Jet Airways route application delayed

Indian-owned airline Jet Airways has learned that its planned flights between Newark, Brussels in Belgium, and Mumbai will not be launched until at least the second quarter of 2007.

The proposed flights have run into problems after a Maryland airline, also called Jet Airways, filed an objection with the Department of Transportation (DOT) claiming trademark infringement.

Maryland Jet Airways' complaint also alleges that the Indian airline's chairman has ties to terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, and organized crime – a complaint that the DOT appears to be taking seriously.

The application was initially submitted in May 2005 and is still awaiting approval, a timescale that industry analysts agree is unusually long.

However, despite the accusations, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is in support of the Mumbai-based carrier's proposed route addition, saying that another airline would increase competition on routes from the New York area to India and Belgium.

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