Ferry operators come under scrutiny over ticket pricing

Ferry Price-Fixing Scandal in Greece: Competition Commission Investigates Oligopoly

Iorgos Pappas Greece promised ferry freedom back in 2002, but the fantasy didn’t last long. The Competition Commission has caught two companies playing gatekeeper over 60% of the country’s mid- and long-distance ferry routes. Tourists and islanders? Stuck with whatever fares and timetables are handed down by the duopoly. If you’re trying to reach one of the […] The post Ferry Price-Fixing Scandal in Greece: Competition Commission Investigates Ol…

Ferry operators come under scrutiny over ticket pricing

Greece’s Competition Commission has launched a full-scale inquiry into coastal passenger shipping after identifying price-fixing practices by an oligopoly, despite the sector’s full liberalization in 2002.

The Competition Commission has recorded significant problems in the coastal shipping market in a statement, summarizing the results of its preliminary investigation into the sector. As it emphasizes, “competition in the coastal shipping market has oligopoly characteristics with two large companies/groups owning 60% of the fleet in medium and long-distance coastal shipping”. At the same time, it notes that the existing framework reduces competiti…

What concerns does the Competition Commission express regarding coastal shipping?