Elon Musk Ryanair Starlink Feud: The Petty War Over In-Flight WiFi

High-tech ambitions meet no-frills reality in a billionaire-sized spat over short-haul WiFi. Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary have been swapping barbs on public platforms, turning a business disagreement into a viral circus. What started as a technical debate has devolved into takeover threats and schoolyard insults.

Elon Musk Ryanair Starlink Feud: The 2% Fuel Penalty Debate

The conflict ignited on January 14, 2026, when Ryanair ruled out installing Starlink tech. O'Leary told Reuters that antennas on the fuselage create a 2% fuel penalty due to weight and drag. For a budget airline where every penny counts, O'Leary argued that passengers on one-hour flights simply won't pay for the service.

Musk didn't take the rejection lightly. He hit back on X, claiming O'Leary was "misinformed" about aerodynamics. The situation worsened on January 16 when Ryanair poked fun at an X outage, asking Musk if he was the one who actually needed WiFi. The exchange quickly spiraled into O'Leary calling Musk an "idiot" and a "very wealthy" one at that.

Takeover Threats and the 'Great Idiots Sale'

In a classic Musk move, the billionaire posted a poll asking if he should buy Ryanair and "restore Ryan as their rightful ruler." However, the BBC notes that EU ownership laws require airlines to be majority-owned by EU citizens, making a hostile takeover by Musk nearly impossible.

Ryanair took the trolling a step further by launching a "Great Idiots seat sale" specifically for Musk and his followers. Despite the insults, O'Leary admitted the drama provided a "wonderful boost in publicity," noting that bookings rose significantly during the feud. He maintains that Starlink would only work if it were offered for free, as the airline can't shoulder the $200 million to $250 million annual fuel cost.