A prominent investment firm has announced its consideration of a potential acquisition bid for easyJet. Castlelake, a US-based company, revealed that it is in the early stages of evaluating the prospect of making an offer for the low-cost airline following recent speculations.

Castlelake emphasized that no formal approach has been made to easyJet’s Board and cautioned that the possibility of a bid materializing is uncertain. According to takeover regulations, Castlelake has until June 26 to either declare a definite intention to bid or withdraw from the process.

This development follows easyJet’s affirmation of its intention to maintain its full summer flight schedule despite concerns regarding aviation fuel supply disruptions related to the situation in Iran. EasyJet’s CEO, Kenton Jarvis, reassured that the airline has encountered no difficulties with fuel supply at airports in the UK and Europe.

Jarvis stated in an interview with the BBC Today program that while there is a decrease in oil supply from the Gulf region, fuel suppliers have successfully diversified production in regions like Norway, West Africa, and the Americas. Additionally, there has been a substantial increase in jet fuel refining capacity outside the Gulf region.

Despite reporting losses of £552 million for the first half of the financial year, a 40% rise from the previous year, easyJet noted robust demand for summer travel, with customers booking trips closer to departure dates. Jarvis highlighted the strong demand in the late booking market, expecting it to continue throughout the summer.

The airline has also faced challenges due to delays caused by the EU’s new biometric border checks. Jarvis criticized the disruptions caused by the entry-exit system, urging European countries to utilize the flexibility granted by the European Commission to phase in the system to avoid peak-time queues.