A highly public dispute has erupted between billionaire Elon Musk and Ryanair, centred on whether the Irish low-cost carrier should adopt Starlink satellite internet on its fleet. The clash began when Ryanair’s outspoken CEO Michael O’Leary dismissed SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi as unsuitable for the airline’s business model, arguing that extra weight and drag from antennas would raise fuel costs by up to $250 million annually and that passengers on short flights would not pay for connectivity. O’Leary said he would “pay no attention whatsoever” to Musk’s comments, branding him “very wealthy, but still an idiot.”
Musk, who owns the social platform X (formerly Twitter), fired back on X, calling O’Leary “an utter idiot” and urging Ryanair to fire him. He later suggested he might buy Ryanair outright, or at least floated the idea in a viral poll asking his tens of millions of followers whether he should “buy Ryanair and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge.” Critics noted EU ownership rules would make any acquisition unlikely.
The feud has broadened beyond technical disagreements, with both sides exchanging sarcastic barbs on X and Ryanair even launching a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign and “Great Idiots” seat sale aimed at Musk and other X users. O’Leary told reporters the controversy has boosted Ryanair bookings and provided free publicity.
Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
Sources: Reuters, Euronews