Wizz Air riots in the Storting – E24

Once again there was a dispute over Wizz Air when the Minister of Transport appeared for oral question time at the Storting on Wednesday.

Sverre Myrli from the Labor Party referred to revelations in Dagens Næringsliv where it appears that Wizz Air pilots must pay pensions, insurance and sickness benefits themselves, and that they can be rescinded on the same day.

– It’s just social dumping. This is not how we want it in Norway, Myrli said.

Share the concern

Hareide expressed that he shares the concern.

– When it comes to Wizz Air, they have the opportunity to have flight deals in Norway. But it will probably be more difficult for that company if they are going to operate a lot on domestic flights. Then they get a different structure, he said.

In such a situation, Norwegian-based leads will make it difficult for Wizz Air to continue with its business model, he said.

– Then you have to relate to Norwegian laws and Norwegian working conditions in a completely different way, Hareide said.

Free-lancers

According to Dagens Næringsliv, Wizz Air has recruited a large part of its staff through the Dutch company Confair.

This means, among other things, that the pilots work as freelancers. They are then responsible for paying taxes and social costs such as pensions, insurance, and sickness benefits.

According to Dagens Næringsliv, pilots are paid per flight hour, which amounts to between € 0 and € 8,500 per month. In addition, the crew in Norway is covered by hotels and 50 euros in daily allowances. Confair reserves the right to terminate the contract with immediate effect without prior notice.

Wizz Air communications manager Andras Rado tells DN that the contracts have confidential information and will not be shared or enforced in detail.

Prisdumping

In Question Time, SV’s Arne Nævra wanted an answer on what Norway can do to stop Wizz Air.

– Are we bound hand and foot according to EEA regulations? Nævra asked.

– They have a price war now. Price dumping will come with social dumping, he said.

Hareide agreed that the EEA agreement limits the scope, especially when it comes to flights in and out of Norway. But the government is considering submitting a request to the Norwegian Competition Authority to monitor in particular that airlines do not take advantage of the very special situation during the crown crisis to lower prices.

In question time, Hareide also said that he wants to contact Wizz Air to convey his expectations to the company.

– Then I also have to relate to the competition regulations, as it is. We all have to, he said.