THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON , D.C

. 20590

The Honorable Brian Higgins U.S

. House ofRepresentatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Higgins: April 04, 2014

Thank you for your letter regarding the application ofNorwegianAir International Limited (NAI) for authority to conduct U.S. services. Given that a number ofinterested parties have filed responsive pleadings toNAI's application and this matter is currently pending before the Depa1tment, I am sure you understand that I cannotcomment onthe merits ofNAI's application. I assure you, however, that we will give full and careful consideration to all ofthe pleadings filed on the record before we reach a determination in this matter. As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy ofyour letter and my response in Docket DOT-OST-2013-0204, as a contact outside the record ofthis case. You may track the progress ofthiscase and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessingthe Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket DOT-OST-2013-0204

. I hope this information is helpful. Sincerely,

Anthony R. FoxxBRIAN HIGGINS 26TH DISTRICT, NEW YORK
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY RANKING MEMBER SuecOMMITIEE ON COUNTERTERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND COMMUNICATIONS 

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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE, EURASIA, AND EMERGING THREATS


### The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington DC, 20590

Dear Mr. Secretary, March 24, 2014 2459 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515 (202) 225-3306 (202) 226-0347 (FAX) 726 EXCHANGE STREET SUITE 601 BUFFALO, NY 14210

(716) 852-3501 (716) 852-3929 (FAX)

640 PARK PLACE NIAGARA FALLS, NY 14301 (716) 282-1274 (716) 282-2479 (FAX) higgins.house.gov



### I writeto express concern regarding Norwegian Air International Limited's (NAI) application before the Department ofTransportationto begin operating in the United States as a foreign air carrier. As you may know, NAI has planned an unusual operational structure that may allow it to circumvent critical labor and safetyregulations. Despitebeing based inNorway, NAI recently obtained an operating license from Ireland, and it intends to base its long haul operation there. Doing so would enable NAIto outsourceits operations and hire less expensive workers based in Thailand and Singapore. This business model could result in substandard wages and reduced working conditions. It 

### also raises questions regarding how the Irish Aviation Authority would be able to provide appropriate safety oversight when neither the airline nor its aircraft will operatethrough Ireland. As an advocate for**av~~tion** 

### safetywho has fought to enact critical reforms, I find these implications especially disconcerting. Giventhese unscrupulous and potentially unsafe practices, and your department's mandate to encourage "fair wages and working conditions" and to strengthen ''the competitiveposition of [U.S.] air carriers to at least ensure equality with foreign air carriers," I urge you to reject NAI's application. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.



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