EasyJet has confirmed plans to reduce head office jobs ahead of its £5.7 billion private equity takeover. The Luton-based carrier is consulting on proposals that could see up to about 50 roles removed from a 2,300-strong head office team.
Takeover context and shareholder vote
The airline agreed in July to a takeover at 715p a share by US firm Apollo, which also owns companies including Wagamama-owner The Restaurant Group. Shareholders are voting on the deal on Wednesday, and if approved, it is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2027.
It is understood that the proposed job cuts are not linked to Apollo or the takeover itself. EasyJet confirmed it was examining redundancies across its head office workforce after the plans were reported in The Times.
Company response and union concerns
An easyJet spokesperson said: "Our people are integral to easyJet's success and as a low-cost airline we always operate efficiently so we can keep fares low for our customers and invest in future growth opportunities."
The spokesperson added: "These proposals affect a very small proportion of head office roles to ensure we are best set up to support the business' ambitious plans."
Unions in the UK and Europe have voiced concerns over possible job cuts at easyJet following the Apollo deal and the debts that would be added to the airline's balance sheet. Apollo has vowed not to cut any jobs for a year after completing the takeover.
Union and founder response
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) trade union has raised concerns, saying recently that "important questions remain regarding the long-term implications of the transaction". It added: "Balpa's principal concern is the extent to which the transaction may affect employees beyond the 12-month period covered by the statements of intention."
EasyJet was founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995 to offer a low-cost alternative to British Airways and has since expanded to become one of the largest networks across Europe. Sir Stelios and his family, who own about 15% of the business, have given the takeover their support.
Apollo secured the deal after winning a takeover tussle with US investment firm Castlelake, which had previously made a £5.5 billion, or 690p a share, proposal to buy easyJet but walked away from the bidding war in August.
