Antitrust: European Commission fines 11 air cargo carriers €799 million in price fixing cartel

The European Commission decided in November 2010 to fine 11 air cargo carriers a total of €799,445,000 for operating a worldwide cartel which affected cargo services within the European Economic area (EEA).

Several known airlines were among the 11 undertakings fined, namely Air Canada, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Cargolux, Japan Airlines, LAN Chile, Martinair, SAS, Singapore Airlines and Qantas.

According to the preceding investigation, the carriers coordinated their action on surcharges for fuel and security without discounts over a six year period. Lufthansa (and its subsidiary Swiss) received full immunity from fines under the Commission's leniency programme, as it was the first to provide information about the cartel.

Politico, 08.05.15: Airline industry hits turbulence on shipping costs http://www.politico.eu/article/airline-industry-hits-turbulence-on-shipping-costs/

ESO: Background information: Airlines braced for cargo cartel fines / Global airlines hit with $1bn cartel fines http://www.europeansources.info/showDoc?ID=1154979

Financial Times: 09.11.10: Global airlines hit with $1bn cartel fines https://www.ft.com/content/94658cde-ec31-11df-9e11-00144feab49a

ESO: Background information: Airline cartel faces huge EU damages claim http://www.europeansources.info/record/airline-cartel-faces-huge-eu-damages-claim/

ESO: Background information: Airlines raided in worldwide cargo cartel probe http://www.europeansources.info/record/airlines-raided-in-worldwide-cargo-cartel-probe/

ESO: Background information: Antitrust: Commission confirms sending Statement of Objections to alleged participants in a air freight cartel http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-antitrust-commission-confirms-sending-statement-of-objections-to-alleged-participants-in-a-air-freight-cartel/

ESO: Background information: EU kicks off legal phase of air-cargo price-fixing probe http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-kicks-off-legal-phase-of-air-cargo-price-fixing-probe/

BBC News, 9.11.10: Airlines fined over cargo cartel http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11719507

Deutsche Welle, 9.11.10: EU fines airlines over air cargo cartel http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6209656,00.html

France24, 9.11.10: EU fines airlines €800 million for cargo cartel http://www.france24.com/en/20101109-europe-union-fines-11-airlines-800-million-euros-price-fixing-cargo-cartel

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