British Expatriate Network

looks like this might blow up into a biggy
I remember when the large airlines got together to distroy freddy laker and any other small independent airline that dared get in there way .


Saturday June 24, 0209 PM


LONDON (Reuters) - A tip off by Virgin Atlantic Airways triggered an investigation into alleged airfare price-fixing by British Airways after it passed on information to Britain's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) about its arch rival, an industry source said on Saturday.

Richard Branson's Virgin approached the OFT about alleged conversations between a BA executive and one of its staff last year to
sound out plans to increase fuel surcharges on long-haul flights, the source told Reuters, confirming newspaper reports.

UK and U.S. authorities this week launched a civil and criminal probe into an alleged cartel over airfares and fuel surcharges after raiding BA's offices. BA put two senior executives on leave.













http//uk.news.yahoo.com/24062006/325/virgin-tip-sparked-ba-cartel-inquiry-source.html

shock You mean they don't all rig the prices, shock, horror. When there are only a couple of players in the picture its always going to happen, just look at the oil companies and any other industry that has beaten out the competition etc

This was a case where, allegedly, they talked beforehand. But in lots of cases, one line puts on a surcharge and if others follow, they keep it; but if not, they drop it.

It's the same thing except they don't set it up in advance.

but thats why its all a bunch of ball really. If it was free a fair you beat everyone else, but then figured pointed at and told you have a monoply

I spoke to a very nice bloke at BA when I booked my tickets the other month, he said they were all in shock at the fuel prices and what it was doing to ticket sales.

Personally, I used to love Virgin but have now moved back to BA - my loyalty was cemented at Christmas when they upgraded Him and I to Business Class!!! for no apparent reason other than the aura of immense importance that I radiate at all times.... :wink:

Stel.