Representation of Asiana spol. s r.o. in the matter of potential infringement of competition rules by STUDENT AGENCY, s.r.o.

The Office concluded in its proceedings that STUDENT AGENCY, s.r.o. breached the applicable competition rules, such breach consisting in the application of unreasonably low fares on the Prague – Brno / Brno – Prague bus line in the period between 1 December 2007 and 1 March 2008. STUDENT AGENCY, s.r.o. had in the relevant period selectively lowered prices on tickets of buses departing only at the time of departure of the competing company’s (ASIANA, spol. s.r.o.) buses. Pursuant to the Office, such below cost prices were offered with the intention to exclude the rival company from the relevant market. After ASIANA, spol. s.r.o. withdraw from the market due to this cost cutting,  STUDENT AGENCY, s.r.o. increased the fares above the original price level.

The Office considered the alleged conduct as an abuse of a dominant position in the market for provision of public passenger bus services on the line Prague – Brno and imposed, within the scope of a first instance decision, a fine on STUDENT AGENCY, s.r.o.