Priceline’s pending $1.8 billion acquisition of travel metasearch leader Kayak will be delayed by a review from U.K. antitrust regulators.
Priceline said it was informed Wednesday that the U.K. Office of Fair Trading will review the proposed acquisition in May. Priceline, which agreed last November to buy Kayak, had set a first-quarter deadline to close on the acquisition.
U.S. companies making acquisitions can be subject to antitrust reviews by regulators in the U.K. and the European Union if at least one of the companies does significant business there.
Earlier this month, Kayak shareholders approved the buyout, with about 96% of Kayak’s shareholders voting in favor of the acquisition.
Meanwhile, Expedia just completed its $630 million majority buyout of German travel metasearch firm Trivago.
Follow Danny King on Twitter @dktravelweekly.