THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

The Honorable Jim Matheson 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 205 15 

Dear Congressman Matheson: 

.June 9, 2014 

Thank you for your letter regarding the application ofNorwegian Air international Limited 

(NAI) for authority to conduct U.S. services. 

Given that a number of interested parties have filed responsive pleadings to NAT's application 

and this matter is currently pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I 

cannot comment on the merits ofNAI's application. I assure you, however. that we will give full 

and careful consideration to all of the pleadings filed on the record before we reach a 

determination in this matter. 

As is our standard practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and my response in Docket 

DOT -OST -2013-0204, as a contact outside the record of this case. You may track the progress 

of this case and view the publicly available documents filed in the docket by accessing the 

Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket 

DOT-OST-20 13-0204. 

I hope this infonnation is helpful. 

/ ~Gd2 I Anthony R. Foxx 
JIM MATHESON 

4TH D ISTRICT. Ur AH 

http ://matheson.house.gov 

(!Congress of tbe Wntteb $tates 

J!,)ous-e of ll\epre9'entattbe9' 

'[W!asbington, 11\QL 20515-4402 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Secretary Foxx: 

April 16,2014 

ENERGY AND COMMERCE 

COMMITTEE 

SUBCOMMITIEES: 

HEALTH 

T ELECOMMUN!CA TlONS 

C OMMERCE, M ANUFACTUR ING AND T RADE 

I am writing regarding a pending application by Norwegian Air International Limited (NAI) to 

operate as a foreign air carrier in the United States. I have several concerns about the proposal. 

NAI is attempting to establish itself as an Irish airline although it does not intend to operate in 

Ireland. This is concerning in light of the fact that as an Irish airline, Ireland would be 

responsible for regulatory oversight ofNAI, which could be difficult without a local presence. I 

am concerned that adequate and effective oversight could suffer under the circumstances. 

Passenger safety and aircraft integrity must be priorities. 

U.S. law requires the Department of Transportation to encourage "fair wages and working 

conditions" and "strengthen ... the competitive position of [U.S.] air carriers to at least ensure 

equality with foreign air carriers." By operating from Ireland, NAI would be permitted to 

outsource crew beyond the EU. IfNAI's proposed business model is intended to avoid labor and 

wage standards common to other European nations and the United States, this would run 

contrary to established U.S. policy. Furthermore, the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement states that 

labor standards are not to be reduced. Outsourcing crew from Southeast Asia appears to be at 

odds with these stipulations. · 1 · •• · · 

NAI's proposed business model has the potential to put U.S. airlines at a competitive 

disadvantage if it undermines fair wages and working conditions. Additionally, it must be 

determined whether this arrangement conflicts with U.S. law and international agreements. I 

urge your careful consideration of these issues as you review NAI's application for a foreign air 

carrier permit. · ' · 

~;_:rely ~~------

{§rn th~'/. 4 . ~ Member of Congress 

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