AirAsia fingers IT in price case

AirAsia has blamed an IT issue that it identified and fixed four months ago for its legal dispute with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The competition watchdog lodged a complaint in the Federal Court on Tuesday, alleging the budget airline "did not display some airfare prices inclusive of all taxes, duties, fees and other mandatory charges".

AirAsia told the AFP newswire that the price problem "appears to have arisen from an IT issue in September 2011".

The airline said the issue had been fixed and that it was working with the ACCC ahead of a scheduling conference in the Federal Court set down for March 2.

Further comment is being sought from Air Asia on the nature of the IT issue and the fix.