美国乘客在美国法院告中国航空公司等价格串通违反美国反垄断法案评析

2011年5月9日,美国加利福尼亚州北区联邦地区法院就美国乘客告包括中国航空公司在内的26家航空公司和协会,在跨太平洋航空旅客旅行中存在固定价格的国际共谋行为,从而违反美国反托拉斯法作出判决,认为原告指控不成立。该案作为美国有史以来最大的反垄断调查案件之一,在美国国内外都引起了高度关注。本文结合该案的基本案情、法院推理和判决,对该案涉及的反垄断法中的价格固定、"国家行为原则"豁免理由等相关问题进行了简要评述。

Comment on the Case:Transpacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust (Price Fixing) Litigation Against China Airlines,Etc.

This case involves allegations that 26 airlines including China Airline engaged in a ten year international conspiracy to fix the prices of transpacific air passenger travel,in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act,15 U.S.C.§ 1.On May 9,2011,the District Court for the Northern District of California dismissed with prejudice air passenger travel claims.In rejecting application of the "import trade" exception,the court explained that plaintiffs failed to take account of the significant difference between cargo,to which their definition of "import" commonly applies,and people.The court also rejected plaintiffs' reliance on the "domestic effects" exception to FTAIA's jurisdictional bar.