Airlines tense for Euro fines

EUROPE’S anti-cartel commission is expected to issue fines to several international airlines, for fixing cargo surcharges, any day now.

While the airlines are as yet unknown sources with the European administration suggest that Air France-KLM, British Airways and SAS are just some of those who will be targeted.

Those three, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Lufthansa all admitted that they had been investigated by the commission, but since Lufthansa informed on the others it will presumably have immunity from prosecution.

Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia (above) is expected to make the announcement on 9 November. After 17 makers of bathroom fixtures were fined a total of €622 million (US$767 million) recently for price fixing, Almunia reduced the fines of five of them to prevent them going bankrupt. He said that he would consider doing the same for airlines.

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