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Danny Lee

Phila Siu

Hong Kong’s airport operator has followed its railway counterpart in reversing a ban on a Cathay Pacific advertisement featuring a same-sex couple.
The Airport Authority overturned its position on Tuesday, hours after a reversal by the MTR Corporation.
In a statement, the authority, which operates Hong Kong International Airport, said the advert did not breach the company’s “established guidelines”, but refused to disclose that exact criteria.
The authority said it had “informed its agency for handling advertisement applications that the authority deems the visual does not infringe established guidelines on advertisements displayed in the terminal.”
Hong Kong’s railway operator had pulled a U-turn earlier on Tuesday, instructing its French advertising handler, JCDecaux, to reflect its position on equal opportunities and diversity by allowing the same-sex advert to be displayed at metro stations across the city.
In a response to the Post at 3am on Tuesday, the MTR Corp’s advertising handler confirmed the advert could now be displayed at MTR stations.
The reversals came in the face of heated criticism of the ban, and less than 24 hours after the Post revealed that both the railway giant and Hong Kong International Airport had banned the advert because of its same-sex content.
“We have been in contact with the relevant advertising agency and have just confirmed to the agency that the advertisement in question can be displayed at MTR stations,” a JCDecaux spokeswoman said in a statement.
MTR Corp attempts to salvage reputation as shifts blame to agency in face of outrage
The MTR Corp initially deflected the decision to ban the advert back on the French agency, despite JCDecaux following the railway giant’s advertising guidelines. By Monday night, however, it appeared that the rail operator, of which the government is a majority shareholder, had buckled under public criticism by overturning the decision.
The city’s LGBT community had reacted sharply to the ban. An online campaign condemned the MTR Corp and the airport for banning the same-sex advert.
Activists called on Hongkongers to take photos holding a picture of the banned advert at MTR stations and the airport, and to post the photos on social media.
As of Monday evening, the MTR Corp said it “requested the agency to fully consider the corporation’s commitment to equal opportunities and diversity when it considers advertisements in the future”.
The change of policy was later agreed upon.
[The] Airport Authority’s response on this was terrible
Raymond Chan, an openly gay lawmaker
“In the future, we will pay due regard to the MTR Corporation’s commitment to equal opportunities and diversity when handling the placement of advertisement,” the JCDecaux statement said.
Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, Hong Kong’s first openly gay lawmaker, said MTR Corp chairman, Fred Ma Si-hang, called him late on Monday night, signalling that the top management took the matter seriously amid the mounting pressure.
“He told me that MTR has been embracing diversity and that the incident this time was really a decision made by the advertising agency,” Chan said on Tuesday.
“He said the MTR was innocent this time. I told him that the ad agency worked for the MTR and that it was indeed MTR’s business that the agency failed to do its job properly.”
The Equal Opportunities Commission welcomed the decision by the city’s transport operators.
A spokesman for Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flag carrier, said: “We welcome these decisions and we thank everyone for the support.
“While our current advertisement placement at Hong Kong International Airport and MTR stations will soon come to an end, we are working closely with our production agencies to expedite the display of the said visual.”


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Cathay Pacific

Hong Kong’s Airport Authority joins MTR Corp in reversing ban on Cathay Pacific same-sex ad after LGBT outcry

Cathay Pacific’s new LGBT-friendly advertisement. The advert was banned by MTR Corp and Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Handout

MTR Corp attempts to salvage reputation as shifts blame to agency in face of outrage over Hong Kong same-sex Cathay Pacific advert ban

Part of Cathay Pacific’s new ad campaign is displayed at the MTR station in Central. Photo: Felix Wong

The advert, which showed two men strolling hand in hand along a beach, was part of a broader Cathay Pacific Airways rebranding campaign called Move Beyond and was intended to highlight the airlineÕs attitude to diversity. Photo: Handout

Gigi Chao(L), daughter of real estate tycoon Cecil Chao, also posed a photo on her Facebook page to show their disapproval of the MTR's and Airport Authority's refusal to display a Cathay Pacific advertisement showing a same-sex couple. Gigi Chao made headlines in 2012 when her father offered a HK$500 million (US$63.7 million) reward to any man who would marry her, even though she was already married to her long-time girlfriend. Two years later, the tycoon doubled the offer to HK$1 billion. Photo: Facebook

Brian Leung Siu-fai, chief campaigner for local gay rights group Big Love Alliance, posed for picture in an MTR station on Monday. He called on Hongkongers, no matter they are homosexual or not, to take photos with people of the same sex at any MTR stations or at the airport. He issued the call after MTR and the Airport Authority reportedly refused to run a Cathay Pacific advert showing a same-sex couple. Photo: Handout

Cathay Pacific advert showing same-sex couple banned from Hong Kong’s MTR and airport

The image featured in the advert shows two men strolling hand in hand along a beach. Photo: Handout

epa07577650 Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 May 2019. According to news reports, on 24 May, Taiwan could become the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. So far nearly 300 gay and lesbian couples have applied to register for legal union on the day the bill is to come into effect. EPA-EFE/RITCHIE B. TONGO

Chief Executive Officer, Rupert Hogg holds a press conference 'Move Beyond' at The Murray Hotel in Central. 09MAY19 SCMP / Sam Tsang

General photo of departure hall at terminal 2 of the Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok. 09DEC18 SCMP / Fung Chang

Lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen attends a Legislative Council meeting at the Legislative Council Chamber in Tamar. 24MAY18 SCMP / Dickson Lee

Cathay Pacific’s ad campaign is displayed on giant LCD screens at the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay. Photo: Felix Wong

News

Hong Kong

Transport

Society

MTR Corp to allow advert of same-sex couple at metro stations
Airport Authority quickly follows suit in overturning ban


MTR Corp to allow advert of same-sex couple at metro stations. Airport Authority quickly follows suit in overturning ban.


Cathay Dragon

MTR Corporation

Hong Kong International Airport

LGBTQ

Hong Kong’s Airport Authority joins MTR Corp in reversing ban on Cathay Pacific same-sex ad after LGBT outcry

MTR Corp to allow advert of same-sex couple at metro stations Airport Authority quickly follows suit in overturning ban

MTR Corp to allow advert of same-sex couple at metro stations

Airport Authority quickly follows suit in overturning ban