Update 3/21/22: People are now receiving their settlements. Some reports of some large payouts in the comment.
Update 2/4/20: Last day to file a claim is April 1, 2020. Hat tip to Travel With Grant
The Settlement
Direct link to settlement information page
Several airlines have been accused of price fixing flights between U.S. and Asia, Australia, New Zealand, or the Pacific Islands from 2000 to 2016. They have all denied any wrongdoing, but have agreed to a settlement (All Nippon Airways is yet to agree to a settlement). They have agreed to pay $49 million into the settlement fund plus $750,000 to help pay for the costs involved. The estimated average payment per claim is $8.50 based on the claims previously received.
Who Is Eligible
You are eligible for a settlement if you purchase a ticket for air travel from one of 26 airlines between January 1st 200 and December 1st 2016 and the ticket included at least one flight segment originating in the U.S. to Asia or Oceania. The airlines are as follows:
- Settling Defendants:
- Air New Zealand Limited;
- China Airlines, Ltd. (Taiwan);
- EVA Airways Corporation; and
- Philippine Airlines, Inc.
- The alleged Defendants and Co-Conspirators are:
- American Airlines, Inc.;
- Asiana Airlines, Inc.;
- British Airways, Plc.;
- Continental Airlines, Inc.;
- Delta Airlines, Inc.;
- Deutsche Lufthansa AG;
- International Air Transport Association;
- Korean Airlines, Ltd.;
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines;
- Northwest Airlines Corporation;
- Scandinavian Airlines System;
- Swiss International AG;
- United Airlines, Inc.; and
- Virgin Atlantic Airways, Ltd.
- The following airlines previously agreed to settlements and the Court has given !nal approval to these settlements:
- Cathay Paci!c Airways Limited;
- Japan Airlines International Company, Ltd.;
- Malaysian Airline System Berhad;
- Qantas Airways Limited;
- Singapore Airlines Limited;
- Societe Air France;
- Thai Airways International Public Co., Ltd.; and
- Vietnam Airlines Company Limited.
- The Non-Settling Defendant is:
- All Nippon Airways Company, Limited (Non-Settling Defendant)
How To File A Claim
If you’re eligible you should have received a postcard in the mail with a claimant ID number, you can enter that here to proceed with your claim. If you didn’t receive that, you can still file a claim with your address, e-mail and other details here.
Our Verdict
I don’t see anything in the fine print that excludes award flights, so I suspect a lot of readers will be eligible (correction, these are excluded in the FAQ). Some will think it’s not worth the effort for $8.5 but I think it’s always worth participating in these class actions as you never know how much you’ll receive and as a consumer it’s one of the small things you can do to show that this sort of thing isn’t tolerated.
Hat tip to Esther from DEM Flyers on Twitter
