Pilots Battle Against 'Walmart-ing' Of Airline Industry

A Norwegian-named airline based in Ireland that employs Thailand-based crews through a Singaporean pilot supply company? It's a new world for airlines, and industry incumbents are fighting back.

Readers of the Washington Post may run across a full-page ad this week that implores them to "Deny NAI."

That somewhat cryptic message is part of a seven-figure ad campaign by the Air Line Pilots Association, International -- the group's latest attempt to keep Norwegian Air Shuttle, Europe's third-largest budget carrier, from bringing its low-cost model to the United States as Norwegian Air International.

Norwegian says the "misleading" and "dishonest" campaign simply shows that American airlines and pilots are afraid of competition. But industry groups here say they're up for more competition, so long as it doesn't come in the form Norwegian Air wants to take: a Norwegian-named airline based in Ireland that employs Thailand-based crews through a Singaporean pilot supply company...