Price-fixing
In December 2008, Singapore Airlines Cargo was alleged by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for price fixing cartels in the air cargo industry. The ACCC accused Singapore Airlines Cargo of fixing the price of a fuel surcharge and a security surcharge that was applied to air cargo to and from Australia. Singapore Airlines Cargo is the third airline to be the targeted for fuel surcharge price fixing.
In May 2010, Singapore Airlines was fined by the Fair Trade Commission (South Korea) for conspiring to introduce fuel surcharges for freight cargoes or continued to raise them over the past seven years. Singapore Airlines Cargo released a statement saying that they are "very disappointed" and "will study the decision closely with a serious view towards mounting an appeal" once they receive the Commission's full reasoning.
In November 2010, the European Commission fined Singapore Airlines Cargo 74.8 million euros for its involvement in a global cartel that included ten other carriers. The Commission found that the carriers—including SIA, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, and British Airways—had fixed fuel and security surcharges for more than six years. Singapore Airlines Cargo said it would likely appeal the ruling.
On 30 November 2010, Singapore Airlines Cargo pleaded guilty to a US$48 million fine imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice for its role in a conspiracy to fix cargo rates since February 2002, until at least 14 February 2006. Singapore Airlines Cargo's price fixing is in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum fine for corporations of US$100 million.
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