Conspiracy Theorists Attack Virgin Australia Over Cloud Formation Photo

12th Jan 2017

You gotta love conspiracy theorists. This time they lambasted Virgin Australia for sharing a photo of a unique striped cloud formation over the Great Australian Bight during a flight between Perth and Adelaide.

The photo, taken by Virgin Australia passenger Ilya Katsman, shows clouds lying side-by-side in thin rows against a deep blue sky. This phenomenon is known as either "roll clouds' or "morning glory clouds". This phenomenon occurs due to high humidity when the temperature over the land is warm and the ocean temperature is cooler.

However, the conspiracy theorists wouldn't be that if they didn't have their own explanation for this. Many have taken to Facebook to comment on the photo Virgin shared on its page there, saying the clouds were actually "chemtrails".

Chemtrails are white trails of chemicals that planes leave in the sky. Conspiracy theorists believe these are actually designed to brainwash or make the public sick.

One Facebook user wrote:

"You have got to be joking me! This reminds me of the 1950's when 9 out of 10 doctors recommended lucky strike cigarettes. Passing geo engineering off as natural cloud formations is disgusting. I'll never ever fly Virgin and will make sure I encourage others not too either. Branson must be making a truck load out of big pharma to stoop this low."

Another was even more direct, saying:

"Sick sick sick! You call this view good? No, we are not all brain dead."

A third commenter added:

"I am astounded that you are so blatantly showing your involvement and support of Chemtrails. Deliberately dumbing down and poisoning people and this beautiful planet. And then the icing on the cake, trying to use your blatant disregard for life as a pretty marketing campaign. Shame on you Virgin."

Not all bought into the chemtrails conspiracy theory. Some users thought the Virgin Australia social team must have had a lot of fun reading these comments.

One person wrote:

"Oh man the Virgin Australia social team must have been in hysterics this week. It's the people above that truly make a job entertaining!"