Compensation: More airlines settle collusion lawsuit

[webfact]

COMPENSATION
More airlines settle collusion lawsuit
The Nation


Thai Airway International

BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International is likely to pay out compensation this year as part of the settlements on a class-action lawsuit involving collusion on airline ticket sales, as the case is coming to an end.

US law firms Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and Hausfeld announced on Monday that three more airlines had decided to settle the class-action suit, boosting the settlement fund to US$39.5 million (Bt1.29 billion).

In late 2013, THAI was one of five airlines - Japan Airlines International, Air France, Vietnam Airlines and Malaysian Airline System - that agreed to a settlement of $22.2 million.

The airlines will have to pay the sum once a Californian court approves the settlements this year.

According to the law firms, the fund will be distributed to passengers who bought tickets for travel across the Pacific since 2000.

"Settlements have been reached with eight airlines in a class-action lawsuit involving the price of airline tickets. The settling defendants are: Air France; Cathay Pacific; Japan Airlines; Malaysia Airlines; Qantas; Singapore Airlines; Thai Airways; and Vietnam Airlines. The lawsuit continues against five non-settling defendant airlines: Air New Zealand; All Nippon Airways (ANA); China Airlines (Taiwan); EVA Airways; and Philippines Airlines," the law firms said in a statement.

They also vowed to pursue the lawsuit against the other airlines that have failed to settle.

Philippine Airlines, Air New Zealand, ANA and Cathay Pacific Airways have claimed that the plaintiffs have not proven that the proposed settlement classes meet US federal commonality requirements. The suit was brought in 2007 against 26 airlines, alleged of fixing prices on tickets for trans-Pacific air travel. As a result, ticket purchasers may have paid more than was necessary.

This affected those who bought a ticket for air travel from one of those 26 airlines. To be eligible for refund, the bought tickets must include one flight segment between the US and Asia or Oceania. According to the plaintiffs' law firms, a federal court in California will hold a hearing in this case on May 22, to consider whether to approve the settlements. If it does, the fund will be then distributed to the purchasers of the tickets in question.

According to the law firms, to be eligible for the fund, purchasers will need to submit a claim form online or by mail. The earliest deadline to file a claim is September 19, 2015, but they will have until 120 days after the settlements become final and effective to file a claim.

Purchasers who do not file a claim within a specified period will not get a payment and will give up the right to sue. Purchasers who want to keep the right to sue the defendants must exclude themselves from the settlement by April 17.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/More-airlines-settle-collusion-lawsuit-30255733.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-11

[NeverSure]

In 2008 Virgin Atlantic Airways and British Airways had to cough up 208 million USD in a suit brought by this same law firm. In addition to reimbursing passengers, these suits are meant to send a message to anyone else to knock it off. Maybe some other airlines are slow learners.

LINK

If anyone wonders why the suits could be in the US, the flights had to originate or land in the US, giving it jurisdiction.

[DoctorG]

I must have done at least 8 inbound or outbound trips Pacific/US in the 2000 to 2004 period, but I certainly did not keep any records. If I get bored I might check through my passport to see if I can reconstruct the travel. (probably will not bother though)

[Baerboxer]

In 2008 Virgin Atlantic Airways and British Airways had to cough up 208 million USD in a suit brought by this same law firm. In addition to reimbursing passengers, these suits are meant to send a message to anyone else to knock it off. Maybe some other airlines are slow learners.

LINK

If anyone wonders why the suits could be in the US, the flights had to originate or land in the US, giving it jurisdiction.

Once again it shows big corporations can't be trusted to act fairly or in compliance with laws.

Air lines, Banks, Food Giants etc etc

Interesting that Air France is included - no body can even fart there without French government approval. Maybe some governments think that they can pick and chose which laws they want to obey too.

[Srikcir]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I must have done at least 8 inbound or outbound trips Pacific/US in the 2000 to 2004 period, but I certainly did not keep any records. If I get bored I might check through my passport to see if I can reconstruct the travel. (probably will not bother though)

Check your credit card history?

[kaiyaibob]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I must have done at least 8 inbound or outbound trips Pacific/US in the 2000 to 2004 period, but I certainly did not keep any records. If I get bored I might check through my passport to see if I can reconstruct the travel. (probably will not bother though)

Check your credit card history?

WoW who has the same credit card they had 15 years ago and kept records, in these days of free balance transfers and different interest rates, I would think you would have to be quite mad to still have the same card....let alone records from past cards???

[bangon04]

Thai, Singapore, ANA, Eva, Air New Zealand are all Star Alliance. Aren't they supposed to collude with each other?

[mtls2005]

Bumping old thread...

 

Claim form is here  https://airlinesettlement.com/eng/

 

Deadline is April 1, 2020

 

At $5 per ticket I chose to pass.