newstodate.aero

Jul 27, 2022 (newstodate): Successful pilot union protests seem to have caused the US Department of Transportation to deny Wizz Air's application for an Initial Foreign Air Carrier permit.
   Wizz Air filed its application on January 18, 2022, seeking green light to operate commercial cargo flights to and from the US markets with its ex-Qatar Airways A330-200F freighter.
   The FAA however states that it needs more information about the nature of safety oversight between EASA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Hungary, “to be in a position to make a safety recommendation to the Department of Transportation”.
   Filing responses with DoT to Wizz Air's application, several pilot unions urged the DoT to reject the application, claiming that the airline’s anti-union stance could potentially compromise flight safety.
    In September 2020, the Hungarian government decided to invest in the acquisition of own cargo uplift capacity to secure strategic capacity in times of crisis and emergencies, contracting Wizz Air to take on the operation of the aircraft that is new in the airline's fleet but sharing cross-type commonality with its Airbus A320 Family aircraft, allowing its pilots to qualify for flying the aircraft.
   With DOTS's approval, the scope of commercial operations with the Hungarian Airbus freighter would have been greatly expanded.