BEFORE THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of )

)

NORWEGIAN AIR INTERANTIONAL ) Docket No. OST-2013-0204 

LIMITED ) 

)

)

for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 )

and a foreign air carrier permit pursuant to )

49 U.S.C. § 41301 (US-EU Open Skies) ) 

 )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RESPONSE OF THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION

TO MOTION OF NORWEGIAN AIR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

FOR LEAVE AND EXPEDITED TREATMENT

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (“SWAPA”) is the exclusive bargaining 

representative for the 8,000 pilots of Southwest Airlines who carry one out of every four domestic 

U.S. airline passengers. SWAPA has reviewed the Motion of Norwegian Air International Limited 

(NAI) for Leave to File and Expedited Treatment (NAI Motion) and believes that NAI has not 

resolved the underlying issues that merit a denial of NAI’s application for a foreign air carrier 

permit.

Fundamentally, Norwegian Air International has not assuaged our concerns that it is still an 

attempt to seek authority to operate to the United States utilizing a flag-of-convenience strategy, 

whereby a carrier chooses “which” set of regulations from “what” country it chooses to follow. 

Setting precedent by which a carrier is allowed to “venue shop” and decide which rules will apply 

to its operations is not a level playing field and would not meet the DOT’s stipulation for approving 
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foreign air carrier permits, specifically “strengthening the competitive position of air carriers to at 

least ensure equality with foreign air carriers, including the attainment of the opportunity for air 

carriers to maintain and increase their profitability in foreign air transportation” stipulation 49 

U.S.C. §§ 40101(a)(15). Even though NAI has stated it will use European and US pilots, as well as 

employ these pilots with Norwegian Group, NAI has not addressed which labor laws it intends to 

apply to its pilots and flight crews or even the basic terms under which they will be employed. For 

example, NAI has not addressed whether its pilots and flight crews will work for Norwegian Group 

on employment contracts or otherwise. 

As long as these questions are unanswered, NAI would appear to challenge DOT’s mandate 

to encourage “fair wages and working conditions,” 49 U.S.C. § 40101(a)(5) when approving 

Foreign Air Carrier Permits. For these reasons, NAI’s application for a foreign air carrier permit 

must be DENIED.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________ _ 

Paul Jackson, President

Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association

pjackson@swapa.org
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that I have, on this 10th day of June, 2015, served the foregoing Response of the 

Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association to Motion of Norwegian Air International Limited for

Leave and Expedited Treatment by causing a copy to be sent by electronic mail to the addresses 

identified below:

Josh Romanow

Peter Nelson

Counsel for Norwegian Air International 

Limited

romanow@pillsburylaw.com

peter.nelson@pillsburylaw.com

Steve Morrissey

Thomas Bolling

United Airlines

steve.morrissey@uni

ted.com

thomas.bolling@united.com

Dan Weiss

United Airlines

dan.weiss@united.com

Sascha Van der Bellen

Delta Airlines

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com

Howard Kass

U.S. Airways

howard.kass@usairways.com

Robert Wirick

Francis Heil

Howard Kass

American Airlines, Inc.

robert.wirick@aa.com

francis.heil@aa.com

howard.kass@aa.com

Robert Land

Senior Vice President of Government 

Affairs and Association General Counsel

robert.land@jetblue.com

Russell E. Pommer

Associate General Counsel & Sr. Director

Regulatory Affairs

Atlas Air Inc.

rpommer@atlasair.com

Celine Canu

Philip Von Schoppenthau 

European Cockpit Association

cc@eurocockpit.be

pvs@eurocockpit.be

Malcom L. Benge

Counsel for North American/World Airways 

Zuckert Scoutt & Rasenberger, L.L.P. 

mlbenge@zsrlaw.com

John M. Allen 

Michael Whitaker 

Jesse Elliot 

Douglas Schwab 

Nicholas Tsokris 

John Chen

Federal Aviation Administration

john.allen@faa.gov 

michael.whitaker@faa.gov 

jesse.elliot@faa.gov 

douglas.schwab@faa.gov 

nicholas.tsokris@faa.gov 

john.chen@faa.gov
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Anita Mosner

Jennifer Nowak

Counsel for UPS Holland & Knight

anita.mosner@hklaw.com

jennifer.nowak@hklaw.com

Nancy S. Sparks

Bailey Leopard

Federal Express Corporation

nssparks@fedex.com 

gbleopard@fedex.com

Russell Bailey

Jonathan Cohen

Air Line Pilots Association, International 

russell.bailey@alpa.org 

jonathan.cohen@alpa.org

Edward Wytkind

President, Transportation Trades 

Department, AFL-CIO

edw@ttd.org

Thomas S. Engle Rob 

Newsome Department of 

State

englets@state.gov 

newsomerc@state.gov 

cristinasa@state.gov

Paul Gretch

Robert Finamore 

Brian Hedberg

Reese Davidson

Esta Rosenberg

Brett Kruger

U.S. Department of Transportation 

paul.gretch@dot.gov 

robert.finamore@dot.gov 

brian.hedberg@dot.gov 

reese.davidson@dot.gov 

esta.rosenberg@dot.gov 

brett.kruger@dot.gov

David Batchelor

Representative, Single European Sky ATM 

Research Joint Undertaking 

david.batchelor@sesarju.eu

David Berg 

James Casey 

Keith Glatz 

Cecilia Bethke

Airlines for America 

dberg@airlines.org 

jcasey@airlines.org 

kglatz@airlines.org 

ebethke@airlines.org

Vegard Einan

Vice President Parat 

vegard.einan@parat.com

Chris Lytle

Executive Director, Port of Oakland 

clytle@portoakland.com

Kent G. George

Director of Aviation

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International

Airport 

kgeorge@broward.org

Eugene Alford

Air Transport Services 

eugene.alford@trade.gov

Matthew Baldwin

Director, Aviation and International

Transport Affairs European 

Commission 

matthew.baldwin@ec.eurpoa.eu

Edgar N. James

Allied Pilots Association

ejames@jamhoff.com
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Felix Leinemann

First Secretary, Transport 

felix.leinemann@eeas.europa.eu

John J. Fearon

Director General of Civil Aviation 

johnfearon@dttas.ie

Leo Varadkar

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 

minister@dttas.ie

Phillip Brown

Frank Kruppenbacher

Greater Orlando Aviation Authority 

pbrown@goaa.org 

fkruppenbacher@goaa.org

Buddy Dyer

Mayor, City of Orlando, Florida 

buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net

George Aguel

President and CEO, Visit Orlando 

george.aguel@visitorlando.com

Teresa Jacobs

Mayor, Orange County, Florida 

mayor@ocfl.net

Leo Schefer

Keith Meurlin

Washington Airports Task Force 

leo@washingtonairports.com 

keith@washingtonairports.com

Ottar Ostnes

Director General, Ministry of Transport and

Communications 

ottar.ostnes@sd.dep.no

Stephen Shur

President, The Travel Technology

Association 

sshur@traveltech.org

John Hanlon

Secretary General, European Low Fares 

Airline Association 

john.hanlon@ELFAA.com

Emmanuelle Maire

DG MOVE

European Commission

Emmanuelle.maire@ec.europa.eu

Charles Locha

Travelers United 

Charles.leocha@travelersunited.org

Paul Ruden

American Society of Travel Agents 

pruden@asta.org

Concerned Citizen for a Fair America 

ashburnxxx@gmail.com

info@airlineinfo.com

Roger Dow

U.S. Travel Association

rdow@ustravel.org