A controversial ad promoting Pakistan International Airlines flights to Paris has sparked a major online backlash due to its resemblance to the 2001 attack

A national airline has copped major backlash over an advert promoting the return of its flights to Paris. Pakistan International Airlines posted a photo of a plane flying at the Eiffel Tower on X as part of its campaign to mark the first flight from Islamabad to Paris after a safety ban was lifted.

A controversial ad promoting Pakistan International Airlines flights to Paris has sparked a major online backlash, prompting the airline to apologise. The state-owned airline shared an image of a plane directed towards the Eiffel Tower with the text,

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is getting a bumpy ride over a promotional graphic that appears to evoke a terror attack on Paris.

The ad is being criticized for its imagery, which is reminiscent of the 9/11 attacks that took place in the United States, the Daily Beast, The Guardian and NBC News reported. On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked a total of four commercial planes, two of which were flown into New York City’s Twin Towers.

The Pakistan International Airlines released the advertisement on Friday to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris that same day. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Pakistan International Airlines came under intense scrutiny after it shared an advert that appeared to show one of its planes flying into the iconic Eiffel Tower

Pakistan International Airlines on Friday issued an apology over a controversial post on its official X handle, celebrating the resumption of Europe flights after a four-year

While the controversial advert has drawn significant negative attention, Khan noted that PIA's return to European markets has been well received, with flights to Paris operating at over 95% capacity. Despite the ongoing backlash, the post remains live on the airline’s official X account.

In the advertisement for its new Islamabad-Paris route, a PIA plane is depicted approaching the Eiffel Tower with the English text: "'Paris, we are coming today'". After the European Union imposed a four-year ban on flying to Europe,

An advertisement meant to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris showed a jet pointed toward the Eiffel Tower.