What began as a disagreement about installing Starlink internet systems on Ryanair aircraft has turned into a social-media feud, complete with insults, polls, and Musk openly flirting with the idea of buying Europe’s biggest low-cost airline.
What sparked the feud?
The controversy began when O’Leary ruled out installing SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet on Ryanair’s fleet of over 600 aircraft. His reasoning focused on fuel efficiency and operating costs, particularly for short-haul budget flights.
“You need to put antenna on fuselage it comes with a 2 per cent fuel penalty because of the weight and drag. We don't think our passengers are willing to pay for WiFi for an average 1-hour flight,” Ryanair CEO told news agency Reuters.
O’Leary later expanded on the financial impact, estimating that Starlink would cost the airline between $200 million and $250 million annually — roughly an extra dollar per passenger.
“What Elon Musk knows about flights and drag would be zero. We have to put an aerial antenna on top of the aircraft. It would cost us about $200-$250 million a year. In other words, an extra dollar for every passenger we fly. And the reality for us is we can't afford those costs. Passengers won't pay for internet or internet usage. If it's free, they'll use it. But they won't pay one euro each to use the internet. So, we're not putting it on board. And I frankly wouldn't pay any attention to anything that Elon Musk puts on that cesspit of his called X. He was the guy who advocated getting Donald Trump elected,” O’Leary said.
Ryanair, which carried 206 million passengers last year, primarily serves short-distance, budget-conscious travellers, with fares starting as low as £15.
How did Musk react?
Musk, whose company SpaceX operates Starlink, strongly disagreed with O’Leary’s stance.
After O’Leary's quote was shared online by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, Musk responded, “They [Ryanair] will lose customers to airlines that do have Internet.”
He later accused O’Leary of being “misinformed” about how Starlink affects fuel consumption and insisted that airlines need to adapt to changing passenger expectations.
Starlink has already been adopted by more than two dozen carriers, including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa.
While pricing details remain undisclosed, analysts believe the service is better suited to long-haul, full-service airlines rather than ultra-low-cost carriers like Ryanair.
The war of words escalated when O’Leary, speaking to Irish radio station Newstalk, said Musk knew “zero” about aviation and drag, called him an “idiot,” and described X as a “cesspit.”
Musk responded sharply on X, writing, "Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him."
Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
When another follower suggested that Musk should simply buy the airline and remove O’Leary himself, Musk replied, “Good idea.”
The exchange continued to spiral. In another post, Musk asked Ryanair, “How much would it cost to buy you?”
He then added, “I really want to put a Ryan in charge of Ryan Air. It is your destiny.”
Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
Musk later pinned a poll to his X profile asking users whether he should buy Ryanair. By around 3:30 pm EST, the poll had attracted over 300,000 votes, with 79 per cent responding “yes.”
The situation also gained traction after a brief X outage on Friday, when Ryanair’s famously sarcastic account mocked Musk by asking, “Perhaps you need Wi-Fi.”
Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 19, 2026
That prompted Musk’s “Ryan in charge” comment, which generated 9.5 million impressions by Monday afternoon.
Can Musk actually buy Ryanair?
Ryanair Holdings plc is a publicly listed company, meaning Musk cannot simply take control without making a formal acquisition offer or launching a hostile takeover.
Based on the most recent available data for the fiscal year ending March 2025 (FY25), the total operating costs for the whole of Ryanair Holdings plc were approximately €12.39 billion.
With inputs from agencies
