Imagine booking a KLM flight and finding yourself walking onto a bright orange easyJet plane.
That scenario is now genuinely on the table – although it shouldn’t literally come as a surprise at the gate. EU rules require passengers to be told which airline will actually operate their flight when that is known.
easyJet is reportedly evaluating a commercial partnership with Air France-KLM, with Amsterdam and Paris as the obvious meeting points.
The discussions were first reported by Corriere della Sera, which cited sources familiar with preliminary talks. None of the airlines has announced a deal.
Why this is happening now
easyJet has agreed to a recommended takeover offer from US investment firm Apollo Global Management worth about 5.7 billion pounds.
The takeover is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.
More importantly, Apollo’s takeover documents explicitly say it wants easyJet to explore interline and codeshare opportunities with other airlines, alongside broader distribution partnerships.
That makes the Air France-KLM idea less speculative than it might initially sound. Corriere reports that a possible tie-up is among several strategic projects being considered for 2027.
Apollo is also no stranger to Air France-KLM. The investment group has previously provided financing to the Franco-Dutch airline group, although that does not mean Air France-KLM is involved in the easyJet takeover.
What it would mean for a traveller
The options reportedly under discussion are a codeshare or interline agreement.
Under a codeshare, KLM or Air France could sell selected easyJet-operated flights under its own KL or AF flight numbers.
So yes: a future itinerary bought from KLM could include a European flight on an easyJet aircraft. The booking should, however, identify easyJet as the airline actually operating that flight.
An interline deal is looser, allowing flights from both airlines to be combined on a single ticket and potentially making connections and baggage transfers much easier.
Nothing is agreed yet. easyJet declined to comment on the report, while Air France-KLM said it does not comment on press speculation.
Schiphol is the prize
Schiphol is KLM’s global hub, while easyJet already operates a substantial European network from Amsterdam.
Corriere specifically identifies Amsterdam and Paris as the most obvious places for cooperation. Feeding easyJet’s short-haul passengers into KLM and Air France long-haul flights is exactly the sort of connectivity Apollo says it wants to explore.
There is an interesting twist: Air France-KLM has recently been talking about easyJet as a competitor as much as a possible partner.
In June, chief executive Ben Smith said Air France-KLM could be interested in doing something involving easyJet if approached, while stressing that the group was not actively pursuing the airline.
Then in early August, Smith said Air France-KLM hoped to win back passengers it had lost to easyJet, while also describing the British carrier as a well-run airline with an attractive product.
That makes the latest report more intriguing: Air France-KLM and easyJet could remain fierce competitors on European routes while simultaneously using each other’s networks to feed longer journeys.
For Amsterdam travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: in future, the airline selling your ticket and the airline painted on the plane may not necessarily be the same. Check the “operated by” line when booking.
