Shares of British low-cost airline easyJet (U2) rallied sharply on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, following media reports that Swiss shipping giant MSC Group is exploring a potential takeover of the carrier.
easyJet, Europe’s second-largest budget airline, operates across 30+ countries, but has recently faced questions over its long-term profitability amid intensifying competition and volatile travel demand.
Meanwhile, MSC—Mediterranean Shipping Company, headquartered in Geneva (GVA)—is one of the world’s largest privately owned shipping conglomerates, with 600+ vessels, 100,000 employees, and operations in 155 countries. The group also runs the fast-growing MSC Cruises, which many analysts see as a potential strategic link to easyJet’s short-haul European routes serving popular cruise departure hubs.
According to Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, MSC is evaluating both partial or full acquisition options, as initially reported by Paddle Your Own Kanoo. The Haji-Ioannou family, which founded easyJet, remains the airline’s largest individual shareholder but lost majority control in 2022. Today, around 70% of the airline’s shares are held by institutional investors, making it easier for potential buyers to build a controlling stake.
Industry experts say MSC’s substantial financial strength and logistics capabilities could significantly reshape both the shipping and aviation sectors through such a partnership. However, any formal offer remains speculative, as MSC declined to comment on the rumors.
This is not MSC’s first interest in aviation. In 2022, the company partnered with Lufthansa (LH) to bid for ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. While MSC ultimately withdrew, Lufthansa went on to acquire a significant stake independently. Notably, Corriere Della Sera was also the first to reveal MSC’s involvement in that bid—adding credibility to the current reports.
Following the latest speculation, easyJet shares jumped on the London Stock Exchange (LON), reflecting renewed investor optimism.
If realized, a takeover by MSC would mark a bold entry into commercial aviation by one of the world’s biggest shipping companies—potentially redefining easyJet’s future and signaling new cross-industry collaboration in Europe’s transport sector.
