Summary

On September 2, charges were filed in United States District Court for the District of Columbia charging Polar Air Cargo LLC (Polar Air) with violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.  Polar Air has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $17.4 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the air transportation industry. 

According to the one-count felony charge, Polar Air's co-conspirators allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to fix the cargo rates charged to certain customers for international air cargo shipments between the United States and Australia from at least as early as January 1, 2000, and continuing until at least February 14, 2006.  Polar Air, an airline based in Long Beach, California, joined and participated in the conspiracy from at least as early as January 1, 2000, until April 30, 2003.  Under the plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, Polar Air has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing antitrust investigation. 

Polar Air is the 17th airline to be charged in the ongoing investigation into price fixing in the air transportation industry. 

This DOT/OIG investigation is coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, and is being worked jointly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.