British Airways is suing Ryanair in the High Court in London for alleged trademark infringement and malicious falsehood.

The claim centres on Ryanair advertisements published in February and November 1999. One advert, entitled "Expensive BA---DS", included comparisons of prices between Ryanair and BA.

BA said using the letters BA in the two adverts infringed a trademark it registered in 1988 and the price comparisons amounted to a malicious falsehood.