The long running “air cargo cartel” case filed last December in the United States by logistics firm DB Schenker has narrowed considerably. The firm’s parent company, railroad conglomerate Deutsche Bahn AG, said that Schenker was dismissing charges against the carriers Nippon Cargo, SAS and Cargolux.
The company added that it will continue to “pursue its claims against other air carriers and seek damages relating to the air carriers’ anticompetitive conduct alleged in the U.S. cartel lawsuit, based on the legal principle of joint and several liability.” DB Schenker, the statement read, still plans “to pursue its rights vigorously.”
The remaining four carriers in the suit, filed Dec. 1 in the Eastern District of New York, include Air France, KLM, Martinair and Qantas. Schenker is seeking damages estimated at approximately US$370 million for alleged price-fixing practices that occurred between 1999 and 2006. The damages figure could increase to about US$1.1 billion if the court decides to awards treble damages.
A separate case, filed by Deutsche Bahn in Germany, seeks about US$2.2 billion in damages from 11 carriers that had been found guilty by the U.S. Department of Justice, the European Commission and other international authorities of operating a global price-fixing cartel.
For more information about both lawsuits, please see aircargocartelclaims.com.