Aviation titan American Airlines and one of its special purpose vehicles have filed a lawsuit against a group of British travel agents at the London High Court.
The US airline and its subsidiary, AAdvantage Loyalty IP, filed a claim against against Advantage Travel Centres on Tuesday, according to filings in the High Court’s Intellectual Property Court.
The claim relates to concerns over a logo used by Advantage Travel Partnership, a spokesperson for the travel agent told City AM.
American Airlines, one of the world’s largest airlines, holds the intellectual property and associated assets of its frequent-flyer programme through its SPV.
According to UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) records, the airline and AAdvantage Loyalty IP hold multiple registered UK trademarks, including those for administering its loyalty rewards programmes.
Advantage Travel Centres, trading as Advantage Travel Partnership, is a London-based business representing hundreds of independent leisure and corporate travel management companies. It pools these agencies’ buying power to negotiate better commercial terms, commission rates, and deals with major travel suppliers, while also providing business support, marketing, and technology resources to its members.
UK travel group ‘surprised’ by claim
When contacted for a comment, a spokesperson for Advantage Travel Partnership told City AM: “We are surprised to learn that American Airlines (and AAdvantage Loyalty IP) has filed a lawsuit against Advantage Travel Centres in the High Court in London, particularly as this concerns a matter on which we have been awaiting a response from them.
“The issue relates to a relatively recent update to our corporate identity. It appears that American Airlines has concerns about an element of the Advantage Travel Partnership logo and we are working to find a solution that is acceptable to both parties.
“We understand that the claim was issued at 4:47pm [Tuesday]. However, the claim has not yet been served on us and, as a result, we do not currently have any further details regarding the allegations being made,” they added.
American Airlines was approached for comment.