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(Alliance News) - easyJet PLC's founder on Monday said he was awarded GBP7.0 million in damages after winning a brand infringement battle against a Latin American airline company in Colombia.
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who owns easyGroup Holdings Ltd, the founding company of the London-listed budget airline, was locked in a legal battle with low-cost carrier EasyFly SA over the trade mark of the Easyjet name in Colombia.
Judges in Bogota forced Alfonso Avila, EasyFly's founder who initially filed the lawsuit, to pay the COP30.0 million, roughly GBP7.0 million, damages.
Judge Adriana Pulgarin said: "By the time EasyFly (Mr Avila), took steps for registering the trade mark Easyjet (in Colombia) and other easy trademarks, the defendant companies (easyJet and easyGroup) already existed and operated in the European and United Kingdom market."
"There is no doubt that the first use of the commercial name 'easyJet' was in England, use that continues to date, and therefore, if the Colombian company (Mr Avila) used the commercial name later than the British company, it is clear that the first use of the commercial name prevails," Pulgarin added.
As part of a related action, the companies will lock horns in court again later this month, this time in London's High Court.
easyGroup is also involved in another brand infringement action, this time concerning ATR, a French aerospace manufacturer which sold Avila's EasyFly firm branded aircrafts.
easyGroup said: "Bailiffs were authorised to visit ATR’s factory in Toulouse on 3rd July to obtain photographs of the offending mark 'easyfly' being applied to the aircraft. The cases continue but these actions clearly confirm that easyGroup takes any unauthorised use of the easy brand very seriously."
Haji-Ioannou is not a director at easyJet nor is he on the board of easyHotel PLC, another company he founded.
The budget hotel was recently subject to a takeover attempt by the the Citrus UK Bidco Ltd consortium. Haji-Ioannou has insisted that easyHotel should remain publicly-listed and in September said his 28% stake will allow him to block any attempt to take company private.
Shares in easyJet were 0.2% lower at 1,197.50 pence each in London on Monday afternoon.
By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com
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