Delta seeks to ground ‘pirate’ travel company
US airline Delta has sued an unnamed travel company for allegedly using its logo and name without authorisation to sell holiday packages.
In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Delta claimed that the company, based in Florida, had been using its name and logo to illegally sell holidays to consumers.
The lawsuit was filed as a “John Doe” case last Thursday, December 10. Delta is reportedly aware of the defendant but has asked the court to keep the details of the lawsuit under seal, according to news website Aviation Pros.
Atlanta-based Delta has decided not to name the defendant in order to be granted a raid on the company’s premises. Delta does not want the company to be notified of the lawsuit.
If the defendant is notified too early, it’s possible it could destroy or hide proof of the alleged violations, Delta claimed.
“This lawsuit presents a textbook case of intentional trademark infringement by a well-organised and entrenched ring of intellectual property pirates,” the lawsuit claimed.
“As part of a fraudulent scheme to sell ‘vacation packages’, defendants have illegally and in bad faith misappropriated Delta’s protected name and marks,” the airline added.
