VIENNA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- British budget airline easyJet Friday announced it plans to set up a new airline headquartered in Vienna, Austria, having already applied for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and an airline operating license here.
If granted the accreditation would give the airline permission to establish a third company wing, called "easyJet Europe" alongside its existing operations in Britain and Switzerland.
All are to be owned by Britain-based parent easyJet plc.
The move is being interpreted by Austrian media as a means for the airline to be able to continue to offer flights within the European Union (EU) in anticipation of the upcoming Brexit.
In a press release the company did not state how many new jobs would be created at its Vienna operations, though noted that no jobs would be shifted there from Britain.
It was also noted that it currently employs 4,000 people in six EU27 countries who will "form the basis of easyJet Europe."
It further stated the application processes for both the AOC and the license are in their advanced stages, and that it hopes both will be granted in the near future.
