Дві авіакомпанії - Бритиш Еруейз та Верджин Атлантик - погодилися заплатити 200 мільйонів доларів компенсації за фіксацію цін на квитки на трансатлантичних маршрутах. Пасажири отримають по 15 доларів за кожний переліт. Повідомив Марк Ґреґорі:

Послухати репортаж

The payout aims to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of tens of thousands of passengers who claimed they were overcharged on transatlantic flights between August 2004 and March 2006. It follows last year's decision by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to fine British Airways a total of 500 million dollars for colluding with Virgin Atlantic on the level of fuel surcharges. These are supplements to normal ticket prices to cover rising aviation fuel costs. Virgin escaped penalty by the regulators because it had volunteered the information that exposed the price fixing.

But both airlines have faced the wrath of passengers, who mounted a class action lawsuit before the US courts seeking compensation. The payout just agreed mainly relates to American passengers. The law firm that fought the case in the US is thinking of starting a similar action in the British courts seeking compensation for UK passengers. The settlement for American passengers allows them to claim a rebate for a third of the cost of the fuel surcharges - about fifteen dollars a flight.

Allegations of collusion between airlines go much wider than BA and Virgin. They are among fifteen airlines currently being investigated by European Union regulators for fixing freight rates for goods transported by air.

Mark Gregory, BBC News, London

Послухати слова

The payout aims to settle a lawsuit
ця виплата має на меті покласти край судовому позову

overcharged
змушені переплачувати

colluding
змова

supplements
додаткові платежі

exposed the price fixing
виявила фіксацію цін

wrath
extreme anger

settlement
домовленість, оборудка

to claim a rebate
вимагати компенсацію

investigated
чиї дії уважно розглядають чи розслідують

freight rates
ціни на транспортування вантажів