I am thinking about starting a VA. Its based on a real life one.I know that I should contact them and ask them for there ok first.My main question is how to some of these othere VA's get away with running a VA of a non approved nature. Like I know JetBlue and US Air dosent like VA's also Cathy Pacific is another. I know thre are a few more I won't list them all. But I do know that there are VA's running that are depicting those carriers. So what dose one do change the domain name too soming that dosent sound like the real one?. Also can they do anything about screen shots I know that some of these virtual planes look like the real deal?. I would like to know how one pulls off makeing a VA of a airline that dosnet give you permission to use its name and logos?.It seems most real arilines think there costomers are getting confused as to with air line is the real one the.So far this airline I want to make hasent responded too me yet. I am stating to think they dont want to deal with it. They have more impotant things to deal with. But I got a feeling once I made the site public then I'll probley hear from them. I would apperciate any help on this topic.Ron

Many people don't bother to ask permission and hope they don't get noticed and told to stop or else.That kind of attitude gives this entire community a bad name and should never be followed.

"Back in the day" real world airlines weren't respected because there just not that much work needed to copy something that already exists. These days the numbers of real world airlines out strip the original concept airlines 10:1, and they do a lot better even though there's no originallity involved. Some of the better real world airlines have two ot three VA's copying them, and I seriously doubt that more than 10% of the real world based VA's have permission to even exist, some even to claim "copyright" over the real world logos, schedules, etc. It's becoming ridicules.What I would so if I were you would be contact the public relations department for the airline in question. Write a very articulate e-mail detailing the VA hobby closely and your plans for the use of their logo's and images on your page. Be adult, include your home phone and address and if they replay in a negative way follow up with a friendly phone call. Depending on how hard you want the airline, put that much effort into it.If not there's always making an original idea, or even joining an existing airline.

Thanks for the replys guys.I did send a email to the airline I want to make. I made sure I explaned what a VA is. And I made sure they understnad I am not makeing any profit off of it.They dont seem to have any phone number other than passanger help lines for lost luggage or ticked info. And they only have one email address. So I am just wateing for a reply by email. which by the way I dont think there going to send any thing to me. I got a feeling if I went public with the site then I would probely hear from them. But I dont what to do that I want the ok from them.Thats why I was wonderin about changing the name. Then when pilots joined and download the planes they would know what airline there flying for. I just dont come out and say it from my main page.I am starting to think of some ideas to on that sceam. Ron

Hi Ron,I read your post and those of all those that took the time to reply. I am the co-owner of a Virtual Airline that is based off of a real world company with a twist. We decided that there were enough "Virtual Airlines" based off of their real world counter parts. There are also quite a few Virtual Airlines out there that have no ties with any company what so ever. So, in the end we decided to split the difference. We named our VA based on a real world FBO. We requsted permission (in writing) explaining who we were, what we wanted to do and why. They gave us the go ahead with the requirement that they preview our site prior to making it public. That being said, we did what we wanted to do, had them review it (which by the way they liked very much) and gave us written permission to use there namesake and logo's. I believe, just as was stated above, that if you present yourself in a very professional way, explain yourself completely (have someone else read your email or letter prior to you sending it) you should have no problems. Best of luck. Starting and running your own VA can take incredible amounts of time when you first start off. But in the end should be very fullfilling.