David V Goliath Battle Over Private Website

After running his website "GoNorthwest.com" for a decade from Spokane, WA,  the sites' owner, Jack High, was surprised when Northwest Airlines sent him a legal notice demanding the site be shut down.

The site is designed to highlight tourist information about Oregon, Washington State, and parts of British Columbia ... known collectively as 'The Northwest'. Northwest Airlines claimed trademark infringement. The airline said the names and practices of the entities were too similar.

KTVB-TV in Idaho reports that there was a heated exchange of letters between lawyers before the airline finally backed down, at least somewhat. The airline now insists that High not engage in practices that "interferes with our brand, such as selling airline tickets," they told KING-TV in Seattle. They also will not ask that the site be taken down or put out of business.

High said that's fine with him, as he's not in the airline ticket business anyway. He told KTVB that hundreds of thousands of people visit his site every year looking for ideas about tourism in the northwest.

ANN imagines he's probably indirectly sold more than a few tickets for Northwest Airlines in the process.

FMI: www.GoNorthwest.com