Qantas Airways Ltd was fined 6.5 million New Zealand dollars (5.l million US dollars) for its part in an illegal airline cartel that fixed freight prices, the Commerce Commission announced Thursday, according to dpa. Two other airlines, British Airways plc and Cargolux International Airlines SA, had earlier been fined after admitting their involvement and the commission is continuing to prosecute nine other carriers. The commission's general counsel for enforcement, Mary-Anne Borrowdale, said in a statement that Qantas had admitted its price fixing at the earliest opportunity and was assisting with the case against the defending airlines. Airlines continuing to defend the charges are: Air New Zealand Ltd, Cathay Pacific Airways Lt, Emirates, Japan Airlines International Co Ltd, Korean Air Lines Co Lte, Malaysian Airlines System Berhad Ltd, Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Ltd and Singapore Airlines Ltd and Thai Airways International Public Company Ltd.
