easyJet has given Castlelake until 7 August to decide on a firm takeover offer, aligning its timetable with Apollo Global Management’s existing deadline and setting up a simultaneous decision point for both bidders. The UK-listed airline’s takeover process now requires each fund to confirm by 5 p.m. that day whether it intends to make an offer or walk away.
The extension follows the UK Takeover Panel’s consent to move Castlelake’s deadline from 3 August, after easyJet sought to put both suitors on the same timetable. The process remains governed by the UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, with the alignment designed to sharpen pressure on the private equity groups as the bidding reaches a critical stage.
Apollo had previously moved ahead with a higher proposal, leaving easyJet in the middle of a contest between two potential buyers. The latest update is a deadline change rather than a completed transaction, and no firm offer or withdrawal had been confirmed in the available reports by the end of the day.