Asiana admitted fixing cargo and passenger prices on routes between Korea and the U.S.
The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced today three new guilty pleas and $214 million in fines "for conspiring to fix prices in the air cargo industry."
The culpability-confessing carriers — Cargolux Airlines International S.A., Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd. (NCA), and Asiana Airlines Inc. — agreed to pay $119 million, $45 million, and $50 million, respectively.
The Antitrust Division's press release explains:
These cases arise from an ongoing investigation into the air transportation industry. Including Cargolux, NCA, and Asiana’s pleas, 15 companies have pleaded or agreed to plead guilty in the Justice Department’s investigation into price fixing in the air transportation industry. British Airways Plc, Korean Airlines Ltd, Qantas Airways Limited, Japan Airlines International Co. Ltd., Martinair Holland N.V., Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, SAS Cargo Group A/S, Société Air France and Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines), LAN Cargo S.A., Aerolinhas Brasileiras S.A., and EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. have also pleaded guilty. Additionally, three individuals have previously pleaded guilty for their involvement in the illegal activity. Collectively, the companies have paid or agreed to pay fines totaling more than $1.6 billion and all three executives have been sentenced to serve jail time.
