Ryanair applies for UK licence ahead of Brexit

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair said Tuesday it has applied for a British operating licence in case Britain leaves the European Union next year without an aviation deal.

Other airlines have made similar moves amid concerns that Brexit could severely disrupt air traffic between Britain and continental Europe.

"Ryanair today confirmed that a subsidiary company, Ryanair UK, filed an application on 21 December for an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) with the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK," a spokesman for the airline said.

"This may be required for Ryanair's three UK domestic routes in the event of a hard Brexit in March 2019."

In October, Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air announced that it too was establishing a British division, Wizz Air UK, to make its operations "Brexit ready".

In July, British low-cost airline easyJet established a Vienna-based division to allow it to keep flying across the EU amid any Brexit fallout.