Elon Musk has raised the possibility of acquiring Ryanair Holdings plc following a public disagreement with the airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary. The conflict began last week when O'Leary rejected the idea of installing Starlink internet devices on Ryanair's aircraft, citing increased fuel costs due to the antennas' weight and drag. He estimated the service could cost the airline up to $250 million annually.
Musk responded by calling O'Leary an "utter idiot" and suggesting he should be fired. In a post on X, Musk wrote, "Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him." He then asked his followers if he should buy Ryanair and appoint a CEO "whose actual name is Ryan." The post gained traction, with many users encouraging Musk to proceed with the acquisition.
Musk argued that in-flight connectivity is becoming a necessity, and airlines like Ryanair that do not offer internet risk losing customers. Online reactions included one user urging Musk to "buy it and change its name to Elon Air, where everyone has access to wifi like a Elonaire." The exchange has drawn attention to the debate over internet services in aviation and their associated costs.