FlyCRW.com UDRP Case, Domain Name Hijacking Allegations Dismissed

The Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority (CWVRAA) was recently ruled against in a UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy) case for attempting to seize the FlyCRW.com domain name. In the case, the airport authority claimed that its FLYCRW mark took precedence over the domain name, but that allegation proved to be false.

According to the arbitrator's decision, the FlyCRW.com domain name was registered in 2019, two years before the Airport Authority's application for the mark. Moreover, the Airport Authority did not show evidence of use of the mark prior to that time. The Arbitrator also noted that the Complainant's actions constituted reverse domain name hijacking, while denying the domain name transfer request.

In this UDRP case, the Complainant has failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its claim of use of the FLYCRW mark prior to its registration, and has failed to demonstrate that the Respondent was aware of its rights in the mark at the time of registration of the FlyCRW.com domain name. Therefore, the final decision is that the FlyCRW.com domain name is reserved.

The Airport Authority has not responded to this ruling. However, the case highlights the critical importance of an accurate timeline and legality in cases of disputed domain names.

It is worth noting that reverse domain name hijacking is the use of bad behavior in policy to attempt to deprive a registered domain name holder of his or her domain name. In this case, the Airport Authority failed to provide sufficient evidence and the ruling found that its actions constituted reverse domain name hijacking.

The decision in this UDRP case will be widely watched and serves as a reminder of the need for businesses to be well-prepared and provide sufficient evidence to support their claims when seeking domain name dispute resolution.