Shareholders of easyJet voted on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to approve a £5.7 billion takeover by the U.S.-based investment group Apollo. The airline reported that 97.07% of votes were cast in favor of the deal, with 2.93% against. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of March 2027.
The agreement followed a bidding process in August 2026, when easyJet’s board accepted Apollo's offer of 715p per share. Apollo, which also owns The Restaurant Group, secured the deal after a competing firm, Castlelake, withdrew from bidding. Castlelake had previously proposed a £5.5 billion acquisition at 690p per share before walking away in August.
EasyJet was founded in 1995 by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since November 2000. Sir Stelios and his family, who hold a stake of just over 15% in the company, supported the takeover. Chief executive Kenton Jarvis stated on Wednesday that the airline is now awaiting regulatory approval to finalize the transaction.
The transition from a public company to a private entity under Apollo will end easyJet’s tenure on the London Stock Exchange. Employees and customers may see changes as the company expands its holiday division and introduces a new loyalty program scheduled for launch in 2027. CEO Kenton Jarvis noted that the acquisition is intended to accelerate the airline's current modernization goals, particularly the transition to newer aircraft that impact the company's environmental footprint and pricing structure.
The deal now moves into the regulatory review phase. If cleared, the transaction is scheduled to close in the first quarter of 2027. Until the completion, easyJet will continue to operate as a listed company before the final transfer of ownership to Apollo.