Hahn Air (HR, Frankfurt International) and its Minneapolis subsidiary Hahn Air USA Inc. are accused of violating the U.S. False Claims Act by allegedly intentionally failing to remit certain travel fees collected from airline passengers. They agreed to pay $26.8 million to settle the matter. The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement that it entered or entered the United States between 2012 and 2018.
Hahn Air operates an electronic ticketing database that allows travel agents to issue air tickets under contract with multiple commercial airlines around the world. As part of our operations, we collect mandatory travel fees, including certain passenger fees payable to the United States.
Among the fees at issue are plant and animal health inspection and quarantine fees owed to the Department of Agriculture (USDA), customs user fees and immigration user fees owed to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and fees owed to the U.S. government. There are civil aviation security service fees that must be paid. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The settlement resolves a civil lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under the “qui tam” or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to file false claims under the False Claims Act. is allowed to file lawsuits on behalf of the United States and share in the profits. Part of the government's recovery. As part of this resolution, the whistleblower will be paid her $4.8 million.
Of the $26.8 million Hahn will pay, $18.3 will be federal compensation. The company was credited with $16 million in settlement of a previous transfer payment, leaving a balance of $10.7 million. Payments to whistleblowers will be made once funds are received from Hahn Air.
ch-aviation has contacted Hahn Air for comment.
