TYUMEN, November 10 - RAPSI. A court upheld the antimonopoly watchdog's decision that the UTair and Yamal airlines colluded to manipulate ticket prices at the regional route, the antimonopoly service reported on Thursday.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service discovered that in summer 2010 UTair Airlines and Yamal Air Transport Company colluded to set equal prices for economy class tickets at the Tyumen-Sochi-Tyumen route. The difference in the ticket prices was only 90 rubles ($3).

It was also revealed that in the period between 2008 and 2010 the companies occasionally manipulated ticket prices.

The airlines increased ticket prices for their own benefit. Following the fact that the local market was equally divided between the companies it becomes clear that the airlines did not compete for the customers but colluded to manipulate the market.

The watchdog ordered the airlines to eliminate violations of the antimonopoly laws and reestablish competitive conditions.