easyJet has confirmed that the deadline for Castlelake, L.P. to announce a firm intention to make an offer for the airline has been extended from 5pm on 3 August 2026 to 5pm on 7 August 2026, aligning it with the existing deadline already in place for Apollo Management X, L.P.

The Board requested the extension and the Takeover Panel has consented, meaning both parties must now declare their intentions on the same day, under Rule 2.7 of the UK Takeover Code, or step aside under Rule 2.8.

The alignment follows an announcement on 10 July in which easyJet and Apollo said they had reached agreement in principle on the key financial terms of a possible cash offer worth £7.15 per share for the airline's entire issued and to be issued share capital.

At the same time, the Board said it was no longer minded to recommend Castlelake's rival proposal of £6.90 per share. Since then, easyJet has been providing diligence access to both bidders.

Under the original timetable, Castlelake's deadline would have fallen four days before Apollo's, on 3 August. The extension removes that gap, and with it any advantage either side might have gained from moving first, or from having more time to assess the other's position before committing.

easyJet's Board has reiterated that there is no certainty either firm will proceed to a formal offer, and has advised shareholders to take no action for now. The Company noted the extension announcement was made without the consent of Apollo or Castlelake.

The revised deadline brings the two-month contest, which began with Castlelake's initial approach in late May and escalated through five successive bid rounds before Apollo's later intervention, to a single point of resolution.

By close of business on Friday, both firms will need to have either committed to a firm offer under Rule 2.7 or confirmed they do not intend to proceed.