The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) issued a Statement of Objections to British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic in its civil law investigation into alleged collusion over the pricing of passenger fuel surcharges for long-haul passenger flights to and from the UK between August 2004 and January 2006. Issuing a Statement of Objections is a necessary procedural step before the OFT can proceed to a final decision. The Statement of Objections outlines the OFT’s proposed decision and invites the parties to make representations. Virgin Atlantic has immunity from penalties under the OFT’s leniency programme and British Airways has already reached an early resolution arrangement with the OFT.Source: OFT press release 120/11 of Nov. 8, 2011