Asiana Airlines' and Korean Air Lines' Passengers Could be Affected by a Class Action Lawsuit

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinsella Media, Court-approved Notice Provider for In re Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. Antitrust Litigation, announced that a Proposed Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit for air travelers who flew to and from Korea.  Individuals who bought plane tickets in the United States from Asiana Airlines, Inc. ("Asiana") and Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. ("Korean Air") for air travel between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea between January 1, 2000 and August 1, 2007 could be affected by the case.  The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

The Settlement resolves claims arising from Asiana and Korean Air's ("Defendants") conspiracy to unlawfully increase the cost of passenger airfares and the fuel surcharge element of ticket prices.  Asiana pleaded guilty in the U.S. to fixing passenger fares charged on flights from the United States to Korea.  Asiana has agreed to pay $11 million in cash, $10 million in travel vouchers, and up to $60,000 in notice and administration costs.

Individual passengers and businesses that bought an Asiana and/or Korean Air ticket from January 1, 2000 to August 1, 2007 should be entitled to cash benefits and/or travel vouchers.  The ticket(s) must have been purchased in the U.S. for a flight originating in the U.S. and ending in Korea, or a flight originating in Korea and ending in the U.S.  Cash benefits and travel vouchers are not available yet, but potential Class Members are encouraged to save records of their purchases and check the website, www.KoreanAirPassengerCases.com, for information on how to receive a claim form once they become available.

Class Members have a choice of whether or not to stay in the Class.  If Class Members choose to stay in the Class, they will be legally bound by all orders and judgments of the Court, and they will not be able to sue, or continue to sue, the Defendants for the issues involved in this lawsuit. To stay in the Class, Class Members do not have to do anything now.  Class Members who choose to stay in the Class may object to or comment on the Settlement, and must do so by May 16, 2011.

Class Members that do not wish to be included in the Settlement can ask to be excluded from the Class.  They will not get any money or benefits from this lawsuit, but they will keep any rights to sue the Defendants for these claims, now or in the future, and will not be bound by any orders or judgments of the Court.  Class Members must exclude themselves in writing by May 16, 2011.

For more information regarding this lawsuit and Class Member rights, including how Class Members can exclude themselves and how to get a copy of a detailed notice, please visit www.KoreanAirPassengerCases.com, call 1-888-261-1921, or write to:  Korean Air Passenger Antitrust litigation, P.O. Box 24720, West Palm Beach, FL 33416.

SOURCE Kinsella Media