ACCC wants Flight Centre penalty increased
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it will appeal against the size of the penalties incurred by Flight Centre.
Flight Centre was fined $11 million by the Federal Court in March for alleged anti-competitive behaviour.
The fine does not provide adequate deterrence to anti-competitive behaviour, ACCC said. The company has already lodged a counter appeal against the ruling and the penalties imposed. Flight Centre described the fines as “manifestly excessive” compared to other cases.
The Federal Court ruled that the Brisbane-based travel network tried to engage in price fixing with three foreign airlines (Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Emirates) between 2005 and 2009.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said, “The penalties imposed in competition cases are hugely important to deter anti-competitive conduct. The ACCC is concerned generally to ensure that penalties for anti-competitive conduct in breach of the law are not viewed commercially as being an acceptable cost of doing business.”
