Order 2012

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- 23

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 26 th day of October

, 2012

Served: October 26 , 2012

Application of

NORWEGIAN LONG HAUL AS Docket DOT

- OST

- 2012

- 0 174

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. §40109 and a foreign air carrier permit under 49 U.S.C. §41301

ORDER GRANTING EXEMPTION AND TO SHOW CAUSE

Summary

By this order we (1) grant the application of the referenced foreign air carrier for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. §40109, subject to conditions; 1 and (2) tentatively find that it is in the public interest to grant the applicant a foreign air carrier permit attached as Appendix B to this order.

Background

On August 23, 2005, the Department issued a Notice, in Docket DOT

- OST

- 2005

- 22228, announcing several steps designed to streamline our regulatory procedures for licensing U.S. and foreign air carriers. Among other things, the Notice stated that:

Assuming, based on the record and on the public interest/public convenience and necessity elements germane to our licensing decisions, that we were in a position to act

favorab ly, we would proceed to issue a single order (1) granting the exemption request for whatever duration we would normally have imposed, or until certificate/permit authority becomes effective, whichever is shorter, and (2) tentatively deciding ( i.e.

, show

- cause) to award a corresponding certificate (or permit), again for the standard duration we would normally have imposed (such as, in the case of certificates, five years for limited

- entry markets, indefinite for open

- entry markets, and in the case of permits, five years for comity and reciprocity regimes, indefinite for agreement regimes).

1 The conditions are attached as Appendix A.2

Our action in this Order serves to implement these streamlined regulatory procedures for the application involved in this proceeding.

Application

By application filed October 1 6 , 2012

, Norwegian Long Haul AS (Norwegian Long Haul )

, a foreign air carrier of Norway

, requests an e xemption under 49 U.S.C. §40109 and a foreign air carrier permit under 49 U.S.C. §41301, to permit it to conduct the new rights made available in

the U.S.

- EU

- Iceland

- Norway Air Transport Agreement of June 21, 2011 (the Agreement). Specifically, Norwegian Long Haul requests authority to engage in:

a. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons, property and mail between points behind Norway, via Norway and intermediate points, and any point or points in the United States, and beyond ;

b. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons, property, and mail from any point or points behind any Member State of the European Union, via any p oint or points in any Member State and via intermediate points, to any point or points in the United States and beyond;

c. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons
, property , and mail between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in any member of the European Common Aviation Area ;

d. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of cargo between any point or points in the United States and any other point or points;

e. scheduled and charter transportation authorized by any additional route rights made available to European Union carriers in the future ; and

f. o ther charters pursuant to the prior approval requirements set forth in 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s economic regulations.

The applicant provid ed evidentiary materials required by 14 CFR Part 211 of our regulations to support its requests for authority.

Interested parties were polled and there were no objections to the granting of this application.

Decision

We have decided, consistent with our August 23, 2005 Notice referenced above, to grant the applicant’s request for exemption authority, subject to conditions, and tentatively to grant, subject to show

- cause procedures, its request for a foreign air carrier permit, also subject to

conditions.3

Specifically, we will grant Norwegian Long Haul exemption authority for the services set forth in ordering paragraph 1 below. We will also tentatively grant Norwegian Long Haul a foreign air carrier permit for these services , as discussed below.

As an additional matter, Norwegian Long Haul has requested that we grant it, in addition to authority currently contained in the Agreement, authority to conduct transportation authorized by any additional route rights that may be made available to European Union carriers under the Agreement in the future. We are granting the request of Norwegian Long Haul for this authority by exemption (and tentatively granting it by foreign air carrier permit). We are, however, requiring Norwegian Long Haul

, before it commences any new service under this authority, to provide us with evidence that it holds a homeland license for that new service, unless it has already provided such evidence. 2

With respect to the applicant’s request for exemption authority, we find that grant of this authority, as conditioned, is consistent with the public interest. We find that the applicant is financially and operationally qualified to perform the services authorized, and that it is substantially owned and effectively controlled consi stent with the provisions of the Agreement

. 3
We also find that the authority sought by the applicant is encompassed by the Agreement

.

Further, we note that the applicant is properly licensed by its homeland to perform the proposed services. In addition, on October 25 , 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration advised us that it knew of no reason why we should act unfavorably on the appl icant’s requests. We have verified the applicant’s compliance with 14 CFR Parts 203 (Warsaw liability waiver) and 205 (insurance requirements).

In view of the above, we find that grant of the requested exemption authority, as conditioned, for

a two

- year term, or until the requested permit authority becomes effective, whichever occurs earlier, is warranted.

Tentative Findings and Conclusions

— Foreign Air Carrier Permit Application

We tentatively find and conclude that the public interest warrants granting the applicant a foreign air carrier permit, in the form attached as Appendix B and subject to the conditions attached. 4 In particular, we tentatively find and conclude that the factors which support our grant of exemption authority to the applicant, as discussed above, also warrant granting the applicant the f oreign air carrier permit it seeks.

In view of the foregoing a nd all facts of record, and acting under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations, 14 CFR Part 385, we tentatively find and conclude that:

2 Se e Orders 2007

- 6

- 19 and 2007

- 10

- 1, and Orders 2007

- 7

- 13 and 2007

- 10

- 16, where we granted this authority to British Airways Plc. and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., respectively.

3 We make this finding based on the Agreement provision on reciprocal recognition of fitness and citizenship

determinations.

4 The applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier permit was summarized in the Department’s published week ly list of applications filed.4

1. It is in the public interest to issue the applicant a foreign air carrier permit in the form

atta ched ;

2. The applicant is fit, willing

, and able properly to perform the foreign air transportation described in the attached permit and to conform to the provisions of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, and to our rules, regulations, and requirements;

3. The applicant is substantially owned and effectively controlled in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Agreement ;

4 . The public interest requires that the exercise of the privileges granted by the permit should be subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations contained in the attached permit, and to such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the public interest as we may prescribe;

5 . The issuance of this foreign air carrier permit will not constitute a major regulat ory action under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as defined in 14 CFR §313.4(a)(1) of our regulations; 5

6 . The public interest does not require an oral evidentiary hearing on the application; and

7 . Our action with respect to this forei gn air carrier permit should, unless disapproved by the President of the United States under §41307 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, become effective on the 61st day after its submission for §41307 review, or upon the date of receipt of advice from

the Presid ent or his designee under Executive Order 12597 and implementing regulations that he or she does not intend to disapprove this portion of the Department’s decision under that section,

whichever occurs earlier

.

In view of the above, and acting under authority assigned by the Department in its regulations, 14 CFR Part 385, we find that (1) our actions are consistent with Department policy; and (2) with respect to the exemption authority we are conferring on the a pplicant, the applicant is qualified to perform those operations; and that grant of the exemption authority is consistent with the public interest and would not constitute a major regulatory action under the Energy Policy and

Conservation Act of 1975.

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We grant the request of Norwegian Long Haul AS for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. §40109

for the services set forth below:

a. f oreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons, property and mail between points behind Norway , via No rway and intermediate points, and any point or points in the United States, and beyond;

b. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons

, property , and mail from any point or points behind any Member State of the European Union, via any point o r points

5 This finding is based on the fact that the grant of this permit wil l not result in a near

- term net annual change in aircraft fuel consumption of 10 million gallons or more.5

in any Member State and via intermediate points to any point or points in the United States and beyond;

c. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons

, property , and mail between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in any member of the European Common Aviation Area;

d. foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of cargo between any point or points in the United States and any other point or points;

e. other charters pursuant to the prior approval requirements set forth in 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s regulations ; and

f. transportation authorized by any additional route rights made available to European Union carriers under the Agreement i n the future

.

2

. Norwegian Long Haul AS shall, before it commences any new service under subparagraph ( f ) of ordering paragraph 1 above, provide the Department

, in Docke t DOT

- OST

- 20 1 2

- 0 174

, wi th

evidence that it holds a homeland license for that new service, unless it has already provided such evidence to the Department;

3 . The exercise of the privileges granted above is subject to compliance by Norwegian Long

Haul AS with the conditions listed in Appendix A;

4 . Our action granting the exemption a uthority described herein

, subject to the provisions of ordering paragraph s 1 through 3 above, is effective immediately, for a period of two years from the issue date of this order, or until the attached permit becomes effective, whichever is earlier;

5

. We may amend, modify, or revoke the exemption authority set forth herein at our discretion at any time and without hearing;

6 . To the extent not acted upon above, we dismiss all requests for exemption authority in this

Docket ( DOT

- OST

- 20 1 2

- 0 174 ) ;

7 . With respect to the applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier permit in this proceeding, we direct all interested persons to show cause why our tentative decision on that application, set forth above, should not be made final;

8

. Any interested pe rson objecting to the issuance of an order making final our tentative findings and conclusions with respect to the applicant’s request for a foreign air carrier permit shall, no later than twenty

- one (21) calendar days after the date of service of this ord er, file with the Department and serve on the parties to this proceeding, a statement of objections specifying the part or parts of the tentative findings and conclusions objected to, together with a summary of testimony, statistical data, and concrete evi dence to be relied upon in support of the objections; if objections are filed, answers to objections are due no later than seven (7) calendar days thereafter;6

9

. If timely and properly supported objections are filed, we will give further consideration to the matters and issues raised by the objections before we take further action;

1 0 . In the event no objections are filed, all further procedural steps shall be deemed waived, and the Department will enter an order which will (subject to Presidential revie w under §41307 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code) make final our tentative findings and conclusions set forth in this order; and

1 1 . We will serve a copy of this order on Norwegian Long Haul AS ; the Embassy of Norway in Washington

, D.C.; the Department of Stat e; and the Federal Aviation Administration.

By:

PAUL L. GRETCH

Director

Office of International Aviation

(SEAL)

Appendices

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.regulations.govForeign Air Carrier Exemption Conditions Appendix A

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applicant shall:

(1) Not conduct any operations unless it holds a currently effective authorization from its homeland for such operations, and it has filed a copy of such authorization with the Department;

(2) Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, including, but not limited to, 14 CFR Parts 129, 91, and 3 6 and 49 CFR Part 1546 or 1550, as applicable. To assure compliance with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before commencing any new service (including charter flights) from a foreign airport that would be the holder’s last point of departure for the United States, contact its International Industry Representative (IIR) (formerly referred to as International Principal Security Inspector) to advise the IIR of its plans and to find out whether the Transportati on Security Administration has determined that security is adequate to allow such airport(s) to be served;

(3) Comply with the requirements for minimum insurance coverage contained in 14 CFR Part 205, and, prior to the commencement of any operations under thi s authority, file evidence of such coverage, in the form of a completed OST Form 6411, with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Program Management Branch (AFS

- 260), Flight Standards Service (any changes to, or termination of, insurance also shall be file d with that office);

(4) Not operate aircraft under this authority unless it complies with operational safety requirements at least equivalent to Annex 6 of the Chicago Convention;

(5) Conform to the airworthiness and airman competency requirements of its Govern ment for international air services;

(6) Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 203, concerning waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and defenses;

(7) Agree that operat ions under this authority constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity, for the purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1605(a), but only with respect to those actions or proceedings instituted against it in any court or other tribunal in the United States that are: (a) based on its operations in international air transportation that, according to the contract of carriage, include a point in the United States as a point of origin, point of destination, or agreed stopping place, or for which the contract of carriage was purchas ed in the United States; or (b) based on a claim under any international agreement or treaty cognizable in any court or other tribunal of the United States. In this condition, the term "international air transportation" means "international transportation " as defined by the Warsaw Convention, except that all States shall be considered to be High Contracting Parties for the purpose of this definition;

(8) Except as specifically authorized by the Department, originate or terminate all flights to/from the United States in Norway or a Member State of the European Union;

(9) Comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 217, concerning the reporting of scheduled, nonscheduled, and charter data;

(10) If charter operations are authorized, except as otherwise provided in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules governing charters (including 14 CFR Parts 212 and 380); and

(11) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the public interest as may be prescrib ed by the Department, with all applicable orders or regulations of other U.S. agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United States.

This authority shall not be effective during any period when the holder is not in compliance with the con ditions imposed above. Moreover, this authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without explicit Department approval

under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

EU carrier 0 1 /200 8Appendix B

Issued by

Order 20 1 3

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__

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.



### -------------------------------------------------------- PERMIT TO FOREIGN AIR CARRIER



### ---------------------------------------------------------



### NORWEGIAN LONG HAUL AS

A Foreign Air Ca rrier of Norway

is authorized, subject to the following provisions, the provisions of Title 49 of the U.S. Code, and the orders, rules, and regulations of the Department of Transportation, to engage in:

Foreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons, property and mail between points behind Norway , via Norway and intermediate points, and any point or points in the United States, and beyond;

F oreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons

, property , and mail fr om any point or points behind any Member State of the European Union, via any point or points in any Member State and via intermediate points to any point or points in the United States and beyond;

F oreign scheduled and charter air transportation of persons , property , and mail between any point or points in the United States and any point or points in any member of the European Common Aviation Area;

Foreign s cheduled and charter air transportation of cargo between any point or points in the United St ates and any other point or points;

O ther charters pursuant to the prior approval requirements set forth in 14 CFR Part 212 of the Department’s regulations; and

T ransportation authorized by any additional route rights made available to European Union carriers under the U.S.

- EU

- Iceland

- Norway Air Transport Agreement in the future; provided , that the holder shall, before it commences any new service under such additional route rights, provide the Department with evidence

that it holds a homeland license for that new service (unless it has already provided such evidence to the Department). Such evidence shall be filed in Docket DOT

OST

- 20 1 2

- 0 174

.This permit and the exercise of the privileges granted in it shall be subject to the terms,

conditions and l imitations in both the order issuing this permit and the attachment to this order, and to all applicable provisions of any treaty, convention or agreement affecting international air transportation now in effect, or that may become effective during the per iod this permit remains in effect, to which the United States and the holder’s homeland are or shall become parties.

This permit shall be effective on __________. Unless otherwise terminated at an earlier date pursuant to the terms of any applicable trea ty, convention or agreement, this permit shall terminate (1) upon the dissolution or liquidation of the holder to whom it was issued; (2) upon the effective date of any treaty, convention, or agreement or amendment, which shall have the

effect of eliminati ng the right for the service authorized by this permit from the service which may be operated by airlines of Norway (or, if the right is partially eliminated, then the authority of this permit shall terminate in like part); or (3) upon the termination or e xpiration between the

United States and Norway of the applicable air services agreement. However, clause (3) of this paragraph shall not apply if prior to such termination or expiration, the foreign air transportation authorized herein becomes the subject of another treaty, convention or agreement to which the

United States and Norway become parties.

The Department of Transportation has executed this permit and affixed its seal on ________.

By:

PAUL L. GRETCH

Director

Office of International Aviation



### (SEAL)Foreign Air Carrier Permit Conditions

In the conduct of the operations authorized, the foreign carrier applicant shall:

(1) Not conduct any operations unless it holds a currently effective authorization from its homeland for such operations, and it has filed a copy of such authorizati on with the Department;

(2) Comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, including, but not limited to, 14 CFR Parts 129, 91, and 36 and 49 CFR Part 1546 or 1550, as applicable. To assure compliance with all applicable U.S. Government requirements concerning security, the holder shall, before commencing any new service (including charter flights) from a forei gn airport that would be the holder’s last point of departure for the United States, contact its International Industry Representative (IIR) (formerly referred to as International Principal Security Inspector) to advise the IIR of its plans and to find out whether the Transportation Security Administration has determined that security is adequate to allow such airport(s) to be served;

(3) Comply with the requirements for minimum insurance coverage contained in 14 CFR Part 205, and, prior to the

commencement of any operations under this authority, file evidence of such coverage, in the form of a completed OST Form 6411, with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Program Management Branch (AFS

- 260), Flight Standards Service (any changes to, or termination of, ins urance also shall be filed with that office);

(4) Not operate aircraft under this authority unless it complies with operational safety requirements at least equivalent to Annex 6 of the Chicago Convention;

(5) Conform to the airworthiness and airman competency r equirements of its Government for international air services;

(6) Except as specifically exempted or otherwise provided for in a Department Order, comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 203, concerning waiver of Warsaw Convention liability limits and def enses;

(7) Agree that operations under this authority constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity, for the purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1605(a), but only with respect to those actions or proceedings instituted against it in any court or other

tribunal in the United St ates that are: (a) based on its operations in international air transportation that, according to the contract of carriage, include a point in the United States as a point of origin, point of destination, or agreed stopping place, or for which the contrac t of carriage was purchased in the United States; or (b) based on a claim under any international agreement or treaty cognizable in any court or other tribunal of the United States. In this condition, the term "international air transportation" means "int ernational transportation" as defined by the Warsaw Convention, except that all States shall be considered to be High Contracting Parties for the purpose of this definition;

(8) Except as specifically authorized by the Department, originate or terminate all f lights to/from the United States in Norway or a Member State of the European Union;

(9) Comply with the requirements of 14 CFR Part 217, concerning the reporting of scheduled, nonscheduled, and charter data;

(10) If charter operations are authorized, except as otherwise provided in the applicable aviation agreement, comply with the Department's rules governing charters (including 14 CFR Parts 212 and 380); and

(11) Comply with such other reasonable terms, conditions, and limitations required by the public in terest as may be prescribed by the Department, with all applicable orders or regulations of other U.S. agencies and courts, and with all applicable laws of the United States.

This authority shall not be effective during any period when the holder is not i n compliance with the conditions imposed above. Moreover, this authority cannot be sold or otherwise transferred without explicit Department approval under Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

EU carrier 01/2008