The Australian music legends behind John Paul Young's famed hit Love is in the Air – Harry Vanda and the late George Young – are suing an American electro pop duo and France's national air carrier for allegedly ripping off the song.

The case was filed in the Federal Court just days ahead of Mr Young's death in late October.

The owners of the copyright of the song, former rich lister Robert Albert's Boomerang Investments, Mr Vanda and Mr Young allege in the claim that the song Warm in the Winter by Portland, Oregon, hipster band Glass Candy contains similarities to the beloved Aussie disco hit.

Societe Air France, a subsidiary of Air France-KLM SA which operates the airline Air France, is also named as a defendant in the case for its use of the song in a 2015 advertising campaign, France is in the Air.