An artist based in Malaysia has sued budget airline AirAsia and its parent company Capital A Berhad for allegedly using designs on a plane without his consent.
In his lawsuit, Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian-born artist based in Penang, claims that his 2012 street mural, Kids on Bicycle, has been "reproduced and displayed" as part of a livery on an aircraft operated by the Malaysian airline in late 2024.
"This was done without my consent, authorisation, or licensing arrangement," he alleges, adding that the livery was removed after he had publicly raised concerns about its use.
The BBC has contacted AirAsia for comment.
Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, Zacharevic said he became aware in October 2024 that an AirAsia plane had displayed a livery with artwork that appeared similar to his paintings.
