EasyJet said the ad was "topical, humorous and irreverant"

A total of 186 people complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about the easyJet ad, making it the ad to gain the second highest number of complaints so far this year.

The complaints said the newspaper advert was "offensive and demeaning to women" and trivialised the war in Iraq.

Rejecting the complaints, the ASA said the advert was unlikely to cause widespread offence and while it said the reference to "weapons of mass distraction" was "distasteful" it did not trivialise the recent conflict.

'Topical'

Luton-based easyJet said the advert was the latest in a series designed to be "topical, humorous and irreverent" and dismissed accusations it was either sexist or demeaning to women.

The company said the term "weapons of mass destruction" had been in the news for some time and it changed the one word to "distraction" to highlight an attraction for holidaying in the sun.

Secretary

The watchdog also threw out seven complaints about a poster and magazine advert for the movie Secretary.

Complainants said the advert, which showed a woman in high heels and black mini skirt arching over and holding her ankles, was offensive because it could be seen by children and "condoned sexual harassment".

The ASA, however, thought the advert "humorously reflected the sado-masochistic theme of the film" and, viewed in the context of the film, was "unlikely to incite sexual violence against women".