Apollo's easyJet buyout faces union pushback ahead of first quarter 2027 close
EasyJet is facing opposition from European unions regarding its £5.7 billion takeover by Apollo. Despite these concerns, the airline expects to finalize the deal by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Why it matters
The deal represents a significant test case for private-equity acquisitions within the highly regulated European aviation sector.
Oct 15 (Reuters) - EasyJet faces opposition from unions over its £5.7 billion ($7.5 billion) takeover by Apollo, though the airline says it remains on track to complete the deal before the end of the first quarter of next year.
In a scheme document published on Thursday, easyJet said unions across Europe had raised concerns about the airline's ownership structure after the takeover, with the European Works Council opposing the deal.
"The EWC considers that the transaction, as structured, is likely to weaken easyJet's long-term resilience and to expose employees across Europe to risks that are neither addressed nor mitigated by the assurances given," the council said in the document.
The EWC also said the deal provided employees with only 12 months of non-binding commitments.
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