"I did not take steps to stop them" - Ridgway
Virgin Atlantic's ceo Steve Ridgway has admitted to having been aware of alleged fuel surcharge ‘price-fixing' between VA executives and British Airways.
This week Mr Ridgway, immune from prosecution, said he "apologised unreservedly" for his involvement in the case.
He told reporters: "I have fully cooperated with the competition authorities since their enquiries began in 2006.
"Although I did not have any direct contact with BA in relation to passenger fuel surcharges, I regret that, on becoming aware of the discussions, I did not take steps to stop them."
Mr Ridgway said new competition law training had been put in place at the airline.
The statement came as a pre-trial hearing into allegations of price-fixing on fuel surcharges continued this week.
A spokesman at Southwark Crown Court in London confirmed that the hearing will continue until Friday (July 17) and that pleas had not yet been entered.
The hearing, which began on Tuesday, involves four existing and former BA executives. Allegations were made against them in connection with a UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) probe launched last year.
Current head of sales Andrew Crawley, former commercial director Martin George, ex-head of communications Iain Burns and former head of UK and Ireland sales Alan Burnett all face charges under the Enterprise Act.
The four are expected to plead not guilty.
Their trial is due to begin in January and is expected to last three months, Southwark confirmed.
The probe into price-fixing on long haul routes began after whistleblowers at VA alerted authorities making Mr Ridgway immune from prosecution.
Mr Crawley, 42, and the three other airline executives were charged after the OFT investigation probe into price fixing on long haul passenger flights.
The four are accused of having "dishonestly agreed with others to make or implement arrangements which directly or indirectly fixed the price for the supply in the United Kingdom of passenger air transport services by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways."
A statement by the OFT said the charges relate to July 2004 to April 2006 when they were all employed by BA.
The men could face up to five years in jail and/or an unlimited fine if found guilty.
BA was fined £121.5m as a result of the investigation last year, the largest amount ever imposed by OFT for a breach of competition law.
It was also fined a further $300m (£148m) by the US Department of Justice for breaking US competition laws.
www.virgin-atlantic.com www.ba.com www.oft.gov.uk