Release #: 15.12
April 29, 2015

House Subcommittee Affirms Strong Bipartisan Opposition to NAI Business Model

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) issued the following statement in response to action by the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development to prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit if it conflicts with the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement. The language was contained in a draft released yesterday of the FY2016 funding bill for the DOT.

"The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) commends the members of the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee for affirming its broad opposition to any foreign air carrier permit application that conflicts with the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement.

"We applaud the subcommittee for recognizing the harm posed to U.S. industry and U.S. workers by business models such as Norwegian Air International (NAI), which seeks to avoid tax and employment laws and circumvent international agreements to gain an unfair competitive edge against U.S. airlines and their workers in the global marketplace.

"In September 2014, the DOT dismissed NAI's request for a temporary foreign air carrier operating authorization, which would have allowed it to operate to U.S. markets while its permit application is pending. The Subcommittee's passage of this language makes clear that U.S. lawmakers adamantly oppose business models such as NAI and that the U.S. DOT must reject its foreign air carrier permit application."

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 30 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org