Airport authorities claim the anti-animal cruelty advert is too political and can potentially evoke ‘negative customer reaction’.

Every UK airport has refused to display PETA’s anti-leather advertisement, the vegan charity claims.

The animal rights organisation created a “Cruelty Doesn’t Fly”   campaign to educate travellers on the impact of their fashion and accessory choices.

The group asked airports to carry the message on their luggage trolleys at the terminal. The image – featuring a cow turned into a leather handbag – asks travellers “was she killed to make your carry-on?”

However, every single airport rejected the advert, on grounds of it being “political” or capable of evoking “potential negative customer reaction.”

The charity faced similar rejections in other countries as well.

Queenstown Airport authorities refused to grant permission to run the advert citing that the message may be “political, unethical, evangelical” or “prejudicial to a business carried on at the airport”.

The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) also  initially refused to run the ad. However,  PETA’s insistence that such a ‘move would be unconstitutional’ saw the ad appearing on airport trolleys in the US.

‘Stick to cruelty-free carry-ons’

“The public deserves to know that behind every leather bag is a sensitive individual who died a painful death,” PETA Director Elisa Allen said in a statement.

“Vegan leather doesn’t come with the emotional baggage of knowing an animal was killed for it, so PETA calls on everyone to consider the gentle cows who are carved up for leather and stick to cruelty-free carry-ons.”

Why is leather condemned?

The leather industry is heavily criticised for not only its detrimental environmental impact, but also its inhumane animal welfare implications.

According to the World Bank, livestock rearing is responsible for over 80% of Amazon deforestation in the last 50 years.

The industry is also particularly carbon-intensive, with every square metre of the fabric generating about 110kg of CO2.

Moreover, around 130 different and toxic chemicals, including cyanide and formaldehyde are used to turn animal skins into leather.

On the animal welfare front, animals reared for the global leather industry are deprived food and water during demanding journeys to slaughterhouses, are often electroshocked and even beaten to death, an undercover PETA exposé revealed.

Meanwhile, vegan leather made from innovative materials such as cactus leather, cork, pineapple leaves, apples and recycled rubber, are better alternatives that not only spare lives of the animals but also are better for the planet.

“With the global vegan leather market expected to grow to over £35 billion (€41 billion) by 2025, there are now more sustainably produced animal-free leather options than ever, including natural fabrics made from pineapple leaves, apples, and mushrooms,” PETA said in a statement.

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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