BA sleaze probe directors quit

British Airways up to dirty tricks again

Two senior directors from British Airways have quit the company whilst it is in the midst of an investigation into price-fixing.

Commercial Director Martin George and Communications chief Iain Burns were put on leave of absence in June after a probe was begun by the UK office of fair trading (OFT) into allegations that the company was involved in cartel to overcharge customers through fuel price surcharges.

In a letter to the BA Chairman Mr George admitted that “inappropriate conversations” had taken place, though he himself denies having been involved in such conversations.

Reports have say that “a BA executive” told his counterpart from rival airline Virgin Atlantic of plans to increase BA’s fuel surcharge, and that Virgin then tipped-off the Office of Fair Trading.

Ironically, BA was involved in a campaign of ‘dirty tricks’ against Virgin Atlantic in 1993, with the company eventually agreeing to pay damages of £500,000 and costs of £3 million to Virgin Atlantic after Branson, head of Virgin Atlantic, had accumulated evidence of BA employees poaching Virgin customers and tampering with Virgins confidential company computer files.

The OFT case continues, with the prospect that BA could face fines of up to £8.5 ($16) billion if found guilty of anti-competitive behavior.

At the same time it is understood that lawyers in the USA are lining up for class action suites on behalf of passengers, should the outcome prove against BA.