Apollo wins easyJet as airline enters new phase
Apollo Global Management has agreed to acquire easyJet for £5.7 billion, marking a shift toward private US ownership for the European airline. The deal aims to accelerate existing strategic initiatives, including fleet modernization and holiday business expansion.
Why it matters
This acquisition represents a significant consolidation in the European aviation market by a major private equity firm.
easyJet is set to enter a new chapter after agreeing to a £5.7 billion ($7.7 billion) takeover by US investment firm Apollo Global Management.
The deal, announced August 6, follows the withdrawal of rival bidder Castlelake and values easyJet at £7.15 ($9.65) per share .
The easyJet board has recommended the offer, which has also received support from the Haji-Ioannou family, the airline’s founding shareholders. The transaction remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. The offer must be finalized by the end of March 2027.
For the European airline industry, the deal is significant because it puts one of the continent’s largest low-cost carriers under private US ownership at a time of intense pressure on airline profitability .
Apollo’s challenge will be to extract greater value from a business that already has a well-established low-cost model , a substantial European network and strong positions at major airports.
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