American Airlines Agrees to Pay $45 Million to Settle Fare Collusion Lawsuit
- Consumers claim four carriers cut capacity to drive up fares
- Southwest previously agreed to pay $15 million and cooperate
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American Airlines Group Inc. agreed to pay $45 million to end a consumer antitrust lawsuit that accused it and three other major U.S. airlines of colluding to limit plane capacity and drive up domestic airfares.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is the second to settle in the three-year-old litigation. Southwest Airlines Co. won preliminary court approval for its offer to pay $15 million and cooperate in the case in January. American, too, has pledged its cooperation as the litigation continues against United Continental Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc.