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Folks across the UK are feeling a bit prickly toward Ryanair after the airline released a "Jab & Go" travel campaign amid the current coronavirus health crisis.
The Advertising Standards Authority of the United Kingdom (ASA) confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday that the airline’s recent "Jab & Go" campaign, which first appeared over the holidays, has so far generated "around 1,600 complaints."
"Vaccines are coming, so book your Easter and summer holidays today with Ryanair," announces a voiceover for one of the campaign’s commercials. "One million seats on sale from 19.99 [pounds] to sunshine destinations in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, and many more, so you could ‘Jab & Go.’"
Other advertisements from the "Jab & Go" campaign featured a photo of a syringe and a little vial labeled with the word "vaccine."
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"Surely I can’t be the only one who dislikes the Ryanair advert. I think ‘Jab&Go’ misses the mark a bit. Is it just me?" wrote one Twitter user.
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"I know Ryanair are no strangers to controversy and indeed thrive on it, but this ‘jab and go’ advert feels a bit distasteful," another user wrote.
Another complained that the ad seemed "surreal," with others even comparing it to something out of an episode of the dystopian sci-fi series "Black Mirror."
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A spokesperson for the ASA, an independent regulatory agency, has since confirmed that around 1,600 complaints had been lodged over the ads. Critics claimed the campaign "misleadingly suggests that the vaccine will have been successfully rolled out across the population by spring/summer and that travel restrictions won’t apply by then," and also that it was "offensive and irresponsible as, in their view, it trivializes the effect of the pandemic on individuals and society."
The ads, from Ryanair, seemingly used the slogan "Jab & Go" to encourage travel following rollout of the coronavirus vaccines. (iStock)
In response to news of the ASA's investigation, Ryanair defended its campaign, and suggested the critics were just complaining "for the sake of getting noticed."
"Our ad is factually accurate, vaccines are coming (two are already approved) and this will enable passengers to book much needed sunshine breaks for Easter and Summer 2021 and avail of Ryanair’s low prices. The ad also confirms that any such bookings can be changed free of change fees if customer plans change, which gives Ryanair customers even more assurances when they make Easter or Summer 2021 bookings now," the airline claimed in a statement shared with Fox News.
"Some critics wish to complain just for the sake of getting noticed when it is clear that vaccines will mean an end to Covid travel restrictions in mid-2021".
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England, meanwhile, is currently under its third national lockdown after a new variant of the coronavirus was discovered in the country.