PIA’s Paris Post Sparks Online Reactions, Unintentional 9/11 Flashbacks
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) recently announced the return of its Islamabad-to-Paris flights starting January 10, 2025. To promote this milestone, PIA’s Instagram Post features a plane soaring towards Paris, with the iconic Eiffel Tower in the background. The caption cheerfully read, “Paris, we are coming today.”
But instead of applause, the internet had a field day. The image unintentionally triggered memories of 9/11 for many users, who couldn’t help but notice the eerie similarity between the plane’s trajectory in the graphic and the infamous events of September 11, 2001.
Social media lit up with reactions, with one user commenting, “Who approved this graphic? It looks like the plane is about to hit the Eiffel Tower!” Another quipped, “Is that a threat?”
Some called out the airline’s marketing team, saying, “Whoever handles your posts needs a history lesson ASAP.”
While the post was meant to mark the resumption of PIA’s European operations after the EU lifted its restrictions, it instead turned into an example of how not to design a promotional campaign.
In hindsight, the post likely needed a better graphic design or, at the very least, a second opinion. After all, when it comes to planes and landmarks, subtlety goes a long way.
