Complaint letters

Third & Fourth Complaint via AirNZ webpage

Thalia Kehoe Rowden has been writing about her battle to get the AirNZ sexist safety video banned on her blog, http://sacraparental.com/, after recently been exposed to this video on a flight.  Again, the responses she received and her friend Lucy received are same form letters sent to the first two complaint letters below

In the little box on their main website I wrote this:

I’m really disappointed at your choice to ally with Sports Illustrated for the latest safety video.

I have six reasons I think it’s a poor choice, and not up to your usual standards. I have written about them on my blog, here:
http://sacraparental.com/2014/03/01/everyday-misogyny-whats-wrong-with-air-new-zealands-swimsuit-safety-video/

Not only does the Swimsuit Edition objectify women, but it belittles women’s sport – which the magazine pays very little attention to. This is not something a country with a proud sporting history should go anywhere near.

This is compulsory viewing on your aeroplanes and I won’t be taking my son on one until these safety videos are gone.

Please leave the sexist 1970s behind.
Thalia Kehoe Rowden

Lucy wrote this, and copied it to the Sacraparental Facebook page thread:

I am completely dismayed by your latest safety advert.

I think it is awful that something so obviously objectifying of women is COMPULSORY viewing. On one hand you can make whatever adverts you like because I can just turn them off. But me and my children HAVE to watch this sexist safety click.

You are completely destroying any hopes you had of being New Zealand’s family friendly airline.

Air New Zealand Response

Air New Zealand sent us both a form reply, saying this:

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback regarding our new in-flight safety video.

We appreciate that with each new safety video there will be some people who like the content and others that don’t.  We have been careful to ensure Safety in Paradise has been produced in a way that is tasteful and suitable for viewing by passengers of all ages.  This included testing the video extensively with both a cross section of customers and staff to ensure we strike the right balance between entertainment and communicating important safety messages.  

We were also very careful to ensure that the men, women and children who feature in the video are wearing clothing appropriate for the beach setting where they were filmed. This safety video also allows us to promote the Cook Islands, a key Pacific Island destination which Air New Zealand has served for more than 60 years.

That said your feedback is an important part of our review process and please be assured that your comments have been passed to our Marketing team.  

Thank you once again for bringing your concerns to attention.

Yours sincerely

I replied:

Thank you for your response to my submission.

I’m afraid I don’t feel like you have actually responded to my concerns of sexism. I wasn’t complaining that the video was horrifically explicit or that people shouldn’t wear swimsuits on beaches.

I think aligning your company with one that glories in objectifying women and belittles women’s sport is inappropriate.

I haven’t heard back yet after that last email, but an automated message assures me I will. [Update: that email was March 14 and I haven't heard anything further.]


Second Complaint via AirNZ webpage

Hey team,

Had a great flight down to Wellington the other night with you, absolutely cannot fault the service from bag drop to landing. Thanks for providing that.
I was exceptionally disappointed however with your current in-flight safety video featuring models from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. I found the whole thing rather repulsive and it made me feel really uneasy and rather humiliated, being forced to watch the video (I assume we must as it's part of the safety briefing) whilst sitting between two ogling men.
The experience was completely degrading and I can't imagine it's very pleasant for your cabin crew to watch over and over again either.
What the hell AirNZ? You're usually so classy!

[name redacted]

Air New Zealand Response
--
Dear [name redacted],

Thank you for your feedback expressing your appreciation of our service and disappointment with the safety video.

As with each of our safety videos, Air New Zealand looks to deliver the key safety message in an entertaining and compelling way, while still delivering the necessary safety messages. As an opportunity to further lift our brand on the global stage, Air New Zealand partnered with Sports Illustrated on this occasion. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine has 61 million readers and is widely talked about both online and by global media outlets. In addition, this video also allows us to promote the Cook Islands, a key Pacific Island destination which Air New Zealand has served for more than 60 years.

We appreciate that with each new safety video there will be some people who like the content and others that don’t. We have been careful to ensure Safety in Paradise has been produced in a way that is suitable for viewing by passengers of all ages. We were also very careful to ensure that the men, women and children who feature in the video are wearing clothing appropriate for the beach setting where they were filmed.

Notwithstanding this, you can be assured your comments have been noted and passed back to our Marketing team for their review and consideration. 

Thank you once again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

Kind regards,

[name redacted]

First Complaint via AirNZ webpage

Air New Zealand 1st Response 

On 31/05/2014, at 8:37 am, !Flightcomment <flightcomment@airnz.co.nz> wrote:

Dear Ms Schuck

Thank you for your email expressing your concerns with the new safety video.   

As with each of our safety videos, Air New Zealand looks to deliver the key safety message in an entertaining and compelling way, while still delivering the necessary safety messages. As an opportunity to further lift our brand on the global stage, Air New Zealand partnered with Sports Illustrated on this occasion. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine has 61 million readers and is widely talked about both online and by global media outlets. In addition, this video also allows us to promote the Cook Islands, a key Pacific Island destination which Air New Zealand has served for more than 60 years.  

We appreciate that with each new safety video there will be some people who like the content and others that don’t. We have been careful to ensure “Safety in Paradise ” has been produced in a way that is suitable for viewing by passengers of all ages. We were also very careful to ensure that the men, women and children who feature in the video are wearing clothing appropriate for the beach setting where they were filmed.

That said you can be assured your disappointment with the safety video has been noted and has been passed back to our Marketing team for their review and consideration.   

Ms Schuck, thank you once again for bringing your concerns to our attention.

Yours sincerely

Judy McDermit

Customer Relations Specialist | Customer Relations

T. + 64 9 366 2929

E. flightcomment@airnz.co.nz

Auckland New Zealand

Second Complaint via AirNZ webpage 

Sent: Saturday, 31 May 2014 10:51 a.m.
To: !Flightcomment
Cc: Luxon, Christopher
Subject: Safety Video Re: Email to Ms Schuck

Dear Ms McDermit,

I am disappointed to read that you appear to think that the facts that SI’s swimsuit issue has 61 million readers is some form of endorsement for it.  If Air NZ’s target market is “men who see women primarily as objects” then great, but I thought the company’s ethical base was a bit firmer than that.  Would you buy that magazine for your young son?  Your daughter?  Your mother?  If not, please explain how exposing them to the video equivalent of it is appropriate for your passengers. 

Virtually the entire focus of the video was women with almost no clothes on. It might be suitable

beachwear, but I’m not on a beach, nor are you, nor are any of your passengers when watching the video.  By that logic you could shoot a porn “safety video”...

I am disappointed in the video, but am doubly disappointed that Air New Zealand is so disrespectful of the women in its customer base, and so unwilling to listen or learn from what is being said.  This video is not neutral.  It directly, strongly, contributes to a culture where people like Rolf Harris think that any female fan is a suitable target for his attentions, and where women like Blessie Gotingco are vulnerable to random men who think a woman, any woman, is his for the taking.

I spend a lot of time talking up Air NZ as I have found your service second to none, but we are now actively recommending that visitors seek other flight options.

Kind regards,

 Mary Margaret Schuck.

Air New Zealand 2nd Response 

From: "Williams, Jodi" <Jodi.Williams@airnz.co.nz>

Subject: RE: Safety Video Re: Email to Ms Schuck

Date: 17 June 2014 8:24:44 pm NZST

Dear Ms Schuck,

Thank you for your email and for reaching out with your concerns.  I am responding on behalf of myself and Christopher Luxon as my team are responsible for the delivery of the Safety videos.

We take safety very seriously and we believe if we can engage and entertain people and get their attention we will get better internalisation of the safety messages.  That’s job number one and whether customers like individual videos or not people are watching the videos.

By their very nature Air New Zealand safety videos receive a lot of attention and this one has been no different, with several million people around the world already viewing it online, and tens of millions more exposed to our brand and the beautiful destination of the Cook Islands through media coverage.  The sentiment towards the safety video has been overwhelmingly positive in all markets.

Any suggestion that the safety video objectifies women is misplaced.  The Cook Islands as the destination is the hero and we are proud to have a piece of content that also associates our airline with a top brand and a cast, including Cook Islands children, women and men plus our own staff.

The safety video was tested with customers and Air New Zealanders prior to release and the issue you raise was not flagged as a concern.  I suspect that in part this is because through our regular advertising of sun destinations over the years it is not uncommon to see people in normal beach wear enjoying the sun and surf.  Alongside this similar sort of imagery features in content across a variety of platforms everyday, such as tv shows, music videos and promotions.

One of the core objectives in creating Safety In Paradise was to drive demand for Air New Zealand services and it is doing just that.  We saw a significant spike in the sales of airfares in the United States when it was released and have seen bookings direct from New Zealand to the Cook Islands strengthen over the coming months. More people on our planes is great for both the New Zealand and Cook Islands tourism industries.

I am very comfortable with the content of our most recent safety video. I felt it was tastefully handled and the attire for everyone in the video was completely in context with the location.

I accept this may be an issue we have to agree to disagree on.   Thank you again for reaching out to us on this matter.

Kind Regards Jodi

Jodi Williams      Head of Global Brand Dvlpmt | Marketing and Customer    P.      E.   Jodi.Williams@airnz.co.nz