Norwegian Air US quandary

US regulators have slowed Norwegian Air's move to operate in the United States following pressure from trade unions.

The Department of Transportation rejected the airline's December 2013 request for an exemption that would have expedited its entry into the US market, saying "the novel and complex nature of this case [does not make an exemption] appropriate or in the public interest."

The Department of Transportation said that regulators now will undergo an exhaustive review to determine whether Norwegian Air International may fly to the United States,.

The airline said in a statement that it already flies to the United States from Europe, and those operations are not affected by the decision.

It also claims its Irish subsidiary has garnered support from the European Commission and the government of Ireland

But opponents include US airlines and various aviation connected trade unions.  "The US Department of Transportation took an important stand for fair competition today," Lee Moak from the Air Line Pilots Association said in a statement.

He added: "the DOT's work is not yet complete in making certain that (the airline) is not permitted to exploit international aviation policy and law to gain an unfair economic advantage over US airlines."  www.alpa.org   www.norwegian.com

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