Is the new Virgin ad sexist?

only brilliant thing bout this ad is the track used-Relax by FGTH.

i think its hilarious sex sells and its not an offensive or sexist commercial at all ..those women were checking out the male pilots too.. its just a funny commercial. time could be spent protesting more important issues

If that's sexist, what is hooters?!?

I couldn't take my peepers off the First Officer/Captain...

Is it possible for men to be a virgin?

Like the background music would suggest...RELAX!

Every flight attendant I have ever seen while flying has been drab, unfriendly and dressed like a McDonalds employee from the 80's. Hell, I like the male flight attendants way better than most of the jaded gals they work with. I see no reason why they wouldn't want to hire good looking friendly girls- Or at the very least friendly...

How are hot women insulting?

I suddenly have the urge to fly Virgin.

Yup. Works like a charm, hook, line, and sinker.

If sex and models are used to sell everything else on God's green Earth that in fact has no chance of ever getting you into close proximity of such ladies, why not the airline on which you might actually come across a hot stewardess now and then?

Richard Branson kicks ass.

This take place in the 80's right? It seems like being a flight attendant in the 1970's/1980's it was the hot thing to do, but now all those hot flight attendants have gotten older.

I don't understand how it's sexist? Well I guess maybe b/c there aren't any hot guys? I thought they were just tryin to sell the sexy.

The ugly chicks need to accomplish something besides just hating on what pretty women get away with..... That's life you fugly haters.

Axe commercials..?

TO ANYONE WHO THINKS THIS IS SEXIST: GET THE FUCK OVER IT!

are you fucking kidding me? if this gets you flustered then go hang yourself.

29 fat unhealthy bitches complain to Virgin.... must be a tough pill for them to swallow.

Like everyone else has said, not really sure this is worth complaining about. It isnt any different from every other add.

to these people every ad that includes a sexy woman is sexist. their like PETA! How many beer commercials have we seen with the same approch?

Better than the American plane companies. Equality is great and all, but when the sexy stewardess is replaced with an aging woman and a 30 something year old gay guy, all of which are surly, well, ain't so fun to be flying for 6 hours.

Wahhh. People need to get over themselves. Who cares if they advertise "Come fly with us because we've got hot females tending to you"? What's any different with that than Hooters? People have problems with Hooters, but they're not getting sued for it. This is ridiculous. I hate to go this far out, but it's a damned capitalist society. The idea is to offer a "product" [read: flight with hot chicks] to "consumers" [read: men, lesbians] that will lead the consumers to purchase their product over a competing company. They have hot women, the other company has better peanuts and a better in-flight movie. Choose your poison.

They are just marketing to British culture; the lad/ladette thing has become very influential, be one lad/ladette or not. The first question that comes out of anyone's mouth when someone suggests meeting a friend of theirs is 'is she fit?' and it isn't seen as sexist. People are much more sexually 'free' and 'open' as well.

As an American having lived in London for several months one thing that struck me was how provocatively women dressed when compared to American girls. Provocatively isn't quite the right word --I'm not saying they were tarts-- but I'm not going to over-explain it, you ought to know what I mean.

I think we should be protesting the shoulder pads.

i have those shoes.

Yes, the people who are complaining about this ad are trying to help create a world where advertising and humor will never be based on sexuality again, in order to make it all safer for the children. It will be a drab, grey, colorless world, but a safer one, none the less. Yawn.

Ok see now it is this kind of stuff that I have a problem with. Every person wants to be attractive, that is a fact and to deny it makes you a hypocrite. And that very reason is why we have attractive people in most adds. Because sex sells, it has been working and will continue to work that way until the human race becomes celibate.

The only thing I can't understand are the people who are making this sexist claim. Any time there is an attractive woman, in an add or a movie or where ever, and displays that fact in any fashion then its sexist. Do women not like looking sexy? At her very core isn't that what every woman wants? To be admired?

I understand that there is some concept of fact that because a guy like a girl because she looks nice that the guy will only appreciate her for that reason. But that is not always the case and in some cases there is not much else to appreciate about that girl. As in she is one of those cute faced teen, tween, whatevers that has a sign with "space for rent" in side her skull.

I just think there are far more important things to spend your time thinking about. Let's face it, it's the lowest fare more than company loyalty that determines who we fly (unless it's business fights with a company contract). If we're judging them for using "pretty people" we need to be mad at every company on the planet... ugly people don't sell things.

I'd say not so much sexist as stereotypical... I do think those that filed complaints were overreacting. The only problem I have with it is the excessive preppy-ness. Ew.

OMG Get over it.
What's funny to me is that the women who have time to notice stuff like this are probably stay at home moms. They only have time to be bothered by it because their husband is out earning a living. lol - BTW I'm female.

Newsflash: The commercial dates back to the 1980's when most pilots WERE men and stewardesses WERE females. If you ask me, the standard has dropped WAY off. Stewardesses are supposed to be slim, attractive young women. The idea is to be able to fit down the small aisles and compartments while making the travel of men, women and children at ease. Who does this better than a woman who is basically model material?

I am more comfortable when I can sit with wood at 18,000 feet anyway.

They need to quit being sexist. Bitches don't like that.

OMG who really cares? Shouldn't people concentrate more on actual sexism than silly advertisements? Jeeze...

I am not sure when it became sexist for a woman to celebrate her sexuality, sensuality, and physical appeal.

For me, sexism has to do with gender subjugation (either male or female). I do not think this ad exploits attractive females in any way. On the contrary, I personally think it celebrates the female power of attraction. Part of our strength as physical beings IS attraction. Why not seize it and enjoy it? Besides, the ad is pretty cute... not the best ad, but the whole theme of the ad is not that we fly Virgin because of the "Smokin' Flight Attendants," rather that we fly Virgin because -- and listen to the music and watch the humdrum existence of those portrayed as NOT flying Virgin -- It's Freakin' Fun!

i've seen much worse. it was kind of a lame idea anyway. then again, i'm not a horny male seeking mile high membership so...

These pikers just need some old school competition, remember "fly the FRIENDLY skies"?!? (think 747s with exposed tits.....well....perhaps not such an aerodynamic affect....)

I will be flying Virgin more often. Reminds me of how much I actually prefer that airline, good service, comfortable planes, presentable staff.

I hate this advert. it is sexist. the pilots are male the air stweards female. all are skinny, no visible disabilities [so its disbilits too], all white people. argh! annoying

Sorry all you homely ladies out there, but sex sells. If I owned any kind of customer service business, of course I would pick the prettier woman. Because in the end it will generate more revenue for me. It's a well-documented fact. And I would stand up in court and defend that decision every time.

You don't see uggos applying at Hooters. They know better, don't they. It's only a matter of time before our enlightened society catches up to the fact that not all women are created foxy.

I think people are overreacting. I'm a graduate student in advertising, and I have to tell you I see things that so much worse on a regular basis. Homophobia is rampant. I think this is nothing more than a cheap ploy using beautiful women. It is merely unoriginal and weak advertising, not sexist.

I find this hilarious, and somewhat sad that people went to the bother of complaining.

True, there might be a hint of sexism, but hey, guess what, it is everywhere in some sense.
How many of you would want a male nurse tending to you? I never minded that one of my nurses was male at all, in fact that guy was cool, into gaming and computers, found an old Spectrum.
Anyway, most people would probably prefer having a female nurse, because there is some sort of "sexist" view that males are uncaring enough for such a job.

I'd rather fly with someone who looks nice and smiles at you, than a BA battle axe.

lol... isn't that every airline ad? the korean air commercials always make me laugh.

The ad is semi sexist but it's not really offensive, I don't understand why people waste their time complaining about quasi offensive things when they could be taking a stance on more important things.

Sexist would be to say that the 29 people who complained were undoubtedly ugly.

Update on that story and unbelievably, the ASA has not upheld the ad. Guess the 29 people who complained were overreacted. The link above has more on the story...

Its amazing ad :P

The reason people complain is because they're DICKHEADS and have nothing better to do.

This is not sexist at all and the feminists need to shut up and stop trying to complain about the smallest things, people like them are ruining media!

Airline stewardesses fascinate me ... when I travel, I tend to wear flats and no makeup. Yet there they all are in heels and a painted face

Not 100% sure on where I stand with this. I know some women who think it's sexist, but others who just think it's a laugh and like many ads not to be taken completely seriously. One thing I really like about the ad though, is that's it's made me love Frankie Goes to Hollywood again. Remember the furore that record caused with Radio One when it first came out ;-)

we're pretty and colorful... you're not. fly with us????