Awkward: United Airlines Ground Zero Ad – ‘You’re Going to Like Where We Land’
- Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:06am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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A United Airlines ad outside a Ground Zero subway entrance is getting a lot of scrutiny for a slogan plastered across the front that some say is insensitive.
The MTA, which runs the city’s subway system, told NBC New York that it approved the ad, but it was a third-party vendor that put up the sign. It’s apparently part of a wider campaign for United:
While United United Airlines hasn’t issued a statement about the ad as of publication time, it did apologize Wednesday for briefly restarting use of flight numbers of two planes that crashed after being hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001.
Spokesman Rahsaan Johnson blamed the reuse of flight numbers 93 and 175 on a “technical error.” He said the airline has taken steps to have the numbers removed from its computers.
A notice posted Tuesday on the airline schedule website Airlineroute.net said United planned to reactive the two flight numbers Saturday, but that Continental Airlines would operate the flights in a code-sharing arrangement. A code share allows one airline to book seats on a flight operated by a second airline. Often the flights operate with the name of the airline that did the booking rather than the airline operating flight.
United and Continental recently merged and became United Continental Holdings Inc., but are in the process of combining operations. Under the merger agreement, the combined airline will fly under the United name.
The notice on Airlineroute.net said the new flight 93 would fly from Houston to San Jose, Calif., and that flight 175 would operate from Boston to Newark.
“We apologize for the error,” Johnson said in an interview. “The numbers were inadvertently reinstated.”
What do you think?
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Comments (41)
BubbaT
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:24pmOh. I see. HA yeah what the story said.
Report Post »BubbaT
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:22pmNo, it may be an accident but something similar happened also as reported to me by a Continental employee. Two of the flight numbers from the 9/11 attack were to not be used by any airline but guess what? Yep, United used them. The company is run by morons.
Report Post »liberalsarealiens
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 7:32pmAs a former employee I am not surprised at all!
Report Post »Jamie16
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 4:04pmI think it was an unfortunate accident as to where the ad was placed. I can’t imagine that anyone would have placed it there on purpose.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 3:30pmI dont care one bit if it said United Airlines We promise not to crash into any more buildings. GET OVER IT. Its almost been 10 years!!! Honor the dead and move on.
Report Post »MolonLave
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:51amThey should keep the numbers.
Report Post »#1 in order to show that we do not yield to terrorism
#2 as a reminder to everyone that you need to stand up against terrorism
#3 to honor those that died via a gesture showing that we did not yield
stogieguy7
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:50am“You’re going to like where we land…”
I can’t believe that anyone green-lighted such an idiotic slogan! Here’s an idea: just shut up and land at the AIRPORT! Do that well and we’re cool.
People make a lot of money to come up with ad slogans. Makes me wish that I never bothered studying “hard” things in school like math, science and engineering. I could have partied all night with the jocks who studied soc and marketing! Then get a HUGE paycheck from coming up with ridiculous slogans for airlines like “you’re gonna like where we land”. While we’re at it, let’s post those ads indiscriminately all over the world. Then they can be equally tasteless wherever you go.
Unbelieveable. That it‘s near Ground Zero isn’t even as bad as the fact that they actually went with that as a campaign!
Report Post »jim
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:35amNext up: an ad for box cutters. “Hey, New York, you’re gonna love what we cut! Boxes! Not throats!” – Box Cutter Inter’l
Report Post »showmerancher
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:34amIt’s been almost 10 years. Get over it. We’ve killed twice as many of our sons and daughters since then because of 9/11, and we don’t seem to have nearly the same compassion for them; yet many of them died not because then needed to, but because of wimpy, “compassionate”, “Rules of Engagement” that gives a distinct advantage to the enemy in “first crack” at killing our kids.
Get over it! We’ve become a nation of weepy wimps.
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:33amspokesperson ‘Rahsaan?’ have they taken over the airlines? this is NO mistake.. and the flight numbers are NO mistake either. Radical Muslims are hateful
Report Post »LovinUSA
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:28amOops
Report Post »thecrow
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:15amWhere did these black boxes land?
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/black-box/
Report Post »MBA
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:59amIf we don’t expect respect and consideration from the politicians and liar in chief, how can we expect respect from commercial enterprises when the president thinks it’s funny and appropriate to mock and diminish the horror and tragedy of 9/11. It is time to clean up this country–liberal speech does not have to be free speech. We don’t have to listen to this cr*p anymore, it just takes the backbone to refuse to listen. And impeach this stupid b * s t a r d who wants to be king instead of leader of this country,
Report Post »rubie
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:54am@gooch:
Report Post »you’re sooo right. but i’m putting this kinda in the category of the mosque at ground zero.
doodad
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:52amJust think if United were a non-union airline, what the coverage from Big Media would be. “In a completely unsympathetic move, the anti-union United Airlines places a mocking ad at the very foot print of the 9/11 attacks that says, “You’re going to like where we land. Jessica Smith lost her mother in the attack that Bush let happen, and through her tears, she voices her agony over both the placement and wording of the sign, and that United is a non-union shop.” They would then go on to tell how many crashes United has had, in an attempt to kill their business.
Report Post »Ballgame
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:48amWho is running United Continental PR? I believe it is an over reaction to the ad but the reuse of flight numbers 93 and 175 is a HUGE mistake.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:39amPeople who are ruled by fear and/or hypersensitivity aren’t exactly admirable. Is that who we are?
Report Post »I have no problem with retiring the flight numbers in question, but there doesn’t have to be a hue and cry. There’s a rant to be spewed regarding how fear ahd hypersensitivity led to the events of 09/11/2001. but that can wait for another day.
Story noted, corrections are allegedly being made, let’s get on with the business of living.
DJR
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:30amIt’s a little distasteful
Report Post »Mr. Nutt
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:29amThere is a BIG difference between crashing and landing. Somebody is making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Report Post »Redistributor
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:28amHoly sh!+ that‘s what happens when you don’t know how to manage your marketing campaigns.
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:27amRetire the numbers, and reprimand those involved in the ad. I have no problem in retiring those numbers. We do it for sports. Why not in this case? It’s just showing respect.
Report Post »quicker
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:19amYes these numbers need to be retired in memerory of the people that died on these flights,
Report Post »MotoMofo
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:15amVery poor taste but odds are it was an accident.
Report Post »Untameable-kate
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:13amI agree, a computer probably assigned the flight numbers anyways. If it was a human that assigned them it is probably someone who looks at hundreds of numbers a day and these just didn’t jump out at him/her. 9/11 was ten years ago, afterall.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:31amI woulda still got on the flight if that were my ticket. Clearly an accident, obviously. What company would do that to themselves?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:13amSomeone needs a serious change of career choices over this matter.
Report Post »GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:28amW/ flight 77 loaded down w/ US Navy, it sez alot about how competent our military is to defend this country when it counts. BTW the commission claimed radar contact was maintained on that flight which is a complete LIE, radar contact was lost for half an hour according to the control tower.
Report Post »rubie
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:37amhmmm…rashad. just sayin. beyond insulting.
Report Post »Hephzibah
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:21amI’m thinking like you, Rubie.
Report Post »GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:40amSorry, but I don’t believe 77 hit the penacon, that is ur weak, unsupported by fact, opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNinKFMpBZs&feature=related
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 1:52pmBeing here in NY when this happened I can relate to the disgust! It’s tough to express in feelings, but it’s disappointing to see a faux pas like this. It makes it seem like some people ignore what happened here, I guess!
Report Post »Aaron in Polk County
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:12amSo what?! Are those numbers suddenly sacred? Are we going to retire Airline, Train and Bus route numbers now when there is an attack?! Jesus Christ, people!
Report Post »5410amh
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:19amLet them use the numbers if they want. Maybe it‘s a little insensitive to victim’s family’s, but it’s time to move on. If you live in the past (granted history repeats itself) you will miss the present and the future.
Report Post »GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:23amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6O6sM2Shok
Unique an catchy
Report Post »WHITE LOTUS2x
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:34amAaron……if they can retire the numbers on atheletes jersies, it wouldnt be too much to exspect them to do the same for the flight numbers of the jets the day thousands of people were murdered. Lotus.
Report Post »BelowAverageJoe
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 10:35amThis is the kind of politically correct garbage that has contributed to the destruction of the country. At some point the hypersensitivity has to stop. Why not now?
Report Post »CultureWarriors
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:05amI think this proof that the Peter Principle is indeed valid and acurate.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 11:06amNot playing now .. looks like someone took the link out? What’s the matter .. don’t they want us to see it now?
TEA!
Report Post »outsidethebox
Posted on May 20, 2011 at 5:22pmVideo isn’t playing, anyone else having this problem?
Report Post »