On the tragic afternoon of June 12, Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, claiming 241 lives. The sole survivor of the devastating crash has become a symbol of hope amidst nationwide grief.
In a chilling twist, a front-page advertisement published in the Mid-Day newspaper that very morning has stirred widespread attention. The ad, promoting KidZania’s Father’s Day weekend event, featured a cartoon cityscape with a large Air India aircraft emerging from a building — an uncanny image that now eerily mirrors the real-life crash into the Ahmedabad Medical College hostel, which claimed five additional lives on the ground.
Social media buzzed with comparisons to The Simpsons‘ famously predictive themes. But the ad’s creators were quick to clarify that it was merely a deeply unfortunate coincidence.
KidZania India, in collaboration with Air India, had earlier launched the Air India Aviation Academy to inspire children aged 4-16 to explore real-world aviation professions. The image of the aircraft is a standard fixture across KidZania centres globally and has been part of their design since 2023. A promotional tweet by Air India in July 2024 showcased the same aircraft facade as part of the Academy’s launch.
In a heartfelt statement, KidZania expressed solidarity with the victims’ families, emphasizing that the advertisement was submitted well in advance as part of a scheduled summer campaign. “We remain sensitive to this tragedy and have paused any further promotion of the said visual,” the company added.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over what was meant to be an educational and playful experience for children. What remains is a somber reminder of how real-life events can intersect with promotional material in unforeseen and tragic ways.
KidZania India said, “Our heartfelt condolences to the families. The ad was part of a pre-planned campaign and has now been paused out of respect.”
Let’s remember the 241 lives lost and support the one miraculous survivor. Sometimes, truth really is stranger — and sadder — than fiction.
