Net widens in airlines price-fixing inquiry (The Business, 25 Jun 2006, Page 1)

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Net widens in airlines price-fixing inquiry
by Rupert Steiner CITY EDITOR
The Business
25 Jun 2006

THE joint Office of Fair Trading and American Justice Department investigation into airline price fixing will target all four long-haul operators that fly from Heathrow.



It was previously thought the inquiry would focus on only one airline after the competition authorities raided British Airways’ Heathrow headquarters this month.



The investigation is concerned with a series of fuel surcharges introduced by BA, Virgin Atlantic, American and United Airlines.



Both American and United have been served with US federal grand jury subpoenas which American sources say request them to hand over information relating to the strategy, timing and calculations of the charges.



Virgin is widely reported to have blown the whistle on what it claims to be allegations of price fixing on transatlantic routes, in the hope it might get immunity from prosecution.



It has been a long-time rival of British Airways and the two have a history of bitter battles harking back to the “dirty tricks” campaign more ... read more...