Budget Airline Wizz Suing EasyJet Over Ad

[White Cap]

Budget Airline Wizz Suing EasyJet Over Ad

December 7, 2004

Central European budget airline Wizz air has filed a lawsuit in a Hungarian court against bigger European rival easyJet alleging that it damaged the firm's reputation, Wizz said in a statement on Tuesday.

Wizz is seeking undisclosed damages over a full page easyJet advertisement in last Wednesday's edition of the country's largest daily, Nepszabadsag, which criticized Wizz for cancelling a number of flights on the London-Budapest route.

EasyJet said that Wizz's cancellation of more than 200 flights over a four month period gave the entire budget airline industry a bad reputation and that easyJet had not cancelled any flights during that period.

A Wizz spokeswoman said the airline has indeed cancelled the flights but said such cancellations were a natural part of the industry. She said that passengers were always notified in advance and given the opportunity to rebook.

Wizz has also asked the Hungarian Advertisement Association's ethics committee to review the case.

EasyJet earlier said it stood by the claims of its advertisement.

(Reuters)

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