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Elon Musk has reignited a public row with Ryanair's outspoken chief executive, Michael O'Leary, by floating the idea of buying Europe's largest low-cost airline after the Irish boss dismissed Musk's Starlink satellite internet technology for aircraft.
The exchange began when O'Leary was asked whether Ryanair would follow airlines such as Lufthansa and British Airways in installing Starlink across its fleet of about 650 planes. He rejected the suggestion, arguing that fitting antennas would increase fuel burn by roughly 2%, adding an estimated $200m to $250m to the carrier's annual fuel bill.
Musk responded on his X platform, calling that assessment "misinformed", triggering a rapid back-and-forth that saw both men trade insults. The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive went further, saying O'Leary should be fired.
On Friday, Musk asked his followers whether he should buy Ryanair, which has a market valuation of about €30bn, joking about installing a "Ryan" at the helm. He later launched a poll, drawing hundreds of thousands of responses, with a clear majority backing the tongue-in-cheek proposal.
Ryanair's social media team joined the fray, teasing Musk during a brief outage on X, while Musk replied by asking how much the airline would cost. The episode recalled his long-running courtship of Twitter, which he eventually bought in a $44bn deal before renaming it X.
Despite the noise, investors appeared unmoved, with Ryanair shares slipping slightly on Tuesday. Any takeover would also face regulatory hurdles: EU rules require airlines to be majority-owned by European nationals.
O'Leary, speaking on Irish radio, said he would ignore Musk's views on aviation economics, insisting passengers would not pay even a euro for onboard internet. Ryanair was contacted for comment.
The dispute underscores the growing influence of social media theatrics in corporate battles, where jokes and jabs can briefly rattle markets without altering fundamentals. For now, the clash remains rhetorical, though Musk's history of turning online banter into real-world deals means the industry will watch closely for any shift from provocation to intent. Airlines, analysts say, are unlikely to change strategy on the basis of viral posts alone in the near-term.
