EU charges cargo airlines with price-fixing

EU charges cargo airlines with price-fixing The European Commission said last week that it has sent letters to several air cargo airlines informing them of formal accusations for alleged participation in a price fixing scheme.
   In February 2006 the commission and the U.S. Justice Department initiated a global investigation of possible price fixing of cargo fuel surcharges and other fees in the European and U.S. air cargo markets.
   Chilean carrier LAN Cargo S.A. acknowledged in a statement Thursday that it was one of 25 airlines that received a letter related to anti-competitive behavior. It said it is studying the complaint and has cooperated with the investigations to date.
   Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways also received formal charges, according to Reuters.
   Most of the airlines were already publicly known to be under investigation.
      The airlines can respond to the charges or request a hearing before the European Commission rules on whether antitrust rules were violated.
   Earlier this year Australian carrier Qantas Airways agreed to pay the U.S. government $61 million to settle charges of fixing fuel surcharges. British Airways and Korean Air Lines paid separate $300 million fines after admitting their part in fixing passenger and cargo fuel surcharges. British Airways was also fined 121.5 million pounds ($247 million) in August by the U.K. Office of Fair Trading. ' Eric Kulisch