Indian Jet Airways to take legal action against US Jet Airways

Mumbai: Jet Airways intends to take legal action against the president and CEO of US-based Jet Airways Inc for its "outrageous" allegation that the Indian private airliner had terrorist links.

Denying all allegations, Jet Airways in a statement today said the American company was attempting to "besmirch" its reputation, which had amounted to outright harassment. "We have taken a serious view of these allegations", Jet Airways said in a statement. "Investigations show that Jet Airways Inc is just a shell company with no business activity much less airline business", the statement further added.

The primary motivation of Jet Airways Inc in filing the objection arises out of a trade name claim made by the US company that is currently being considered by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the statement said.

The private Indian airliner is scheduled to launch its operations to the US with a flight from Mumbai to Newark via Brussels on June 23.

Maryland-based Jet Airways, Inc., which is yet to commence airline operations, has filed a petition with the US Transport Department, stating that if the Indian carrier is allowed to operate in the US "then we will once again have the Al Qaeda flying and controlling aircraft over American cities".

The American company has alleged that "since Jet Airways (India) Ltd was planned and started in 1991, it has been funded by Al Qaeda ''specifically designated global terrorist'' Dawood Ibrahim, and no matter how wonderful the service and the airline may be in India, it is still an enterprise which is used to launder money for Al Qaeda and it is still an Al Qaeda airline".