The adverts, containing the slogan and the image of an air hostess, were located on a number of Tube carriages and at station platforms throughout London.
The phrase "Get ready to be surprised. Visit Germany" was in reference to a number of the country’s promoted tourist destinations.
The company immediately asked for all of their advertising to be removed following Tuesday's incident, which claimed the lives of all 150 people on board the flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.
I think it's time @TfL took these @germanwings signs down @RuptlyNewsroom #London #uk #underground #holborn pic.twitter.com/0mJ8NmWbmU
— Jon Scammell (@JonScammell) March 27, 2015
@germanwings why remove ads from London Tube @TfL network? We're all sad, but life goes on…this tragedy could've happened with any airline
— Alex Mareniuc (@AMareniuc) March 27, 2015
A Transport for London spokesperson told Sputnik that all 65 digital adverts featuring Germanwings deals were removed from online platforms within an hour of the request, while 15 of the company's 17 large adverts had been removed from stations and carriages.
The spokesperson also confirmed that the advertising was initially due to be removed on the 29th of March, but was brought forward on the back of the incident.
Pilot’s Actions Could Increase Germanwings’ Liabilities
Meanwhile, as the investigation into the crash continues, some aviation lawyers have suggested Germanwings could face astronomical legal liabilities over claims of negligence.
The airline, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa group, will be looking to defend itself from claims of negligence after prosecutors alleged that the co-pilot of the flight purposely locked himself alone in the cockpit of the plane and intentionally crashed the Airbus A320.
This comes amid reports suggesting the co-pilot, 28-year-old Andreas Lubitz, had a history of depression and mental illness.
Profile: #germanwings copilot Andres Lubitz What would make him deliberately crash plane? http://t.co/CLDdLfeogS pic.twitter.com/u2bFSC7xiT
— Fiona Govan (@fifimadrid) March 26, 2015
RT @BBCNewsbeat Andreas Lubitz depression headlines 'add to stigma' and labelled 'horrifying' pic.twitter.com/Y0a2Crivvh http://t.co/KzoNUpcNxx
— What Europe thinks! (@eurotopics_en) March 27, 2015
While compensation is generally paid to the families of flight crash victims, some have the option to file lawsuits in search of greater damages.
Lawyers have suggested that any potential lawsuits relating to the crash would center around whether Germanwings properly screened the co-pilot before and during his employment with the company, and whether a policy of having at least two people in the cockpit at all times should have been implemented.
Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr said he wasn’t focusing on the issue of liability payments at the moment, but insisted the company would abide by international regulations on the matter. He said:
"Honestly, it's one of my smaller worries. We will be able to meet the financial liabilities. Our first priority is to help the families where we can."
An agreement, known as the Montreal Convention of 1999, states that airlines generally must pay liabilities for the death of passengers.
The compensation figure for the Germanwings flight is estimated to be about $157,400 per person, or $22.7 million for the 144 passengers.
