Looks like no NAI
06-10-2014, 07:34 AM
#1
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Joined APC: Feb 2014
Position: Right Seat
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Looks like no NAI
ALPA News Release
Release #14.45
June 9, 2014
Would Block U.S. Foreign Air Carrier Permits for Flag-of-Convenience Models Such As NAI
WASHINGTON––The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) commends an amendment passed unanimously by voice vote today by the U.S. House of Representatives that would help safeguard the U.S. airline industry’s ability to compete on a level playing field by making certain that federal transportation funds are not used to grant foreign airlines that violate U.S. law or the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement access to U.S. markets.
“Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Rep. Westmoreland and Rep. DeFazio, this amendment specifically prohibits shopping for cheap labor and simply requires the Department of Transportation to follow the law and provisions agreed to in the U.S.-EU Transport Agreement,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “Congress has a responsibility to make sure that U.S. airlines do business in a fair marketplace and that the U.S. government’s transportation funds don’t hand an advantage to foreign airlines that try to cheat the system.”
Introduced by Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the amendment to the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 4745) stipulates that none of the funds in the bill may be used to approve a foreign air carrier permit or application “where such approval would contravene United States law or Article 17*bis*of the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement.”
The amendment passed today would prevent the Department of Transportation from approving Norwegian Air International’s (NAI) foreign air carrier permit application because the airline’s operations would contradict the U.S.–EU Air Transport Agreement, which specifically prohibits any efforts to undermine labor standards.
Despite the fact that Norwegian Air Shuttle, NAI’s parent company, has centered its operations in Norway and that NAI does not plan to fly to or from Ireland, the company has gained permission from Ireland to operate its long-haul flights as an Irish airline expressly to avoid Norway’s employment laws. With an Irish air operator certificate, NAI will outsource its flight crews through a Singapore employment company using individual contracts with wages well below those of the company’s Norway-based employees.
“By passing this amendment that blocks the Norwegian Air International scheme and any similar bid to contravene the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement, the U.S. House has taken a strong stand for fair competition for U.S. airlines,” said Capt. Moak. “We urge the U.S. Senate to support the U.S. House position and send a clear signal that Congress is committed to ensuring U.S. airlines and their employees do business on a level playing field.”
Release #14.45
June 9, 2014
Would Block U.S. Foreign Air Carrier Permits for Flag-of-Convenience Models Such As NAI
WASHINGTON––The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) commends an amendment passed unanimously by voice vote today by the U.S. House of Representatives that would help safeguard the U.S. airline industry’s ability to compete on a level playing field by making certain that federal transportation funds are not used to grant foreign airlines that violate U.S. law or the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement access to U.S. markets.
“Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Rep. Westmoreland and Rep. DeFazio, this amendment specifically prohibits shopping for cheap labor and simply requires the Department of Transportation to follow the law and provisions agreed to in the U.S.-EU Transport Agreement,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “Congress has a responsibility to make sure that U.S. airlines do business in a fair marketplace and that the U.S. government’s transportation funds don’t hand an advantage to foreign airlines that try to cheat the system.”
Introduced by Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the amendment to the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 4745) stipulates that none of the funds in the bill may be used to approve a foreign air carrier permit or application “where such approval would contravene United States law or Article 17*bis*of the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement.”
The amendment passed today would prevent the Department of Transportation from approving Norwegian Air International’s (NAI) foreign air carrier permit application because the airline’s operations would contradict the U.S.–EU Air Transport Agreement, which specifically prohibits any efforts to undermine labor standards.
Despite the fact that Norwegian Air Shuttle, NAI’s parent company, has centered its operations in Norway and that NAI does not plan to fly to or from Ireland, the company has gained permission from Ireland to operate its long-haul flights as an Irish airline expressly to avoid Norway’s employment laws. With an Irish air operator certificate, NAI will outsource its flight crews through a Singapore employment company using individual contracts with wages well below those of the company’s Norway-based employees.
“By passing this amendment that blocks the Norwegian Air International scheme and any similar bid to contravene the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement, the U.S. House has taken a strong stand for fair competition for U.S. airlines,” said Capt. Moak. “We urge the U.S. Senate to support the U.S. House position and send a clear signal that Congress is committed to ensuring U.S. airlines and their employees do business on a level playing field.”
06-10-2014, 08:27 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,939
Originally Posted by LivinTheDream28
So are they officially blocked or does the Senate have to approve?
I think the bottom line is this flying has not been approved by the DOT. This amendment to a bill is to simply force the DOT not to approve it. In my opinion, this is a long shot at best, maybe more a sign of solidarity in the US House only?
06-10-2014, 08:54 AM
#8
ULTP-Ultra Low Tier Pilot
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,228
This was an amendment added to HR 4745. Its at the end when every congressman/woman gets in line and asks for their projects to be added to the bill. This was added around 10pm last night. About 50 items were added as amendments.
The Amendment passed but the House resolution has not. "6/9/2014 House floor actions. Status: Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 4745 as unfinished business."
So it still needs to be decided in the House, and then to the Senate, maybe conference committee, and then to the White House. It is a nice first step, but has a ways to go.
I wish ALPA would have made some of this clear in the semi-propaganda piece they put out, making it seem like everything has passed and NAI is done for.
Nice first step, but a ways to go.
The Amendment passed but the House resolution has not. "6/9/2014 House floor actions. Status: Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 4745 as unfinished business."
So it still needs to be decided in the House, and then to the Senate, maybe conference committee, and then to the White House. It is a nice first step, but has a ways to go.
I wish ALPA would have made some of this clear in the semi-propaganda piece they put out, making it seem like everything has passed and NAI is done for.
Nice first step, but a ways to go.
06-10-2014, 09:26 AM
#10
:-)
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,339
On a 787, even at Delta rates, the pilots are basically free. A pilot costs a passenger about a dollar an hour.
If ALPA wins, it means that NAI has to hire a bunch of union pilots from the US/EU to run their operation. The US regionals have 20K pilots alone ready to work there. ALPA won't stop them, NAI is coming. The question is how do we deal with them once they are here?
If ALPA wins, it means that NAI has to hire a bunch of union pilots from the US/EU to run their operation. The US regionals have 20K pilots alone ready to work there. ALPA won't stop them, NAI is coming. The question is how do we deal with them once they are here?
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