Hyderabad: A KidZania advert on the front page of the Mid-Day newspaper on June 12 raised the eyebrows of social media users for bearing an uncanny resemblance to the AI Flight 171 that crashed minutes after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12.
Published in newspapers mere hours before the tragedy occurred, the full-size advert promoted KidZania’s Father’s Day weekend. However, it features an Air India plane poking strangely out of the side of a building in the background. The unnatural coincidence with yesterday’s horrific events led to online viewers theorising about the connection of the mishap with a larger conspiracy, straight out of an action movie.
The Mid-Day newspaper is a popular daily in Gujarat as well, published in English, Hindi, and Gujarati.
Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 – 8 Dreamliner bound to London, carrying 242 passengers (including cabin crew and pilots), crashed moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad, crashing atop the hostel mess of the BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar.
KidZania is a make-believe, miniature, indoor city for children to play as real-world professions like engineers, pilots, doctors, lawyers, and more. In an appropriate tone for the brand, the advert features cartoonishly vibrant and vivid graphics, designed to be appealing to their primary demographic, kids.
Image sparks conspiracy theories online
The presence of a branded Air India jet plane peeking halfway out of a building in the background of an otherwise innocent and kiddish graphic became cause for suspicion online, especially in light of recent events.
Social media users went so far as to warn of an overarching conspiracy; other users played it down as a mere unfortunate coincidence.
KidZania, Air India clarify past collaboration
KidZania itself called the advert a “crazy coincidence” – the presence of the Air India plane is in reference to the companies’ collaboration, they clarified to reporters. KidZania operates the Air India Aviation Academy at its Mumbai and Noida outlets. The design, as seen in the advert, is a recurring motif of the same.
Air India promoted the same on the social media platform X last year, saying, “Dreams take off here! A new chapter in aviation excellence begins with the grand launch of the Air India Aviation Academy at @KidZaniaIndia in Delhi-NCR. Whether navigating a flight simulator or learning about airport operations, KidZania’s Air India Aviation Academy is where dreams of flying begin. Have you embarked on your aviation adventure yet?”
A video attached to the post depicted an Air India aircraft emerging from a KidZania building- the very same visual from the June 12 print advert.
Speaking to NDTV, KidZania spokespersons said, “Regarding the advertisement published in Mid-Day, we clarify that the aircraft image is a globally recognised architectural element across KidZania(s) worldwide and represents our Aviation Academy – an educational initiative in partnership with leading airlines, including Air India. The advertisement was submitted well before the unfortunate event, as part of a pre-planned summer campaign. We remain sensitive to this tragedy and have paused any further promotion of the said visual.”
| Posted by Syeda Faiza Kirmani | 
