Low-cost airline easyJet, which operates more than 40 routes out of Liverpool John Lennon Airport agrees £5.7bn takeover deal with US investment outfit Apollo. Tony McDonough reports
US investment firm Apollo has agreed a £5.7bn deal to take over low-cost airline easyJet.
News of the deal follows weeks of takeover over speculation. In early June LBN reported that US investment firm Castlelake was circling Luton-based easyJet, founded by Greek tycoon Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995, with a view to buying the business.
However, despite agreeing a deal in principle Castlelake pulled out leaving Apollo as the only bidder for the Luton-based airline that was founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995.
Sir Stelios and his family still own around 15% of easyJet and he said he supported Apollo’s plans for the airline to “create more growth”.
This deal is potentially big news for Liverpool John Lennon Airport from where easyJet operates more than 40 routes. EasyJet has been a key driver of the growth of the airport over the past 30 years. In 2025 LJLA handled a record 5.6m passengers.
Apollo said it was “highly supportive” of the airline’s existing strategy and insisted it does not intend to cut any jobs in the first 12 months after the takeover has been completed. The carrier employs more than 19,000 people, and flies around 1,200 routes across 35 European countries.
Alex van Hoek, partner and European private equity lead at Apollo: “EasyJet is a leader in European aviation, having built a differentiated market position through its compelling customer proposition, expansive network and strong brand.”
This week has seen the arrival of the ninth easyJet aircraft to be based at Liverpool. This 86-seat Airbus A320 will ensure the budget carrier continues to add to its 40-plus routes from Liverpool as well as supporting hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.
EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis added: “We welcome Apollo’s commitment to our business and our people, and believe that its experience in the aviation sector makes it a strong partner for EasyJet.”
The deal will still need to win approval from regulators, including in the EU where rules mean the airline’s owners will have to be majority EU-based.