Garuda and Air New Zealand, the last two of 15 airlines accused of fixing air cargo prices, have now been found to have contravened cartel laws.
Airlines that already settled the case — 13 of them — have been fined a combined $98.5 million. Among them, Qantas was ordered to pay $20 million, Singapore Airlines $11.75 million and Cathay Pacific $11.25 million.
The Federal Court today upheld an appeal by competition watchdog the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) against a ruling that Garuda and Air New Zealand couldn’t be found to have fixed prices because this took place outside Australia.
“The air cargo case is a very significant one for the ACCC, as it involved a substantial number of airlines engaging in price fixing conduct around the world,” says ACCC chairman Rod Sims.
“Although it is no longer a requirement of our cartel laws that it be established that price fixing occurred in a market in Australia, this decision is significant because it confirms the ACCC’s view that the conduct by the airlines in fixing air cargo surcharges to be paid by Australian importers and ultimately passed on to Australian consumers, were caught by Australian competition laws.”
The ACCC took action against 15 international airlines. Thirteen settled and the Federal Court handed out fines.
Full content: Sydney Morning Herald
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Senators Urged to Expedite Gail Slater’s Confirmation as DOJ Antitrust Chief
Feb 11, 2025 by
CPI
Former Michigan Asphalt Executive Pleads Guilty in Bid-Rigging Scheme
Feb 11, 2025 by
CPI
Ballard Spahr Expands Litigation Team with Addition of Antitrust Attorney in Seattle
Feb 11, 2025 by
CPI
Portuguese Court Overturns €225 Million Fine for Banking Collusion Due to Statute of Limitations
Feb 11, 2025 by
CPI
Binance and SEC Request Stay in Crypto Lawsuit Amid New Regulatory Task Force
Feb 11, 2025 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – International Criminal Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
CPI
The Antitrust Division’s Recent Work to Combat International Cartels
Jan 23, 2025 by
Emma Burnham & Benjamin Christenson
Information Sharing: The New Frontier of U.S. Antitrust Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
Brian P. Quinn, Casey Kovarik & Michael Tubach
The Key Role of Guidelines on Exchanges of Information Among Competitors and the Divergent Transatlantic Paths
Jan 23, 2025 by
Rosa Abrantes-Metz & Albert Metz
Leniency, Whistleblowers, and Compliance
Jan 23, 2025 by
Richard Powers, Tara O’Malley & Cory Gordon