Canada fines Qantas for cargo cartel

CANADA’S Competition Bureau has announced that Qantas has pleaded guilty to participating in an air cargo cartel affecting Canada.
Qantas admitted that its Freight Division fixed surcharges on air cargo exported on certain routes from Canada between May 2002 and February 2006. During most or all of this period, Qantas Freight trucked cargo from Canada to the United States for onward shipment to Australia and other destinations.
 “Conspiracies to fix prices are a serious criminal offence that harm everyone but the perpetrators who cheat the system,” said Melanie Aitken, interim commissioner of competition.”
Qantas is the fourth air cargo carrier to be convicted in the Bureau’s cartel investigation. For its participation, Qantas has been fined C$155,000 (US$133,000). The Bureau’s investigation into the alleged conduct of other air cargo carriers continues.
On 26 June, Air France, KLM and Martinair pleaded guilty to fixing air cargo surcharges for shipments on certain routes from Canada. The companies were fined a combined total of C$10 million ($8.5 million).
The Bureau also said that the investigation into other air cargo carriers was continuing.

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