Aiming to inspire compassion for cows and other animals killed for fashion and accessories, "Cruelty Doesn’t Fly" was the message PETA hoped to paste on luggage trolleys at the terminal when it pitched the campaign to the airport.
In a media statement, PETA says the ad was rejected on the grounds Queenstown Airport doesn’t accept messages that may be "political, unethical, evangelical" or "prejudicial to a business carried on at the airport".
But Queenstown Airport finance and commercial general manager Andrew Williamson says Auckland-based advertising agency JCDecaux facilitates all ads at the airport.
"They hold the exclusive right to advertising in the terminal, including the trolleys.
"Whilst we have not seen the advert in question, we understand JCDecaux declined the advert from PETA," he says.
JCDecaux couldn’t be reached for comment by Mountain Scene deadline.
- By Lucy Wormald
