easyJet Shareholders Approve £5.7 Billion Apollo Takeover

In one of the biggest private equity buyouts of a European airline, easyJet shareholders have overwhelmingly approved a £5.7 billion ($7.61 billion) takeover by US investment giant Apollo Global Management. The vote clears a critical milestone in a deal that could reshape budget air travel in Europe.

At an extraordinary shareholder meeting on Wednesday, November 11, 97.07% of scheme shares were cast in favour of the deal—well above the threshold required under the court-sanctioned arrangement.

The transaction values each easyJet share at 715 pence. Apollo secured the deal after outbidding rival US investment firm Castlelake, which had proposed a £5.5 billion offer before withdrawing in August.

If completed, the takeover would end easyJet’s 26-year run as a London Stock Exchange-listed company. The airline is targeting completion before the end of the first quarter of 2027. Apollo has pledged to retain the easyJet brand and keep the carrier’s headquarters in the UK, along with its air operator certificates in the UK, Austria, and Switzerland.

The deal is not yet guaranteed. It still faces scrutiny from EU regulators, who are reviewing airline ownership rules intended to prevent non-EU investors from gaining effective control of European carriers. Union opposition adds further complexity: the European Works Council has warned that the proposed structure could expose employees to risks that have not been addressed.

Source: Air Data News – easyJet shareholders approve Apollo’s £5.7 billion takeover