Opinion ID: 433759
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Current Appeal in this Court

Text: 32 As the litigation now stands, British Airways and British Caledonian have obtained an injunction by the English Court of Appeal restraining Laker from prosecuting its civil antitrust claim against them. Swissair and Lufthansa have applied for similar relief, but their applications are still pending. However, they are apparently protected by the interim injunctions that prevent Laker from taking any action in United States courts to thwart their 21 January 1983 claim for relief. KLM and Sabena are restrained by the United States District Court from joining the English proceedings. 33 Supported by amici curiae Swissair and Lufthansa, KLM and Sabena challenge the United States District Court's preliminary injunction on appeal to this court. 18 They claim that the injunction was unnecessary to protect the district court's jurisdiction and violates their right to take part in the parallel actions commenced in the English courts. Denial of this opportunity, they assert, flouts international principles of comity. Moreover, they charge that the district court ignored Britain's paramount right to apply British law to Laker, which is a British subject. Appellants and amici request that we overturn the district court's injunction as a clear abuse of discretion.