The airlines also admitted to communicating with competitors about the amount and timing of fuel surcharges.
The Bureau estimates that the three companies imposed air cargo surcharges totalling approximately $31.5 million during the period of the conspiracy.
The fines imposed on the companies were: Air France - $4 million, KLM - $5 million, and Martinair - $1 million.
According to Melanie Aitken, Interim Commissioner of Competition, these fines would have been significantly higher if these airlines had not co-operated with the Bureau during its investigations. Penalties for price-fixing include fines of up to $10 million per party, imprisonment for a maximum term of five years, or both.
Air France-KLM and Martinair (now owned by KLM), have already been through the US and Australian courts to face price-fixing allegations, and in June last year agreed to plead guilty and pay criminal fines of US$350 million and US$42 million respectively, and in February this year agreed to penalties of Aus$6 million and Aus$5 million respectively.
The Canadian Competition Bureau's investigation into the alleged conduct of other air cargo carriers continues, and similar antitrust investigations have been taking place in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
