EU to seek arbitration in dispute with US over Norwegian Air-sources

The EC will launch an arbitration procedure to resolve a dispute between Norwegian Air Shuttle and US regulators over the carrier's wish to fly to the US from Ireland, two sources said. The EU executive will take the unprecedented step as it considers the delay in granting flying rights to Norwegian's Irish subsidiary a breach of the EU-US Open Skies agreement, one of the people said. Norwegian's Irish subsidiary, Norwegian Air International, applied for permission to operate flights to the US more than 2 years ago, but the typically routine request has languished amid opposition from labour unions and some US airlines, which say the carrier would undermine wages and working standards. The delay has hindered the airline's ambitions to expand its long-haul operations to the US. <br/>