The separate suits relate to an air cargo cartel first exposed seven years ago that triggered fines in the European Union and in the United States.

The rail monopoly is seeking 1.2 billion euros in damages plus 560 million euros in interest in a suit filed with a court in Cologne, plus another $370 million in the United States, Deutsche Bahn said in a statement on Monday.

The U.S. portion could increase to about $1.1 billion if the court exercises its option to treble damages in the case, it said.

European regulators fined 11 airlines 800 million euros in 2010 in the price fixing case, which opened the door to private claims.

Deutsche Bahn says its freight business Schenker was overcharged for air cargo services for more than six years as carriers colluded in setting fuel and security surcharges.

In addition, the airlines refused to pay the freight forwarders standard commissions on the surcharges they were adding to base rates, it said.

The airlines it is suing in Germany are Lufthansa (>> Deutsche Lufthansa AG), Air Canada (>> Air Canada), British Airways (>> International Consolidated Airlines Grp), Cargolux [CLUX.UL], Cathay Pacific (>> Cathay Pacific Airways Limited), Japan Airlines (>> Japan Airlines Co Ltd), LAN, Qantas (>> Qantas Airways Limited), SAS (>> SAS AB) and Singapore Airlines (>> Singapore Airlines Ltd.).

In the United States, it is seeking damages from Air France (>> Air France-KLM), All Nippon Airways, Cargolux, KLM, Martin Air, Qantas and SAS.

It said Lufthansa alone was to blame for 10-20 percent of the damage caused by the cartel. Lufthansa declined to comment.

Deutsche Bahn said it was prepared to settle the matter out of court but added that the carriers had so far not been prepared to hold concrete talks on damages.

(Reporting by Matthias Sobolewski; Writing by Ludwig Burger and Maria Sheahan; editing by Thomas Atkins/Keith Weir)