EasyJet shareholders have approved the airline's £5.7 billion sale to US investment group Apollo, with 97.07 per cent voting in favour of the deal. The takeover is set to complete by the end of March 2027, when the carrier will leave the London stock market after a presence lasting more than 26 years. Apollo's offer stood at 715 pence per share, winning out over rival bidder Castlelake, which had proposed 690 pence per share before withdrawing from the contest in August.
EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the company is awaiting regulatory clearance and expects the transaction to close in the first quarter of 2027. Speaking at the Airlines 2026 event in Westminster, Jarvis stated that Apollo supports the airline's strategy and sees opportunities to accelerate growth. He emphasised that EasyJet's purpose of making low-cost travel easy, affordable and accessible would remain unchanged. Jarvis also highlighted the airline's modernisation plans, including orders for Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft that will replace older A319 models, delivering environmental and operational cost benefits.
The founder and his family, who own just over 15 per cent of EasyJet, have backed the takeover. Apollo also owns The Restaurant Group, parent company of the Wagamama restaurant chain. EasyJet was established in 1995 as a low-cost alternative to British Airways and has since grown into one of Europe's largest airline networks.
For investors and savers in the UK, the completion of this deal will mark another substantial company leaving the London stock market, reducing direct investment opportunities in British-listed equities. Separately, the Competition and Markets Authority has flagged concerns over Unilever's planned merger of its food business with US spice maker McCormick, stating the deal is expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition. The near-£50 billion combination would create the dominant UK supplier of dry ingredient mixes and dry sauce mixes. Unilever and McCormick have until next Wednesday to propose remedies, or the deal will face an in-depth investigation. Unilever has already committed to selling the Colman's mustard brand to address competition concerns, and discussions with potential buyers are progressing.