Airlines Investigated For Collusion, Fare-Hiking

The Justice Department has begun an anti-trust investigation into several U.S. airlines, examining whether they colluded to control the number of available seats in order to keep fares high. American Airlines Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc., and Southwest Airlines Co. – four airlines that control about 80 percent of domestic airline seats – have agreed to comply with the investigation. The airline industry is riding a wave of record profits after large-scale consolidation and a significant drop in oil prices.