Private equity firms are lining up to take advantage of a strong period in the capital markets with more than 20 planned portfolio company flotations after a moribund exit market over the last 18 months.

Travelport, the travel company owned by a group of investors that includes private equity firm Blackstone, is the latest portfolio company seeking to become a publicly traded company, after confirming this morning that it will be UK's first benchmark share offering of the year.