British Hairways

That’s a good question Shakir but, unfortunately, I think I do know the answer 🙁

It’s my understanding that the name “British Airways” is a registered trademark and that our young lady’s chosen name for her hairdressing salon was too close to a registered trademark

Sad!

OK?

If you wanted to start a fast-food restaurant and wished to call it McDonlads with a silly grinning colourful clown standing outside and you hung a large yellow letter M outside your premises, I believe that you would rapidly get a call from The McDonalds Corporation

That satisfies the similar name, similar business criteria

But what if I wanted to open a bicycle repair shop under my name ‘Mike’s’ and had a silly grinning colourful clown standing outside and I hung a large yellow letter M outside my premises?

How long before I get a phone call from some heavy corporate American lawyer, do you think?

Can you see that, whereas I’m not guilty of the tort of passing off (similar name, similar business) I clearly am guilty of breach of trade-mark / copyright and trying to improve / advertise my business using the world-wide recognised signs of a famous fast-food restaurant

And that surely shouldn’t be acceptable. And that’s why British Airways successfully sued our young emigrated hairdresser

Is that better for you?

As always, you’re welcome