EasyJet shareholders have approved a £5.7 billion takeover by US investment group Apollo, with 97.07% voting in favour and 2.93% against; the deal is expected to close by the end of March 2027, subject to regulatory approval.

The agreement, approved by easyJet’s board in August at 715p per share, will end the airline’s more than 26 years on the London Stock Exchange and bring it into US ownership.

Apollo won the bidding contest against US investment firm Castlelake, which proposed £5.5 billion, or 690p a share, before withdrawing in August.

The takeover still faces potential European Union regulatory hurdles because easyJet depends on EU licences for its bases and routes, while rules require a majority of its shares to be held by EU-based investors.

At the November 11, 2026, general meeting, easyJet said EU persons owned 35.07% of its shares and that it had suspended voting rights on some shares held by non-EU investors.

The European Works Council opposes the deal’s structure, warning it could weaken easyJet’s resilience and leave risks to employees unaddressed.

EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said Apollo supports the airline’s existing strategy and called the deal positive for the company’s future and its passengers.

Jarvis said easyJet will keep investing in and growing its holidays business and plans to launch a loyalty programme in 2027.

EasyJet also plans to modernise its fleet with Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, replacing older planes including 80 A319s; it says the newer aircraft will cut emissions and operating costs.

Founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995 as a low-cost alternative to British Airways, easyJet began trading on the London Stock Exchange on November 22, 2000, and has grown into one of Europe’s largest airline networks.

Today, the airline serves 168 destinations across 40 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, including Portugal.

The buyout reflects a broader trend of London-listed companies being acquired by mostly US-based private equity firms amid a valuation discount between the London and US markets.