A trademark dispute between the excellent Jet Airways and an American shell company has turned nasty, delaying Jet’s debut in America (via The Acorn). Jet, the #1 Indian airline, is on the verge of starting a Bombay to NYC route. Jet Airways Inc., the American shell, is spewing some incredibly inflammatory bullshit:

Nancy M Heckerman, the chief executive officer and president [of] Jet Airways Inc… [said]… “As an American citizen, I felt this airline should never be allowed to enter our airspace.” In her petition, she alleged: “… we will once again have Al-Qaeda flying and controlling aircraft over American cities, and this time the officials who issue these permits will be held accountable for knowingly allowing these aircraft the entry.

“… those aircraft are paid for by an international Al-Qaeda organization. Some of the passengers on those aircrafts are not Indian citizens, but Al-Qaeda fugitive, and with the aid of the Al-Qaeda’s own airlines, those who have entered India and easily obtained false identities and passports can board those aircraft and enter this country and complete the mission that they started on September 11, 2002.” [HT]

“… it is still an enterprise which is used to launder money for Al-Qaeda and is still an Al-Qaeda airline… such funds are commingled with the original black money from the Al-Qaeda… Secretary Mineta would never welcome Jet Airways (India) if he was made aware of Naresh Goyal and Dawood Ibrahim’s plan to inflict real and imminent danger on the United States.” [HT]

“Naresh Goyal is trying to enter the United Stats to fulfill his obligation to his Al-Qaeda creditors. Jet Airways Inc is fighting to protect the United States from another invasion by a well known Al-Qaeda Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” [HT]

Terrorism, terrorism, terrorism! Oh yes, if those hordes of desi grandmas start flying into Jersey, they won’t be bringing just Parle biscuits and sweets.

Little Jet uses a shared office suite as an address, owns no planes and has no airline license. Big Jet asked the trademark office to cancel Little Jet’s service mark because Big Jet began using the mark in the U.S. in 1995. That’s when the tatti really hit the pankha:

  • Little Jet filed an opposition to Big Jet’s U.S. market entry with the DOT, claiming Big Jet’s startup cash in 1991-92 came from gangster Dawood Ibrahim
  • Little Jet says Big Jet hired a private detective to place harassing phone calls
  • Big Jet issued a categorical denial and said it financed its planes through legitimate banks
  • Homeland Security is asking for additional info on Big Jet’s security procedures:
… the name, nationality and passport details of Jet Airways (India) pilots who would enter the American air space; the type of planes it would be flying to the US, its past history and security arrangements and procedures to be adopted for its fleet. Coming from three… wings of the US government [DOT, FAA, TSA], the Jet Airways (India) has also been directed to furnish detailed information about the ground handling procedures of its fleet… These agencies have also asked the Jet Airways (India) to furnish details about who all are responsible for the maintenance of its fleet including their background. [HT]
  • The Port Authority of New Jersey wrote to the DOT supporting Big Jet (more revenue for Newark Airport)
  • Big Jet’s June 23 launch date for the Bombay-NYC service looks like a fading memory
  • Big Jet is exploring a defamation suit and implied that the competitor is merely a shell company looking for a payoff, and its CEO is a grifter:
According to Jet (India) sources here, 60-year-old Nancy Heckerman is also known as Nancy H Ramachandra and Nancy Baker. She is said to be involved in an ongoing relationship with a Samuel Jacobs, also known as Samuel Ramachandra.

Jet (India) also maintains that the Heckermans/ Jacobs / Ramchandras were evicted after proceedings from their landlords Mr and Mrs Stoner, for non-payment of US $ 6,000… It is learnt that the Heckermans / Jacobs / Ramchandras lost another eviction action brought by landlords Lees, as also a claim for damages against the landlords for $3.1 million. They also claimed medical excuses for non-payment of $18,500 in rent, but the defence failed.

Jet Airways (India) sources in London state, ”Surprisingly the very persons who were unable to pay $6,000 and $18,500 to different sets of landlords, claimed in December 2004 that they owned aircraft valued at over 2 billion dollars… Maryland-based Jet Airways Inc is a shell company and there is nothing more to it than that.” [Mid-Day]

  • A right-wing Hindu who regularly posts anti-Muslim rants online filed complained to the DOT that Big Jet employs a lot of Muslims
  • A right-wing American blogger lumped India with Saudi Arabia: ‘It makes you wonder what all is possible when your enemy is backed by the seemingly endless wealth of the terrorist loving oil families from way east.’

The tone of Little Jet’s filings is wild-eyed slander. But is there any truth to the accusation despite the less-than-credible messenger? Big Jet is a public company that discloses its financials, but did anything dodgy happen in 1991-92? Here’s what one commenter on Airliners.net said:

Naresh Goyal has done his share of shady deals over time, but Jet Airways today is about as squeaky clean as it gets. He’s been cleaning things up since his big investigation a few years ago and its all nicely transparent and public now. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of Jet’s competitors… actually put these guys up to it to delay things and hence reduce Jet’s first mover advantage in the market. [Airliners.net]

If it were true, you’d want to see Goyal out of the company, Jet doing a financial and security audit, and then the U.S. issuing flight permission. But if the U.S. were to permanently ban the airline, they’d have to shut down the Las Vegas airport, because that city was once built by the Mob. They’d have to ban PIA, for Pakistan’s ISI is reportedly sheltering Dawood. They’d have to ban Saudi Airlines because of that government’s links to terror finance. And they’d have to investigate Emirates Air, because Dawood supposedly spends a lot of time in Dubai.

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