Malaysia court orders AirAsia MOVE to stop selling Cebu Pacific tickets
AirAsia MOVE, the booking arm of regional budget carrier AirAsia, has been ordered to stop offering Cebu Pacific’s plane tickets by a Malaysian court after it was found that the platform had been selling flights without authorization.
In a disclosure on Tuesday, July 7, Cebu Pacific said it had secured an injunction against MOVE Travel Sdn Bhd, the operator of AirAsia MOVE, for the unauthorized use of its trademarks, Cebu Pacific and Cebgo.
The low-cost carrier said the High Court of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur determined that AirAsia MOVE is liable for passing off, or the act of selling a product or service that misleads people into thinking it is genuine.
With the legal victory, AirAsia MOVE is now barred from distributing and selling Cebu Pacific flights bearing its trademarks without prior authorization.
The booking platform was ordered to pay RM120,000, or roughly ₱1.8 million, in legal costs to Cebu Pacific, while damages will be assessed in separate proceedings.
The High Court also recognized that Cebu Pacific and Cebgo are well-known trademarks in Malaysia, providing the airline with additional safeguards against their unauthorized use.
Cebu Pacific initially filed a lawsuit against AirAsia MOVE in June 2024 for the unauthorized use of its trademarks in relation to the sale and promotion of its plane tickets on the platform’s website and mobile application.
“Cebu Pacific has never authorized MOVE to use the Cebu Pacific and CebGo trademarks or to distribute or sell its flight tickets through the platform,” it said.
AirAsia MOVE is an online booking platform that offers flights from more than 700 airlines worldwide, alongside services such as airport transfers, travel insurance and duty-free shopping.
In a financial report, AirAsia MOVE said it may incur an estimated RM2.2 million, or up to ₱33.15 million, in potential legal costs and liabilities related to Cebu Pacific’s lawsuit.
This is not the first time AirAsia MOVE has gotten into trouble with the local aviation industry, as it was ordered to pay a ₱6-million fine by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for allegedly selling overpriced tickets.
For its part, Cebu Pacific noted that it remains supportive of third-party travel platforms and partners that sell its airline tickets, provided they do so with proper authorization.
“The airline reminds passengers that booking directly with Cebu Pacific remains the best way to access the airline's lowest fares and latest promos, manage bookings easily, receive direct flight notifications, and enjoy a smoother customer experience,” the carrier said.