The business charter airline is making serious allegations against its competitor. It all started with a WhatsApp group from Air-X circles against Vistajet.
Vistajet and Air X are direct competitors, as are many other companies. But the companies have also become bitter enemies. The dispute, which has been simmering for years, is now being played out publicly in a court in Malta, reports the newspaper Malta Today.
Specifically, Vistajet accuses its competitor of running a smear campaign. Owner Thomas Flohr explained in a letter to investors in April that a competitor had started a smear campaign that was damaging Vistajet financially. The company quantified the damage in court.
Whatsapp group in focus
The company suffered financial losses of 386 million euros as a result of a targeted “disinformation campaign” by Air X, according to the accusation. This apparently originated in a WhatsApp group of Air X employees called “Vista Comms”. And its purpose, according to the lawsuit, was to spread false information to the media, customers and manufacturers.
The lawsuit aims to hold Air X employees personally financially responsible. The managing director and the chief financial officer, among others, are to pay damages. Air X does not consider itself to be at fault. Vistajet is only trying to turn bad press into a “harassing” demand for damages.
Evil articles on Linkedin
In addition, the WhatsApp group was founded by Air-X founder John Matthews, who is not part of the lawsuit. The members had nothing to do with it. He, on the other hand, makes no secret of his opinion of Vistajet. He has written several articles on the career portal in which he questions Vistajet’s profitability and financial condition.
Vistajet blames Air X for the subsequent negative media coverage of the company’s financial situation. Air X sees no connection between losses and the actions of its employees.
Goliath versus David
This is where Goliath is suing David. Vistajet now operates a fleet of 360 aircraft. 270 of these belong to the airline itself. The other aircraft are privately owned and are marketed by Vistajet. Air X flies with 16 aircraft. Both companies are based in Malta.
