Delta and competitor colluded over bag fee: suit

“A federal class action claims Delta Air Lines and AirTran Airways colluded to charge first-bag fees. Both airlines, which are each other’s principal competitors, began charging a $15 first bag fee in fall 2008.
     Before then, “competition between Delta and AirTran prevented either airline from charging a first-bag fee for fear of losing sales to the other,” say named plaintiffs Brent Avery and David Watson.
     Earlier that year, Delta Air Lines acquired Northwest Airlines, which charges a $15 first-bag fee. Delta then was asked whether it would charge a fee as well to match Northwest’s practices. “Considering that AirTran did not impose a similar fee on consumers, Delta stated that it had ‘no plans’ to charge consumers a first bag fee,'” according to the complaint. ”

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