World Cup airline price-fixing immoral : S.African minister

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PRETORIA, Feb 5, 2010 (AFP) - South Africa's sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile on Friday called on airlines not to exploit World Cup 2010 visitors amid a probe into possible airfare price-fixing.

"I enjoin all airlines not to milk the people of South Africa and indeed the people of the world simply because they are keen to be part of the World Cup. It is not right. It is morally incorrect," he told journalists.

Stofile was reacting to an investigation by South Africa's Competition Commission into airlines suspected of colluding on prices and pricing strategies for domestic routes during the World Cup, which starts June 11.

The probe targets British Airawys and its franchisee Comair, South African Airways and its partners SA Airlink and SA Express, as well as discount carriers 1Time and Mango, according to a statement from the commission.

Airlines have denied any collusion. British Airways said the investigation affected only its local franchise carrier Comair.

High airfares during the World Cup, with one airline punting a Johannesburg to Cape Town trip in June at double the price in May, have sparked a public uproar for months.