Ryanair's CEO rejects Elon Musk's proposal to purchase the airline as their public dispute intensifies

Ryanair CEO Rejects Elon Musk’s Takeover Talk Amid Starlink Dispute

The head of Ryanair dismissed Elon Musk’s suggestion of acquiring the low-cost airline, brushing off the billionaire’s remarks as a public spat intensified over the potential installation of Starlink satellite internet on Ryanair flights.

The disagreement, which has been escalating between Michael O’Leary—one of Europe’s most outspoken business leaders—and Musk, began after Ryanair decided against equipping its planes with Starlink Wi-Fi. O’Leary cited the increased fuel consumption caused by the antennas as being prohibitively expensive for the airline.

After Musk accused O’Leary of being “misinformed,” O’Leary responded on Irish radio, stating he had no intention of taking Musk’s comments seriously, calling him “an idiot.”

Musk retaliated on X, his social media platform, labeling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and “imbecile.” He even polled users about the idea of purchasing Ryanair and joked about appointing someone named Ryan as CEO.

Speaking to journalists in Dublin, O’Leary pointed out that European regulations prevent non-EU citizens from holding a controlling stake in European airlines. Musk, originally from South Africa and now residing in the U.S., would therefore be ineligible.

“If Musk is interested in investing, we’d welcome it. It would likely yield better returns than what he’s getting from X,” O’Leary quipped.

Musk acquired X (formerly Twitter) in 2022 for $44 billion, following disputes with the company’s previous leadership.

Known for his sharp wit, O’Leary thanked Musk for the extra media attention. Ryanair even capitalized on the situation by launching a promotional seat sale featuring a cartoon version of Musk in its advertising.

O’Leary appeared unfazed by Musk’s insults, remarking, “Elon Musk would have to join a very long list of people who have insulted me, including my own teenage children.”

Starlink Negotiations and Cost Concerns

O’Leary revealed that Ryanair had been in discussions with Starlink for about a year regarding onboard internet. While he praised the technology as impressive and effective, he explained that the costs would be substantial—around $250 million annually. This figure includes the price of installing two antennas per aircraft and an estimated 2% increase in aerodynamic drag, which would add $200 million to the airline’s yearly fuel expenses.

He noted that while Ryanair would need to charge passengers for Starlink access, fewer than 5% of travelers on the airline’s short European routes—typically lasting just over an hour—would likely pay extra for the service.

Exploring Alternatives and Addressing Social Media Issues

Ryanair is also in talks with other providers, such as Amazon, which is developing its own satellite internet service called Kuiper. O’Leary emphasized that any solution must help reduce the airline’s costs.

He also commented on recent controversies involving Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, available on X, which has been criticized for generating unauthorized deepfake images. O’Leary described X as a “cesspit,” expressing outrage over incidents involving inappropriate content.