easyJet weighs cutting around 50 administrative jobs from a 2,300-strong team

Key Facts

easyJet confirmed on November 9 that it is considering eliminating up to around 50 jobs at its headquarters, within a team of 2,300 employees, according to an LBC report. The company said the proposals affect a very small proportion of headquarters roles and are intended to position the company to support its ambitious business plans. The report said the cuts are not believed to be related to Apollo or the proposed takeover deal. This puts the jobs announcement on a separate track from the deal, which is still awaiting a shareholder vote. As of November 9, the deal remained an uncompleted proposal, while the job proposals were linked to the company’s operating plans as presented.

easyJet said the proposals “affect a very small proportion of headquarters roles to ensure we are best placed to support our ambitious business plans.” The published report did not specify how many jobs would actually be eliminated, as around 50 is the maximum number of roles potentially covered by the proposals. This means the company is considering changes and has not announced the final elimination of all the jobs mentioned. Its stated rationale focuses on aligning the headquarters structure with its business plans, without specifically linking it to the post-takeover period. The potential impact remains confined to the headquarters team, according to the details provided about the proposals.

The proposals come alongside a proposed all-cash deal from Apollo that values easyJet’s issued and issuable share capital at about £5.7 billion. The agreed offer provides for shareholders to receive £7.15 in cash for each share. The company said its board unanimously recommended that shareholders vote in favour of the deal, which would be implemented through a scheme subject to court approval. It also said the offer represents a premium of about 81% to the share price before takeover speculation began, and 54% to the price before the conflict in the Middle East affected the sector. These terms remain the background to the proposed deal and do not make the job cuts an announced part of it.

On employees after the deal closes, an LBC report said Apollo had pledged not to cut any jobs for one year from the takeover’s completion. But the British Airline Pilots’ Association raised questions about the deal’s impact on workers after the 12-month period covered by the statements of intent. Its stated concerns focus on the long-term implications for employees, rather than the period covered by the pledge. Reuters also reported that unions across Europe had expressed concerns about the company’s ownership structure after the takeover, and that the European Works Council opposed the deal. easyJet said Apollo had expressed support for its strategy of developing its low-cost carrier model, modernising its fleet and strengthening its loyalty offerings, while intending to retain key employees.

In trading, easyJet shares rose 0.1% to 684.80 pence in London on the morning of November 9, according to data reported by MarketScreener, citing Alliance News. The move came during the morning session in which news of the proposals was published, while the deal remained subject to the approval process. The company’s headline pre-tax profit was £85 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, compared with £286 million in the corresponding quarter of 2025. In its update, the company attributed the decline in profit to the conflict in the Middle East. These results provide context on past financial performance, while the recorded share-price move reflected trading on the morning of the announcement.

The court meeting and general meeting of shareholders were expected in the week beginning November 9, 2026, according to an easyJet update. Approval of the deal requires a 75% vote at each meeting, in addition to regulatory approvals. The company said completion of the takeover was still expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027. Thus, when the job proposals were announced, the deal remained subject to the vote and regulatory procedures and had not been completed. The stated completion date remains the next announced milestone in the deal process.