Air New Zealand yanks bikini-clad swimsuit model safety video

Some called it sexy, others called it sexist, and now, Air New Zealand is scrapping its supermodels-in-bikinis in-flight safety video following criticism that the video objectifies women.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, Air New Zealand hired Sports Illustrated models including Christie Brinkley and Chrissy Teigen for an in-flight safety video set in the Cook Islands. In the video, the models pose in bikinis and suggestively describe how to buckle the seat belts, use the oxygen masks, and activate the life jackets.

Although the video inspired Internet users to view the clip upwards of five million times, it also inspired a change.org petition signed by more than 11,000 people demanding its ban, calling the video offensive, inappropriate and culturally insensitive.

The airline tells the New Zealand Herald the public outcry had nothing to do with the video's removal, saying safety videos are typically changed every few months.

Check out the full video here ... it could come in handy if you ever find yourself encountering turbulence on an island surrounded by models. What do you think about the video? Let us know in the comments.

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