Date: July 2, 2025
Just days after the tragic Air India AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 that killed 260 people, trademark filings for terms like Flight 171 have surged. On June 14, Deepanshu Agrawal, a chartered accountant from Udaipur, filed a trademark application for Flight 171 under Class 41, which includes entertainment, film production, cultural activities, and web series production.
The rush mirrors what was seen after Operation Sindoor, when multiple people tried to trademark related names for exclusive rights in media and entertainment. Under the Trademark Act, the first filer or user gets priority. Agrawal told The Indian Express that although they could profit from such trademarks, their aim is not purely business-driven. “Many have lost their lives… there are emotional stories. We don’t want to use it solely for business benefit,” he said.
He added that they avoided filing for AI 171 itself, as Air India or DGCA could claim legal rights over the exact flight name. The incident highlights how tragedies are quickly monetised for future films and shows, raising ethical questions on commercialising human loss.