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US: Air NZ, Air India are facing multi-billion dollar civil suit

By  |  March 3, 2016

Air New Zealand and Air India are the only carriers left defending a multi-billion dollar civil lawsuit in New York, where 26 airlines have cut settlement deals totaling $US1.19 billion.

The class action’s hearing was to have started in January but several more settlements were reached, leaving just the New Zealand and Indian airlines defending the suit, hearings for which will begin on September 19. Judge Brian Cogan set a new pretrial conference in August and the new trial date in a February 19 judgment.

The claim was filed in 2006 on behalf of six freight forwarders and has been led by global litigation firm Hausfeld. Australia’s Qantas Airways is among airlines to have settled, paying $US26.5 million, while Korean Air made the biggest settlement at $US115 million. The plaintiffs estimate damages at about $US2.66 billion, which would triple to as much as $US7.98 billion under US antitrust laws.

Full content: The National Business Review

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