International Airfare Price Fixing Class Action
Summary of Litigation
American Airlines, British Airways, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic Airways have been charged with conspiring to raise passenger fares and fix fuel surcharges in a lawsuit filed by international air passengers who purchased airfare from 2004 to the present. In re International Air Transportation Surcharge Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1793 (N.D. Cal.).
Allegations in the International Airfare Price-Fixing Case
Beginning with British Airways in 2004, the defendant airlines have raised the cost of ticket prices through the addition of fuel surcharges (fees meant to offset the rising price of jet fuel), to their airfares. Fuel surcharges have been raised uniformly by the defendant airlines between 2004 up to the present. Since each airline uses a different fuel purchasing strategy, it is unlikely that identical fuel surcharges by the Defendants occurred as a result of actual fuel costs or mere coincidence.
Plaintiffs allege that Defendants have acted as a cartel and colluded to artificially fix prices of international passenger air transportation through the supracompetitive fuel surcharges on ticket prices.
As a result of the alleged cartel behavior and violation of antitrust law, Plaintiff and other members of the Class were deprived the benefit of unrestrained competition in the purchase of international air passenger travel.
2008 Settlement
In July of 2008, a proposed settlement was reached in the case. The settlement resolves the claims of United States and United Kingdom classes. In the US, it requires the companies to refund up to $59,007,273 to members of the US settlement classes who submit valid claim forms, with any unclaimed funds being paid to a charity, Miracle Flights for Kids. In the UK, it requires the companies to refund up to £73,531,076 to UK class members who submit valid claim forms. In the UK, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will keep refunds that are not claimed.
Claiming a refund is straightforward, and there is no cost to members of the class. Class members can may file a claim online at the official Settlement website operated by the Settlement Administrator. If you have any questions, please review the questions and answers provided on the Frequently Asked Questions page of the official settlement website.
All claims will be handled by the Settlement Administrator. Please do not contact the airlines directly about this settlement. All questions should be directed to the Settlement Administrator in one of the following ways:
Email: info@airpassengerrefund.com
Call: 1-877-625-9432 (toll-free)
Write: Kenneth R. Feinberg, Esquire
Settlement Administrator
c/o Epiq Systems
P.O. Box 19263
Washington, D.C. 20036-9263
Contact Lieff Cabraser
Federal and state antitrust laws are designed to protect the economy and to promote competition among businesses by prohibiting price fixing and other forms of anticompetitive conduct.
If you or your business purchased US-London tickets on British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines or American Airlines directly from the airline through the airline's website, and you would like to learn more about this litigation, please contact a Lieff Cabraser antitrust attorney. There is no charge or obligation for our review of your claim.
About Lieff Cabraser
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is a fifty-plus
attorney law firm with offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville.
We represent businesses, governments and individuals as plaintiffs in class
and group actions as well as in individual lawsuits in cases involving
substantial losses. Since 2003, the National Law Journal has annually
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Lieff Cabraser has played a prominent role in federal
litigation under the Sherman Act on behalf of businesses in numerous markets
including computer components, prescription drugs, polypropylene carpets,
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flat glass, industrial pigments and vitamins. We have also successfully
litigated antitrust claims against Microsoft Corporation for monopolistic
practices, and achieved record recoveries against El Paso Gas Co. and wholesale
electric companies for allegedly manipulating the price of energy in California. Learn
more about our firm.
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