The DoT document collection reveals that Wizz Air submitted an application for a so-called Foreign Air Carrier Permit back in January. Foreign airlines need to apply for this in order to launch flights to the United States. The regulator said: “The Department seeks a safety recommendation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of our adjudication of foreign air carrier applications for initial exemption and/or permit authority. In this case, the FAA has advised us that it cannot make a determination at this time as to whether the safety oversight of Wizz Air Hungary is sufficient to support the award of economic authority to the applicant.” However, the rejection might not be the final decision. They await additional information from the EU and Hungarian aviation authorities because it is not clear how Wizz Air is supervised by the two organizations and whether its effectiveness is adequate.
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WizzAir’s response
Wizz’s submission was attacked by both the largest European and American trade unions, citing security deficiencies and the treatment of employees. – reports airportal.hu. “While the ECA, ALPA and other Union Parties attempt to couch their grievances in terms of “fitness” and safety, their real concern is that Wizz Air’s service has provided an important alternative to legacy air carrier service… The Department should not countenance the efforts of ALPA, the ECA or the other Union Parties to stop innovation in its tracks, or drag US regulators into issues that even the ECA itself has acknowledged are more properly addressed by European authorities,” the airline said. EASA also wrote in its letter that it exercises adequate safety supervision over the airline, complying with international regulations in all respects, and even surpassing them. In addition, the office rejected the accusations of the European Pilots’ Association (ECA), which question its competencies.
