The company has claimed that her remarks damaged its reputation and adversely affected its business.
According to reports citing PTI, the suit was filed before a Gandhinagar court in April. The matter is scheduled to be heard by Senior Civil Judge R Agarwal on September 25.
What did Nora Fatehi allegedly say about the aircraft?
The dispute reportedly relates to a flight from Mumbai to Jaipur in December last year. Dunes Aviation’s suit alleges that Fatehi recorded videos while traveling aboard a Cessna Citation CJ2 and later shared them on Instagram.
In the videos, she allegedly described the aircraft using terms such as “miniature”, “toy” and “Lego airplane”. The aviation company has objected to these remarks, describing them as derogatory, reckless and irresponsible.
Dunes Aviation claims bookings fell after the posts
The company has alleged that the impact of the comments extended beyond social media due to Fatehi’s large following. According to the suit, she has more than 4.6 crore followers, and the company claims the posts resulted in cancellations and a 15-20 percent decline in bookings.
Dunes Aviation has alleged that the comments caused reputational damage, loss of goodwill and commercial losses. It has further claimed that the statements were made without adequate technical knowledge, verification or factual basis.
Company says aircraft was certified and airworthy
Dunes Aviation has maintained that the aircraft used for the Mumbai-Jaipur journey was a standard aircraft and appropriately sized for the trip. The company has also stated that it was DGCA-certified, airworthy, and being operated legally under a valid Non-Scheduled Operator’s Permit (NSOP).
The aviation company has therefore challenged the suggestion that the aircraft was unsuitable, seeking to counter what it considers misleading impressions created by the social media posts.
Dunes Aviation seeks Rs 3 crore in damages
Along with Rs 3 crore in damages, the company has asked the court to order the removal of social media content containing the alleged remarks or references to the aircraft.
Dunes Aviation has also sought a public clarification from Fatehi over the comments. The case is expected to come up before the Gandhinagar court on September 25, where the allegations and claims will be considered.