise in exactly the same manner.

Fair enough... but the law says otherwise (and in any event I believe the advertisements are very different in that CX says the product is being progressively introduced).

The law says that advertisements should not be misleading. The test for whether an advertisement is misleading depends on whether an ordinary member of the public finds it misleading. Not whether an experienced or premium flyer thinks it is misleading.

As for caveat emptor, again, the law says otherwise. Caveat emptor is a common law principle which has almost entirely been reversed by consumer legislation and regulation. Defective goods, unsafe products, warranties, fit for purpose, misleading advertising - all legislated against and displacing caveat emptor.

Regards

MEL_Traveller.

 

[Skoogle]

I saw this old thread in the featured artices and was curious about the outcome.

Here it is: Qantas Airways Ltd

Qantas won on the "world's most experienced airline" line, but got knocked back on the Skybed version that was not availabe to the UK at the time of the ad.

 

[Dave Noble]

It is good to see that the ASA upheld the issue about the skybed which I would have expected since it is consistent to the outcome when I reported TWA back in the 90s when they were advertising having more legroom than other carriers in their new comfort class (economy) despite that they offered no flights from the UK equipped with the cabin which is one of the 2 things I wrote to ASA about

Dave