The Business

EasyJet Takeover: Inside the £5.7bn US private equity bidding war

July 15, 2026·29 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

What does the high-stakes easyJet takeover bid mean for the future of budget travel? We unpack the intense bidding war between US giants Apollo and Castlelake.Last Friday, in the latest twist in the saga for takeover of easyJet, Apollo secured an agreement to buy the airline in a £5.7B deal, gazumping an offer from US private credit group Castlelake. Just days earlier, easyJet had agreed to the Castlelake proposal - kicking off a proper takeover battle for one of the UK’s best known consumer brands. In this episode, we consider why easyJet has become a target, and what it could mean for the future of the company. Guest:Tim Jeans, former head of marketing for Ryanair, a former MD of Monarch AirlinesPresenters:Dominic O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business correspondentHannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday TimesProducer: Hope Federico Executive Producers: Emily Leahy and Miriam Hall Photo Credit: Getty Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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