The Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) has levied fines of CHF11 million (US$12 million) on 11 air cargo carriers for anti-trust behaviour, the Shipping Gazette informs.
The eleven carriers: Korean Air, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (Polar Air Cargo Worldwide), American Airlines, United Continental, Scandinavian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Cargolux, British Airways and Air France-KLM, were penalised for fixing airfreight prices from January 2000 to February 2006.
COMCO said the investigation found that the airlines had agreed on a variety of elements that affected the pricing of airfreight transportation, including freight rates and surcharges for fuel. The Swiss competition watchdog said the activities of the airlines constituted a "seriousness infringement" of Article 5 Paragraph 3 of Switzerland's Cartel Act.
Deutsche Bahn, a freight forwarder involved in the cartel, and its subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines AG were able to avoid fines and gain full immunity since the German national railway company turned itself in, according to media reports.
After the initiation of the legal proceedings, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Air France-KLM (still fined CHF3.9 million) and Cargolux all submitted leniency applications and thereby benefitted from substantial reductions of the penalties imposed upon them. The other airlines were also fined, including American Airlines, which was penalised CHF2.1 million.
The case follows litigations in the past by the US Department of Justice and authorities in the European Union that have already investigated and fined various airlines involved in the case.
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