Major Airlines Lose Appeal against EU Fines for Cartel Activities
Luxembourg — Major European carriers including Air France and SAS Cargo Group lost an appeal over EU fines for cartel activities at the European Union's second highest court on Wednesday.
The EU General Court rejected challenges from Air France and 11 other airlines and upheld the fines imposed by the European Commission for antitrust actions between 1999 and 2006, according to a statement from the court.
The commission, the bloc's top competition regulator, said the cartel activities related to the introduction of surcharges on security and fuel and the refusal to award commissions on this income to partner air freight operators.
The commission fined Air France €182.9 million ($203.5 million) and KLM, a subsidiary of the French airline company €127.1 million, as part of fines totalling more than €700 million on the cartel members.
Other airlines that failed in their appeals include Cargolux, Martinair Holland, Air Canada and Singapore Airlines.
While some airlines had their fines upheld, the court lowered them for Japan Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways.
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