Singapore Airlines and Emirates have been forced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to cooperate in the ACCC’s investigation into price-fixing after a Federal Court judge ruled that air cargo bound for Australia from overseas was not beyond the definition of a “market in Australia” under the Trade Practices Act.

The airlines also lost the argument that the ACCC had failed to consider the burden imposed on the airlines in providing the documents, which cover a six-year period and involve their operations in several countries.

The two airlines must now hand over documents to a long-running ACCC investigation into collusion on the transpacific trade between 2000 and 2006.

The investigation is examining activities involving the “fixing, controlling or maintaining” of prices by airlines that applied a fuel surcharge on international air cargo routes.

The air freight industry has been investigated by regulators in Australia, the US and Britain over the past two years, with more than 30 airlines going under the microscope. In all, 11 airlines have admitted involvement in collusion and have been fined various amounts.

Singapore Airlines and six other airlines are defendants in a class-action suit brought by hundreds of customers who had US$20,000 or more in freight carried on the transpacific route.