European budget airline Wizz Air has announced that Stephen Johnson has filled the newly created role of deputy chair of the board.

Having first joined Wizz Air’s board in 2004, Johnson has a long association with the company. He has been a non-executive director there since 2011.

Johnson is executive vice president at American Airlines Group Inc and its principal subsidiary, American Airlines.

Previously, Johnson held senior executive positions at US Airways, which he joined in 2009. Before this, he held a variety of positions with America West Airlines, prior to its merger with US Airways.

Johnson is a lecturer at the School of Law and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and serves on the executive advisory board of the University’s Berkeley Center for Law and Business.

William Franke, chair of Wizz Air, commented: “As Wizz Air continues to grow, establishes new AOCs and adds more bases and aircraft in Europe and beyond, the addition of the new safety, security and operational compliance committee will reinforce the group’s strong safety culture and enhance oversight of the group’s expansion plans. In addition, with the creation of the role of deputy chair, the company will benefit greatly from the strong aviation experience of Stephen Johnson and his understanding of Wizz Air.”