Norwegian Application in Washington delayed again

Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen ( Progress Party )Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen ( Progress Party ). Photo: Progress Party

Transport Minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen has been in Washington to help Norwegian airlines with the application for traffic rights in the United States.
Presidential elections are delaying the process further.

Solvik-Olsen has raised the matter several times with the US transport minister, Anthony Foxx, most recently at a meeting late last month, according to Dagens Næringsliv.

– After meeting with Foxx in Washington we can conclude that the views of the Norwegian authorities were heard, but the US still can not make a decision, he said.

The minister gives the following explanation of why the process again has stalled:
– This is probably the mostly about challenges in US domestic politics.

US authorities have had Norwegian’s license application for the Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International to look over since December 2013.
The process has been delayed partly because of pressure from American unions and because the issue has become a topic in the presidential campaign.

EU transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc has notified Arbitration against the United States since they have received traffic rights.

Sources of the European Commission were informed that the matter is under preparation and will be implemented “as soon as possible.”

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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