Budget airline which flies from Southampton to be bought for more than £5bn

Budget airline easyJet is set to be acquired for £5.7 billion in a deal backed by US private equity firm Apollo, which will pay 715p per share to easyJet shareholders. Apollo’s planned purchase comes after rival bidder Castlelake decided not to make a formal offer. easyJet operates from Southampton Airport to destinations including Alicante, Belfast, Faro, Geneva, Glasgow, Majorca, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Paris. Company founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who owns around 15% of easyJet, said he expects to remain a long-term major shareholder. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to a shareholder vote.