Animal rights activists staged a protest at Gatwick Airport yesterday, targeting the TUI check-in desk.
Supporters of PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — dressed as staff from travel companies that have already cut ties with marine parks, urging the travel giant to follow suit.
The group called on holidaymakers to avoid booking with TUI until it ends its association with venues that keep whales and dolphins in captivity. Instead, they encouraged travellers to choose airlines they described as “orca-friendly.”
PETA argues that in the wild, orcas live in complex family groups, cooperate to hunt, and can swim up to 150 miles a day. By contrast, in facilities such as SeaWorld and Loro Parque, the animals are kept in small concrete tanks, far removed from their natural environment.
PETA campaigners dressed as airline staff.
The campaign group has long criticised the keeping of orcas and dolphins in captivity, saying it causes immense suffering and denies the animals the ability to express their natural behaviours.
“It’s shameful that TUI is still selling holiday packages to cruel marine parks, where orcas are denied any semblance of a natural life and forced to spend their days in cramped, chemically treated tanks,” says PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen. “PETA is calling on TUI to follow the lead of every other major travel company in the UK and stop propping up wretched orca prisons.”
TUI have been asked for a right of reply and so far, has not commented on yesterday's action by PETA.
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