Following the withdrawal of criminal proceedings against four British Airways (BA) staff members, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will be "reviewing the role" of whistleblower Virgin Atlantic.
The case centred around allegations of collusion between Virgin and BA on the setting of fuel surcharges on ticket prices between 2004 and 2006.
Virgin Atlantic and its staff were immune from prosecution, having admitted the collusion to the OFT, but BA staff members were taken to court for price-fixing.
BA's global sales and marketing director Andrew Crawley, ex-commercial director Martin George, former head of communications Iain Burns and ex-head of sales in the UK and Ireland Alan Burnett, have now been acquitted.
In a stark turnaround, the OFT withdrew its allegations after previously undiscovered emails sent and received by former Virgin employee Paul Moore were brought to light.
The OFT has now said that "in light of the airline's obligations to provide the OFT with continuous and complete cooperation", the role played by Virgin and its advisors will be reviewed.
"This may have potential consequences for Virgin's immunity from penalties," said the OFT.
www.oft.gov.uk