The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has won an air cargo cartel appeal against PT Garuda Indonesia and Air New Zealand that agreed surcharges on cargo breached that nation's price-fixing laws.
The two are the only airlines of 15 that haven't settled with the ACCC since the Australian regulator began proceedings for price-fixing on air cargo at ports outside of Australia destined for that nation. "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 said.
Total fines of A$98.5 million ($110 million) were imposed by the courts against the 13 airlines that settled, with the largest, A$20 million, imposed on Qantas Airways.
In New Zealand, the Commerce Commission reached settlements with 11 carriers, including Air New Zealand, securing penalties totalling $45 million, or about 10 per cent of the revenue generated from air freight forwarding services in and out of New Zealand in 2006. BusinessDesk
