A former Australian airline executive has been convicted of fraud in the US.

Bruce McCaffrey, 65, was convicted over an international air cargo price fixing scam.

McCaffrey was the former Qantas freight vice-president in the US.

While he will not be sentenced until next week, both his lawyer and the US government are asking the judge to give him eight months in jail and a $US20,000 fine.

Mr McCaffrey's family has also written to the judge saying he has been made a scapegoat by Qantas, suggesting other senior Qantas should be forced to face charges in the United States.

Qantas has already paid a US$61 million fine.