Easyjet board reaches agreement over £5.2bn Castlelake takeover July 5, 2026 The board of Easyjet is poised to accept a takeover bid by private equity firm Castlelake, in a move that could add the airline to a growing list of blue-chip companies that have unveiled plans to quit the London Stock Exchange since the start of the year. The offer of £6.90 per share, the fifth [...]
Ryanair blasts ‘misguided’ watchdog over family seating probe June 25, 2026 Ryanair has slammed the “misguided” competition regulator over a probe into its family seating rules, claiming the watchdog has turned a “blind eye” to more serious issues. Michael O’Leary, the boss of the budget airline, claimed that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has forced it to “reluctantly” make a rule change which will make [...]
Easyjet investors call for £600m more from US bidder June 23, 2026 Easyjet investors have said they are holding out for at least £600m more from Castlelake, the US private equity firm whose bids have been brushed off by the budget airline. Shareholders in the FTSE 250 firm said that they would not consider a takeover offer unless the offer reached at least £7 per share, valuing [...]
Castlelake urges Easyjet investors to back £4.7bn takeover bid June 22, 2026 Private equity firm Castlelake is calling on investors in Easyjet to lobby the budget airline to accept its third takeover offer, after the FTSE 250 carrier slapped down its latest bid over the weekend. The bidder said on Monday that Easyjet has rejected three successive takeover bids and criticised the airline for its “unwillingness to [...]
Judge rejects Gatwick Airport bid to block new relaxed runway slot rules June 19, 2026 A High Court judge has refused Gatwick’s request for an immediate emergency freeze to stop the new 70 per cent rule from starting today. The UK government temporarily reduced the “use it or lose it” slot usage requirement at major UK airports, including Gatwick Airport, from the standard 80 per cent to 70 per cent [...]
‘Bogus claim’: Ryanair hits back at watchdog probe into family seating policy June 11, 2026 Ryanair is under investigation by the British competition watchdog over its policy that parents must pay to sit with their children. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a probe into Ryanair’s terms and conditions (T&Cs), which require at least one parent to sit with their children aged 2-11 when they fly and make [...]
Ryanair warns ‘weak’ airlines will go bust this year as fuel costs soar May 18, 2026 Ryanair’s finance boss has said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if some of the airline’s “weaker” rivals went bust later this year, as the Iran war spikes fuel costs. The Dublin-based budget carrier has insisted it is “confident” despite warnings of a jet fuel crisis, but US carrier Spirit Airlines shut down last month, and Ryanair [...]
Heathrow, Gatwick revolt over Labour flight cancellation plans May 12, 2026 Heathrow and Gatwick have urged the government to climb down from plans to allow airlines to scrap flights without notice – a move which could endanger the summer holidays of millions of Brits. The leading airports reportedly wrote to the government to oppose mooted plans to unwind “use it or lose it” rules to allow [...]
Two million global airline seats cut as jet fuel shortage grounds travel May 6, 2026 Airlines are preparing to slash millions of seats from this month’s schedule, as the Middle East conflict and soaring jet fuel prices drive up costs ahead of the industry’s busiest travel season. Some 13,000 flights have been removed from May schedules worldwide, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium. Istanbul, one of the [...]
Airport jobs at risk as Iran conflict hits flights May 3, 2026 Thousands of UK airport jobs are at risk as airlines cut schedules amid disruption linked to the Iran conflict, as the government is urged to support to protect workers. Ground handling firms and unions have warned ministers that the impact on employment could rival, or even exceed, the pandemic, as reduced flight volumes threaten a [...]