Air NZ cargo chief, 5 others, face price-fixing charges

FLAG CARRIER Air New Zealand's Americas air cargo manager Salvatore Sanfilippo faces Commerce Commission charges with five others of fixing fuel prices between 1998 and 2006.

The commission was alerted to the alleged cartel conduct by the carrier's security surcharge or "war risk insurance" implemented post 9/11 through documents between other airlines.

The fuel cartel was in conjunction with other carriers led by Mr Sanfilippo in all routes between the US and New Zealand in what the court heard was an "overarching fuel surcharge understanding," reports a New Zealand's National Business Review.

Sanfilippo is the seventh defendant expected to go to trial. This is a parallel investigation with the continuing probe started in 2005 of Korean Air Lines, Qantas, Lufthansa and Polar Air.
 

Source: SchedNet