In ironic twist, Cathay blows price-fixing whistle on Virgin Atlantic

[NM]

From ATW Daily News:

UK Office of Fair Trading announced last week that Virgin Atlantic Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways are being investigated for possible price-fixing on the London-Hong Kong route, adding that CX brought the allegations to its attention.

 

[anat0l]

It would be more ironic had BA uncovered the alleged crime. Then again, had that happened, that'd be a full blow on both participants...perhaps BA, as a oneworld buddy, told CX to give itself up in order to have a chance at immunity?

Aaaah... conspiracy theories, arise!

I should be fair - we don't even know if there's a case yet.

 

[harvyk]

So, if VS is found guilty, and are forced to pay a fine, will the payment be given to BA and distributed amongst the staff as the "Virgin Atlantic Bonus".

It would be a beautiful bit of irony.

 

[anat0l]

So, if VS is found guilty, and are forced to pay a fine, will the payment be given to BA and distributed amongst the staff as the "Virgin Atlantic Bonus".

It would be a beautiful bit of irony.

Well, not really. The "BA Bonus" was the result of a direct settlement for a libel case between Sir Richard Branson and BA; the so called "BA's 'dirty tricks'". It wasn't as a result of the last price fixing allegations where VS turned in themselves in exchange for immunity.

In any case, VS didn't make any money out of the last price fixing affair and court proceedings - except for perhaps a lack of financial penalty and thus was (big quotation mark gestures here) "retain any illegal benefits garnered when they were participating in the cartel". I don't see how BA stand to do so likewise, and they aren't even involved in this particular case (yet). (VS may suffer some reputational damage; highly doubt BA will get a lift out of this).

Here's an odd quote from a news article arising out of the last price fixing allegations:

Although I did not have any direct contact with BA in relation to passenger fuel surcharges, I regret that, on becoming aware of the discussions, I did not take steps to stop them.

...

ensured that a thorough and far-reaching competition law training programme has been put in place at Virgin Atlantic so that everyone understands the serious nature and true extent of competition laws and so that this does not happen again.

The statement was made by Steve Ridgway, CEO of Virgin Atlantic.

 

[Standby]

It would be more ironic had BA uncovered the alleged crime. Then again, had that happened, that'd be a full blow on both participants...perhaps BA, as a oneworld buddy, told CX to give itself up in order to have a chance at immunity?

Aaaah... conspiracy theories, arise!

I should be fair - we don't even know if there's a case yet.

I'm sure that CX are doing this to protect their own backside the same as VA did on the Atlantic.
But delicious Irony none the less.
remember as a kid "nonone love a tattletail"
Although this is early days and no one is guilty until proven so.