easyJet (London Luton) has considered pursuing an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in another European country in the event the United Kingdom does vote to leave the European Union later this month.

Airlines sources told the Sunday Telegraph that the London-based budget carrier has also explored the option of expanding its easyJet Switzerland (DS, Geneva) operations which at present consist of eleven A319-100s and twelve A320-200s.

On the flipside of the same coin, Ireland-based Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) may also be forced to obtain a UK AOC should Brexit also lead to the UK's exclusion from the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA). Ryanair is, at present, the fourth largest operator in the UK domestic market with 7.45% of all available weekly capacity.

While British Airways (BA, London Heathrow) parent International Airlines Group (IAG) has appeared relatively unperturbed by the prospect of Brexit, rival Virgin Atlantic (VS, London Heathrow) has not been so laid back. CEO Craig Kreeger warned last week that should UK's economy suffer in the long term with longhaul travel affected, Virgin would consider rebasing some of its fleet elsewhere in Europe.