Norwegian stalls Dreamliner purchase talks

[el]

Budget airline Norwegian Air has suspended talks on buying 20 Dreamliner planes from Boeing because of a delay in receiving US backing for its long-haul plans, according to its chief executive Bjoern Kjos.

The airline may also reconsider plans to locate its long-haul operations in Ireland, giving up the advantage of having a European Union-based carrier, Mr Kjos told Transport Minister Leo Varadkar in a letter dated April 23.

Norwegian launched flights to the US and Bangkok from its Nordic bases last year and obtained an Irish air operators’ certificate, hoping to base the business in the EU, where it can operate under more favourable conditions and take advantage of the Open Skies trade between the US and the EU.

Norwegian Air is operating its flights to the US under a temporary permit issued by the Oslo government.

Its application to the US Department of Transportation for a permanent license, made via Norwegian’s Irish affiliate, has been fiercely contested by its rivals and by unions.

They argue that Norwegian Air is simply trying to escape high Nordic labour costs and wants to employ cheap Thai crew, gaining an unfair advantage.

“Unfortunately, the delay in the Department of Transportation process has given us no other choice than to put our ongoing negotiations with Boeing to purchase 20 new 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft — due to be registered in Ireland — on hold until Norwegian Air International’s future in the US has been decided,” Mr Kjos said in the letter.

“An additional delay — or in the worst case, a negative decision by the US Department of Transportation — may regrettably force us to reverse our commitment to build an international long-haul airline in Ireland,” he said.

Norwegian has been expanding at breakneck pace in recent years and has more than 200 aircraft on order. It is opening bases across Europe and plans to take on one of the most competitive markets this summer, launching long-haul flights between London and New York.

If it left Ireland, where its long-haul planes are registered, it would rebase them in Norway, where it has a permit to operate, Mr Kjos said.

The firm already has commitments to buy or lease 14 Dreamliners but it has been looking for additional planes, because it consumes 20% less fuel than older jets. The 20 new Dreamliners have a combined list price of $5bn (€3.60bn).

[flyboy2548m]

They can burn in hell, as far as I'm concerned, they're not an airline, but a scam.

[Ancient Mariner]

They can burn in hell, as far as I'm concerned, they're not an airline, but a scam.

Then I take it that, even if you now could afford it, you would never take a cruise on a cruise liner considering they are all under flags of convenience and staffed with underpaid crew from the third world?
The world is changing, I've gone from Norwegian flag and crew to Maltese flag and Spanish crew to Philippine flag and crew. What's stopping the airlines from doing the same? Not much in the long run and it is already happening.
Per

PS The scam or Norwegian Air Shuttle is apparantly doing pretty good.

[flyboy2548m]

They can burn in hell, as far as I'm concerned, they're not an airline, but a scam.

Then I take it that, even if you now could afford it, you would never take a cruise on a cruise liner considering they are all under flags of convenience and staffed with underpaid crew from the third world?
The world is changing, I've gone from Norwegian flag and crew to Maltese flag and Spanish crew to Philippine flag and crew. What's stopping the airlines from doing the same? Not much in the long run and it is already happening.
Per

PS The scam or Norwegian Air Shuttle is apparantly doing pretty good.

I wouldn't take a cruise ship period, I don't find the idea of a floating drunk tank appealing.

[Ancient Mariner]

They can burn in hell, as far as I'm concerned, they're not an airline, but a scam.

Then I take it that, even if you now could afford it, you would never take a cruise on a cruise liner considering they are all under flags of convenience and staffed with underpaid crew from the third world?
The world is changing, I've gone from Norwegian flag and crew to Maltese flag and Spanish crew to Philippine flag and crew. What's stopping the airlines from doing the same? Not much in the long run and it is already happening.
Per

PS The scam or Norwegian Air Shuttle is apparantly doing pretty good.

I wouldn't take a cruise ship period, I don't find the idea of a floating drunk tank appealing.

Sorry the above post made from my Samsung phone, my finger's too fat. Below is more like it.

See, we can agree on something, they also crash, sink and burn.
Per

[monchavo]

re: thai brides - do you see them a lot in Norway? It seems an awfully odd place to go for young Thai women... ;(

[Ancient Mariner]

re: thai brides - do you see them a lot in Norway? It seems an awfully odd place to go for young Thai women... ;(

We do. Thai, Pilippinas, Russkies, Americans, Brits...............poor people who wants to live the good life. With the global warming they feel right at home.
Per

[flyboy2548m]

re: thai brides - do you see them a lot in Norway? It seems an awfully odd place to go for young Thai women... ;(

Saw their cabin crew checking in at FLL the other night. Didn't exactly look like the cream of Thai crop, but still way better than any US hosties.

[el]

Norwegian To Lease More 787-9s

Controversial low-fare airline Norwegian Air Shuttle on Wednesday announced it has signed agreements to lease three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for its long-haul operation, in an interim move to shore up its fleet while it awaits U.S. Department of Transportation approval to fly more 787s to the U.S. under an Irish license. It expects to take delivery of two of the 787-9s in 2016 and the third in 2017. A Norwegian spokesperson wouldn’t disclose the identity of the latest lessor, but said the airline would reveal more later in the week, once it signs a firm order.



Norwegian now flies five 787-8s and holds earlier firm orders for another three of the smallest Dreamliners and six 787-9s; the lease deal announced Wednesday raises to 17 the number of Dreamliners slated to enter its long-haul fleet by 2018.

The carrier recently suspended talks with Boeing to order another twenty 787-9s because of the delay in U.S. DOT approvals. It now flies to the U.S. under temporary DOT approval on a Norwegian license, but wants to take advantage of an EU-U.S. open skies agreement by flying under an air operator certificate issued by Ireland. However, it has faced political barriers erected in part by U.S. labor unions and competing airlines, which claim that the airline wants to circumvent Norwegian labor laws by using its Irish certificate while flying with Thai crew from its Oslo base. The plan, according to its U.S. opponents, amounts to a so-called flag of convenience scheme prohibited by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

[Ancient Mariner]

re: thai brides - do you see them a lot in Norway? It seems an awfully odd place to go for young Thai women... ;(

Saw their cabin crew checking in at FLL the other night. Didn't exactly look like the cream of Thai crop, but still way better than any US hosties.

Only used Norwegian once, to Gran Canaria to visit no.1 daughter, but can't remember the cabin crew so probably quite ordinary. Will definitely not try their long haul anytime soon, way too many delays and cancellations.
Per

[Verbal]

Dagbladet.

[Ancient Mariner]

Dagbladet.

Yeees, and? We also have VG, Aftenposten, Dagens Næringsliv and a few more. Sooooooooo?
Per

[tds]

Dagbladet.

Monchavo, the profanity filter is broken.

[Rabbi O'Genius]

Dagbladet.

Monchavo, the profanity filter is broken.

IIRC it was the preferred profanity of Yosemite Sam, who used to wander off grumbling.....
...............dagbladet cotton-pickin' rabbit.........

[J]

ALPA is running radio ads in the DC market calling on DOY Secretary Foxx to refuse to allow the airline to serve the US.

[flyboy2548m]

ALPA is running radio ads in the DC market calling on DOY Secretary Foxx to refuse to allow the airline to serve the US.

I'd impound their Pantyliners, too.

[Ancient Mariner]

ALPA is running radio ads in the DC market calling on DOY Secretary Foxx to refuse to allow the airline to serve the US.

The funny thing is that Norwegian's senior Thai cabin crew on average stake home lightly more than their US colleagues, juniors slightly less. Us Norskies are off course making waaaaay more than either, but we of course deserve it. Don't know about pilots.
Per

Edit . Found the figures.
Cabin crew, junior: 469.788 (Norway), 196.613 (Thailand), 212.092 (USA)
Cabin crew senior: 510.126 (Norway), 231.166 (Thailand), 231.290 (USA)

(How the hell can anyone survive on NOK 212.00/year?)

[Not_Karl]

Us Norskies are off course making waaaaay more than either, but still much less than Putt4Par

Fixed.

[Ancient Mariner]

Not so sure about that, P4P apparently does not have enough money left to pay for his internet connection.
Per

[Sir Gallivant]

ALPA is running radio ads in the DC market calling on DOY Secretary Foxx to refuse to allow the airline to serve the US.

The funny thing is that Norwegian's senior Thai cabin crew on average stake home lightly more than their US colleagues, juniors slightly less. Us Norskies are off course making waaaaay more than either, but we of course deserve it. Don't know about pilots.
Per

Edit . Found the figures.
Cabin crew, junior: 469.788 (Norway), 196.613 (Thailand), 212.092 (USA)
Cabin crew senior: 510.126 (Norway), 231.166 (Thailand), 231.290 (USA)

(How the hell can anyone survive on NOK 212.00/year?)

The difference in living expences between Norway and Thailand is probably quite significant, I am sure both cucumbers and beer are much cheaper to buy in Asia. As for the US, the difference is likely not as big, and I am surprised to see the Thai crew catching up with the US crew.

One thing is the straight salary, but when you factor in various living expenses, in broad terms the left overs for fun and games come out to the same amount, measured in local buying power.

So that is why it is impossible for a Danish pilot to work for a Baltic company and maintain a Danish domicile (Have a friend who had that predicament a few years back) and it explains the desire for companies to hire low paid workers and let them work where the local workers are 'too expensive'.

Nothing really new in this, but the problem is getting bigger in a more globalized world, where travel is so cheap that it is offset by the lower wages.

[Ancient Mariner]

ALPA is running radio ads in the DC market calling on DOY Secretary Foxx to refuse to allow the airline to serve the US.

The funny thing is that Norwegian's senior Thai cabin crew on average stake home lightly more than their US colleagues, juniors slightly less. Us Norskies are off course making waaaaay more than either, but we of course deserve it. Don't know about pilots.
Per

Edit . Found the figures.
Cabin crew, junior: 469.788 (Norway), 196.613 (Thailand), 212.092 (USA)
Cabin crew senior: 510.126 (Norway), 231.166 (Thailand), 231.290 (USA)

(How the hell can anyone survive on NOK 212.00/year?)

The difference in living expences between Norway and Thailand is probably quite significant, I am sure both cucumbers and beer are much cheaper to buy in Asia. As for the US, the difference is likely not as big, and I am surprised to see the Thai crew catching up with the US crew.

One thing is the straight salary, but when you factor in various living expenses, in broad terms the left overs for fun and games come out to the same amount, measured in local buying power.

So that is why it is impossible for a Danish pilot to work for a Baltic company and maintain a Danish domicile (Have a friend who had that predicament a few years back) and it explains the desire for companies to hire low paid workers and let them work where the local workers are 'too expensive'.

Nothing really new in this, but the problem is getting bigger in a more globalized world, where travel is so cheap that it is offset by the lower wages.

Why do you think a few Americans are filthy rich? Because they pay the majority peanuts.
Per