Holidays, travel and motoring

Helpful guidance on the advertising rules for ads about Holidays, Travel or Motoring, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in these areas.

When it comes to buying a holiday or a car, there is an array of consumer choice. There are dozens of comparative websites out there to make the decision easier but it is important consumers can trust all holiday, travel and motoring ads they see not least because their purchasing decisions can often be expensive ones.

Holiday and travel ads should ensure they don’t mislead consumers and should contain all non-optional taxes, duties, fees and charges that apply to most buyers in their quoted price. Holiday advertisers should ensure that their descriptions are accurate and the photos which they feature in their ads are representative of what’s being offered. They should also ensure they have evidence to back up any comparative claims they are making in their ads and proof of availability of an offer.

Motoring ads must also make sure they don’t mislead consumers but another important part of the advertising rules they must adhere to are those around social responsibility.

Adverts for cars must not condone or encourage unsafe or irresponsible driving, such as not wearing a seatbelt, or depict speed in a way that might encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly or break the law. Car ads are permitted to give general information about a vehicle's performance such as acceleration, braking power, road holding and top speed, but they cannot make speed or acceleration claims the main message of their ads or link speed with excitement.

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Latest rulings

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd t/a Virgin Atlantic
- Upheld
- Radio
- 07 August 2024
A radio ad for Virgin Atlantic included the unqualified claim "100% sustainable aviation fuel", which gave a misleading impression of the fuel's environmental impact.
Hurtigruten UK Ltd t/a HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
- Upheld
- Internet
- 17 July 2024
A paid-for ad in a digital newspaper for a cruise made misleading and unsubstantiated claims about the environmental impact of the expedition and failed to make the basis of these environmental claims clear.
London Luton Airport Ltd t/a Luton Rising
- Upheld
- 10 July 2024
A magazine ad and a poster for Luton Rising did not adequately qualify the claims made in the ad and omitted material information about the environmental impact of London Luton Airport’s expansion.
XC Trains Ltd t/a Cross Country Trains
- Internet (website content)
- 17 April 2024
A webpage made misleading claims about the availability of complimentary food and drink for First Class passengers on Cross Country Trains.

View all rulings

Holidays, travel and motoring

Helpful guidance on the advertising rules for ads about Holidays, Travel or Motoring, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in these areas.

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