EasyJet's Apollo Buyout Runs Into Union Resistance

easyJet’s proposed £5.7 billion buyout by Apollo is facing union resistance as the transaction moves through EU regulatory scrutiny tied to airline ownership rules. The core hurdle is the “ownership and control” test for EU licenses: regulators look beyond headline shareholding to determine who truly holds voting power and influence over major strategic decisions. Reuters noted that if regulators see ambiguity, the remedy is typically structural—such as redesigning governance and voting rights—rather than a minor adjustment. easyJet is planning shareholder and court meetings in the week starting November 9 to approve the deal and begin a court-supervised process that could ultimately delist the airline after more than 25 years in London.