Elon Musk has publicly floated the idea of purchasing the budget airline Ryanair, following a heated online exchange with the carrier's outspoken chief executive, Michael O'Leary. The spat, which played out on Musk's social media platform X, escalated after O'Leary dismissed the tech billionaire as an "idiot" and rejected proposals to install SpaceX's Starlink internet on Ryanair planes.
The Online War of Words Escalates
The conflict ignited when O'Leary, in an interview with Irish radio station Newstalk on Friday, was asked about potentially fitting Starlink to his fleet. He dismissed the idea outright, citing prohibitive costs and passenger unwillingness to pay. "What Elon Musk knows about flights and drag would be zero," O'Leary stated. He estimated the project would cost $200-250 million annually, adding about a dollar to each passenger's fare, which he claimed customers would refuse to cover.
O'Leary didn't stop there, also labelling Musk's platform X a "cesspit." In response, Musk posted a video clip of the interview with the caption: "Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him." Ryanair's famously cheeky social media team appeared to fuel the fire, replying to a question on X about "propaganda" with the answer "Wi-Fi on planes."
Musk's Poll and Acquisition Fantasy
Musk then took the confrontation a significant step further. On Monday, he directly asked the airline's official X account, "How much would it cost to buy you?" He whimsically suggested installing someone named Ryan as the airline's "rightful ruler." To gauge public opinion, the world's richest man created a poll for his 232.5 million followers, asking: "Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler?"
The poll garnered a massive response, with almost 800,000 votes cast. A decisive 76.8 per cent of respondents voted in favour of Musk proceeding with the hypothetical purchase. Fellow tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, commented on the spectacle, admitting "this timeline does get really entertaining at times."
Financial Realities and Industry Impact
While the online battle provided entertainment, the financial reality presents a formidable barrier. Ryanair Holdings PLC currently has a market capitalisation of approximately €35.07 billion on the NASDAQ. Any acquisition attempt would be a colossal financial undertaking, even for Musk. The core disagreement remains rooted in business strategy: O'Leary's steadfast commitment to the ultra-low-cost model, which rejects non-essential expenses like satellite WiFi that could raise fares.
The public slanging match highlights the growing intersection of Silicon Valley bravado and traditional aviation industry pragmatism. While Musk's poll is likely a rhetorical gambit rather than a serious declaration of intent, it underscores his propensity for using his vast online influence to engage in corporate and personal disputes. Both X and Ryanair have been contacted for further comment on the extraordinary exchange.
