PortFolio.com: EU Investigates Trans-Atlantic Airlines

For the complete report from Portfolio.com click on this link

EU Investigates Trans-Atlantic Airlines

While some of the world's biggest airlines are still recovering from a massive price-fixing scandal in their freight operations, they are now facing a similar probe into their passenger business.

European Commission regulators have opened an investigation into cooperation agreements struck among the biggest trans-Atlantic airlines, looking to see if the arrangements violate price-fixing laws in the European Union and the European Economic Area. The authorities are focusing on two partner programs: one embracing United Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air Canada, and another that includes American Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia.

The Australian: EU price-fixing probe spreads to Air France - by Steve McGrath and Geraldine Amiel

For the complete report from the Australian click on this link

EU price-fixing probe spreads to Air France - by Steve McGrath and Geraldine Amiel

AIR France, a unit of Air France-KLM, said yesterday it was questioned by European Union regulators about traffic between the EU and Japan, a day after the airline's Dutch unit KLM and German carrier Lufthansa said they were part of an investigation. Air France said it was providing the European Commission with its full co-operation. The commission, the EU's executive arm, said that EU anti-trust officials had raided the offices of a number of international airlines in an investigation into suspected price-fixing. Lufthansa said the EU commission had information that European and Japanese passenger airlines, including Lufthansa, "may have taken part in anti-competitive price fixing and collusive behaviour in traffic between the EU and Japan".

The German airline said its offices had been searched by anti-trust officials and it was co-operating with the commission. KLM also said it was involved in the probe and was co-operating with the EU.