Airline Pilot Central Forums - Norwegian (NAS) to fly USA-Carribbean

NAS isn't NAI but they're part of the same group. While technically legal, these are the games that the flags of convenience and state owned enterprise guys are playing.

From HSBC European Airline Andrew Lobbenberg:

*** Norwegian: Caribbean to US flying this winter

No one can ever accuse these boys of lacking imagination. Norwegian announced yesterday the launch of seasonal services from the US east coast to French territories, technically part of the EU, in the Caribbean. Norwegian will fly from Dec-2015, using Boeing standard 737-800 equipment from Baltimore, Boston and JFK to Fort de France and Pointe à Pitre, twice weekly from Baltimore and Boston, thrice weekely form NY.

Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos is not expecting a backlash from US carriers over its decision to commence these services. Mr Kjos said: “These islands aren’t being served. We can fly wherever we like with the Open Skies agreement. We anticipate that there is a market from these islands into the US. You have to take into consideration that the dollar is very strong against the Euro, so it's cheap to go to these islands now.” Norwegian added it is considering a launch of long-haul services to Baltimore/Washington, and Boston in summer 2016.

Economically this looks imaginative winter utilization of the core fleet. In the past European charter carriers leased aircraft to Canadian airlines for winter flying to the Caribbean and this is structurally similar, but using EU Open Skies deal to its very maximum. The flights will help build Norwegian’s brand position in the US too.

From USA Today:

Norwegian to start offering Northeast flights to Caribbean

TODAY IN THE SKY

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/14...s/clear1x1.gif Bart Jansen, USA TODAY 9:11 a.m. EDT June 25, 2015
Norwegian, the low-cost airline in a long-running dispute with rivals over adding U.S. flights, announced Thursday it will begin offering several East Coast flights to the Caribbean.
Starting Dec. 3, the airline will launch flights from Boston Logan International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Guadeloupe Islands and Martinique. Despite the dispute, the flights are permitted because the destinations are French islands.
Introductory fares will start at $79 one-way from the U.S. airports and $99 one-way from the islands in the French West Indies. The flights will be aboard 737-800 aircraft with leather seats and free Wi-Fi.
JFK will have flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Pointe-a-Pitre International Airport in the Guadeloupe Islands and flights Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to Aime Cesaire International Airport in Martinique.
BWI will have flights Tuesdays and Saturdays to Guadeloupe, and Mondays and Fridays to Martinique.
Boston will have flights Thursdays and Sundays to Guadeloupe, and Wednesdays and Sundays to Martinique.
"With these new and exciting routes, Norwegian will offer customers in the Northeast nonstop flights to two of the most idyllic islands in the Caribbean," said Bjorn Kjos, Norwegian's CEO. "Norwegian is fully committed to the U.S. market and we will continue to expand by offering more great nonstop destinations to American travelers and growing our U.S. crew bases."
The expansion will likely rekindle opposition from U.S. airlines and their unions to Norwegian's pending application with the Transportation Department to provide low-cost flights.
Norwegian Air Shuttle is the third-largest low-cost carrier in Europe. Its Norwegian Long Haul subsidiary has been offering 31 routes at 10 U.S. airports.
But another subsidiary, Norwegian Air International, has asked to provide permanent discount service to the U.S.
Rival airlines and unions have fought the application based on concerns that the subsidiary, with an operating certificate from Ireland and plans for low-wage crews hired in Asia, will avoid labor and safety regulations.
Norwegian has noted that it has hired hundreds of U.S. crew members so far, and that the subsidiary's flights would be safe.
The application has been pending for a year and a half, and the Transportation Department hasn't signaled when it might be resolved. In the meantime, the House voted a year ago to block the application, but the Senate hasn't acted.