Qantas settles US freight class action
- Latest News
- Friday, 14 January 2011
The class action brought against a number of airlines regarding the activities of their freight divisions started in 2006.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Qantas will pay US$26.5 million, which is based on the carrier's freight revenue to/from the United States. Qantas must also cooperate with the class action plaintiffs. In exchange, Qantas is released from claims made by all class members who were direct purchasers of air cargo services to or from the US from January 2000 to 11 September 2006.
To date, the following airlines have reached settlement agreements: Air France/KLM (US$87 million), Lufthansa (US$85 million), Cargolux (US$35.1 million), Scandinavian Airlines (US$13.9 million), Japan Airlines (US$12 million), All Nippon Airways (US$10.4 million) and American Airlines (US$5 million).
Separately from the US class action settlement, Qantas continues to cooperate fully with global antitrust regulators and has resolved its liability (and that of its current employees) in the US, Australia, Canada, Korea and Europe for the improper conduct of its freight division.
In each case the fine imposed on Qantas reflected a considerable cooperation discount.
