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Johannesburg - SA Airlink is committed to complying with the provisions of the Competition Act, the airline said on Thursday.
This followed a statement earlier from the Competition Commission that it was investigating collusion among local airlines on prices and pricing strategies to be adopted during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
"We fully intend to determine our own pricing strategies for flights that will take place during the World Cup, and we will do that without any form of coordination with our competitors," the airline's CEO Rodger Foster said.
In its statement, the commission said it was investigating British Airways/Comair, South African Airways, 1Time, SA Airlink, Mango and SA Express for alleged price fiximg ahead of the World Cup.
This follows a request for a probe into World Cup airfares by the presidency.
In a leniency application, South Africa Airways (SAA) provided email correspondence between the airlines in which there were indications that they might adjust airfares ahead of the World Cup, the commission said.
"In particular, the email suggests that since there is no indication as to which flights will represent peak demand flights, airlines have the option to either not provide any inventory for sale until such time, or price all inventory at peak time rates until such time as they have greater certainty."
The email correspondence also suggested that airfares would have to be raised to cover various anticipated additional costs.
Foster said the email was received by the Airline Sub-Working Group - a transport department convened body dealing with World Cup air transport arrangements, and of which SA Airlink and other local airlines were participants.
"An SA Airlink employee did receive the email, but did not respond to it and SA Airlink did not seek to involve itself in the collusive conduct unilaterally suggested." Foster said.
- Sapa
