Image copyright IAG
British Airways' owner IAG is increasing its low-cost long-haul airline Level additional by launching short-haul routes from a base in Austria.
The transfer places it additional in competitors with rivals EasyJet and Ryanair.
IAG launched the Level model greater than a 12 months in the past as a low-cost rival to challenger Norwegian.
The new Level service from Vienna will begin on 17 July, with 4 planes serving 14 locations together with Gatwick and Barcelona.
IAG has been shifting additional away from the standard airline mannequin of its BA and Iberia manufacturers.
Recently it tried, however failed, to purchase low-cost long-haul airline Norwegian Air Shuttle.
It additionally tried to purchase Vienna-based Niki, the creation of former racing champion Niki Lauda, however misplaced out to Ryanair.
Vienna airport has attracted enlargement from different low-cost providers lately, together with EasyJet, Lufthansa's low-cost arm Eurowings and Hungary's Wizz Air.
The journey editor of the Independent, Simon Caulder, stated IAG's resolution was a daring transfer that may imply a "massive fares war".
"British Airways' parent company has astonished the aviation market by launching a new Vienna-based subsidiary with less than three weeks' notice," he stated.
Level began in Barcelona final March to compete with different long-haul budget airways, corresponding to Norwegian Air Shuttle and Wow Air.
It expanded that enterprise by basing two planes at Paris Orly airport and launching new routes. Another growth noticed it purchase touchdown additional slots at Gatwick airport from the now-defunct Monarch airways, slots analysts stated may very well be used to develop its Level operations.
Willie Walsh, IAG's chief government, stated: "We are launching this new short-haul subsidiary to provide Austrian consumers with more flight choices across Europe. These flights will be branded as Level to build upon the huge success of our new long-haul low-cost operation."