Advertising watchdog bans Jet2 ad over baggage allowance confusion
Jet2 has been banned from running a radio ad which the advertising watchdog deemed misleading.
The radio ad, which was heard between February and March 2017, came to the attention of the Advertising Standards Authority when two complainants challenged whether the ad misleadingly implied that the 22kg baggage allowance was included in the flight prices quoted.
The travel company owned by Leeds-based Dart Group argued that that the ad also stated that “charges may apply”, which they believed made it clear that not everything was included in the price.
The ASA was not in the mood, and said that consumers would interpret the claim “You can fly from as little as £42 – plus, enjoy a huge 22 kg baggage allowance” to mean that a 22 kg baggage allowance would be included with all Jet2.com flights.
It said that the ad breached rules over misleading advertising and pricing regulations, and ruled that it must not be broadcast again in its current form.
It told Jet2.com Ltd to ensure that ads did not imply that luggage allowance was included in the price of their flights if that was not the case, and to ensure that qualifications were made clear.
Jet2 was not the only company to fall foul of the ASA, with Plusnet also critiqued for two of its radio ads, with a complainant calling the terms and conditions sections “unintelligible”.
The watchdog agreed, and also slammed the Sheffield-based internet provider for making it unclear if contract terms and monthly prices could change – “material information” to enable customers to make an informed decision. The ads were pulled off the air.
