A high-profile social media exchange has occurred between billionaire Elon Musk and Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair. The conflict began when the airline’s official account mocked a technical outage on Musk’s platform, X, prompting the tech mogul to jokingly suggest a hostile takeover of the budget carrier.
Musk’s response included a proposal to replace the current leadership with an executive whose first name is actually Ryan. Okay News reports that the banter is part of a broader disagreement concerning the installation of Starlink satellite Wi-Fi on Ryanair’s fleet.
Michael O’Leary has publicly dismissed the feasibility of Musk’s satellite internet service, citing a 2% fuel penalty caused by the weight and drag of the required antennas. The CEO argued that passengers on short-haul flights are unlikely to pay the additional costs associated with such connectivity, even referring to Musk in disparaging terms during recent interviews.
In contrast, Musk maintains that high-speed internet is becoming a standard expectation for modern travelers. He suggested that airlines failing to provide these services will eventually lose their customer base to competitors who prioritize digital connectivity. The exchange has since sparked widespread public interest and a variety of satirical suggestions for the airline’s potential new leadership.
