Could Hillary cancel your holiday? Clinton opposes US expansion of Norwegian's long-haul budget airline NAI

Critics warn that NAI is a 'flag of convenience' carrier, set up to allow crew to be recruited on substandard contracts

As Europe’s leading long-haul budget airline, Norwegian, announced flights from Gatwick to Las Vegas, Hillary Clinton has called for the carrier’s expansion plans to blocked. But the airline said no passengers with existing bookings would be jeopardised.

The Democrat presidential frontrunner has urged the Obama administration to reject the application for a “US Foreign Carrier Permit” by Norwegian’s Irish subsidiary, NAI.

The airline is setting up NAI in Ireland to expand its network in the US, initially flying from Cork to Boston. “We'd aim to start that route from Cork-Boston this year, followed by Cork-New York flights next year,” said a spokesperson for Norwegian. “We'd also be looking at transatlantic flights from Shannon.”

At present Norwegian flies from Gatwick to New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale (near Miami), Oakland (near San Francisco) and Los Angeles. Flights to Las Vegas are scheduled to start in October.

US-based airlines are vehemently opposed to Norwegian’s expansion. They say that the entity is a “flag of convenience” carrier, set up to allow crew to be recruited on substandard contracts. They have enlisted the support of trades unions, and now the favourite for the White House.

The Clinton campaign said: "Workers in the US airline industry deserve rules of the road that support a strong workforce with high labor standards - not attempts by airlines to flout labor standards and outsource good-paying jobs.

“Hillary Clinton urges the Obama Administration against moving forward with final approval of Norwegian Air International's application. Too many questions have been raised about NAI's practices and plans.”

Congressman Peter DeFazio of Oregon said: “This airline is ‘Norwegian’ in name only because it uses a flag of convenience to base crews where labor laws are weak.”.

The Association of Flight Attendants, representing US cabin crew, said NAI planned to use pilots hired under Singaporean or Thai employment contracts and based in Bangkok.

Outside the US, the opposition is seen by some as traditional American protectionism, designed to protect inefficient airlines.

A Norwegian spokesperson told The Independent: "Norwegian is confident the U.S. Department of Transportation will approve Norwegian Air International’s application. Approval of NAI will result in more US aviation sector jobs, enable Norwegian to expand its already large pool of American crew, and deliver much needed competition and affordable fares to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The airline said no existing bookings will be affected: “All of our existing US routes are operated under our Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) AOC [air operator’s certificate] which already has a foreign carrier permit in place.

“As such, there is absolutely no impact on any passengers booked to travel to the US.”