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ASA rejects complaints against Gatwick second runway adverts

The advertising watchdog has rejected two complaints against Gatwick over adverts promoting its plans for a second runway.

The Advertising Standards Authority threw out objections made by the London Borough of Hounslow Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber challenged the airport’s claims that it could build a new runway faster than Heathrow and that fewer people would be affected by noise and air pollution.

But the ASA dismissed claims that the adverts were misleading.

“We considered members of the public would therefore recognise the context of the ads and appreciate that they represented the views and expectations of Gatwick airport, formed upon a reasonable and robust evidence base,” the ASA ruled.

“We considered the earlier completion of the Gatwick airport expansion, up to a year before the completion of the Heathrow airport expansion, was likely to be viewed by consumers as a significant time saving, resulting in less disruption and an operational runway at an earlier date.

“We therefore considered the claim ‘We can build a new runway much faster’ was not likely to mislead readers.

“We also understood that due to the higher density of population surrounding Heathrow airport more people were likely to be affected by the air pollution resultant from the expansion.

“Because we understood that the noise and air pollution resulting from the Gatwick airport proposal would affect hundreds of thousands fewer people than the Heathrow airport proposal, we considered the claim was not likely to mislead,” the ASA added.

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