The Litigator
The Litigator
AGM :: Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
THE LITIGATOR
Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
365 Bay Street, Suite 200  ·  Toronto, Canada
416 360 2800  ·  info@agmlawyers.com  ·  www.thelitigator.ca

Cathay Pacific Fined for Air Cargo Surcharge Conspiracy

Several airlines have paid big fines for fixing surcharges for air cargo

Several airlines have paid big fines for fixing surcharges for air cargo

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. pleaded guilty to fixing navigation surcharges imposed on international air cargo shipments to and from Canada and was fined $1.5 million.

Cathay Pacific was the eighth airline to plead guilty in the air cargo case. Including Cathay Pacific’s fine, the Competition Bureau has collected over $24 million in fines following guilty pleas from British Airways, KLM, Air France, Korean Airlines, Cargolux, Martinair and Qantas.

Several airlines have also settled class actions, for a total to date of over $16 million. Settling airlines include Luftansa, Japan Airlines, SAS, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Air France.

The following table summarizes the class action settlements and fines to date:

Parties

(defendants to class actions)

Class Action Settlements

$million

Fines

$million

Luftansa 5.338
Japan Airlines 0.738
SAS 0.3
Qantas 0.237 0.155
Cargolux 1.8 2.5
Singapore 1.05
Air France 6.5 4
LAN 0.7
Cathay Pacific 1.5
KLM 5
Martinair 1
British Airways 4.5
Korean Airlines 5.5
Air Canada
Asiana Airlines
Atlas Air Worldwide
Polar Air Cargo
Swiss International Airlines
Totals 16.663 24.155