A public clash between Elon Musk and Ryanair's CEO escalated after Starlink's rejection and sparked a global controversy
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The discussion between Elon Musk and the low-cost airline Ryanair turned into one of the most talked-about corporate clashes of the week. The trigger was the expansion of the Starlink satellite internet system, which Musk is promoting for its installation on commercial airlines around the world.
While several companies are moving forward with agreements to offer onboard WiFi, Ryanair decided to reject the technology. Its CEO, Michael O'Leary, was blunt:
"Installing Starlink involves putting an antenna on top of the plane, and that increases air resistance and fuel consumption".
Michael O’Leary vs. Elon Musk
The technical argument and Musk's response
O'Leary maintained that the system would generate a fuel cost increase of close to 2%. With an annual bill of around USD 5 billion, the total impact —according to Ryanair— would amount to USD 250 million per year. "That is approximately one extra dollar per passenger, and nobody is going to pay one euro for WiFi", he stated.
Musk replied directly on X and questioned those calculations: "Maybe you're misinformed", he wrote. Then he posted technical estimates based on a Boeing 737-800, the model most used by Ryanair.
According to Musk, "the incremental drag is basically zero" and it has no significant impact on short flights.
Michael O’Leary, CEO de Ryanair
Verbal escalation
The discussion quickly abandoned the technical side and moved to the personal level, which always happens when arguments are insufficient. O'Leary doubled down and launched a direct disparagement: "What Elon Musk knows about aerodynamics is zero. He is an idiot, very rich, but still an idiot".
Musk did not hold back. In another post, he described Ryanair's CEO as an "insufferable accountant". Then he raised the tone with irony: "Should I buy Ryanair just to fire him and put in someone whose name is actually Ryan?".
He even posted a poll among his followers on X. Nearly 75% voted in favor.
Elon Musk en la presentación de la antena Starlink
Ryanair responds with official statement and marketing
Ryanair issued an official statement in which it again criticized Musk and defended its decision not to move forward with Starlink. O'Leary also took advantage of the controversy to highlight an unexpected positive effect:"Thanks to Musk's Twitter tantrum, our bookings went up between 2% and 3% in the last five days".
In a press conference, he even joked about the possibility that Musk might buy shares in the airline. "If he wants to invest in Ryanair, it would be a much better investment than the returns he is getting with X".
A legal limit and the end of the premium drama
O'Leary also recalled that, even if Musk wanted to move forward with a full acquisition, European regulations would not allow it. This is because European laws prevent a non-European citizen from controlling a community airline. At most, he could acquire a minority stake.
The clash is taking place while premium airlines such as Lufthansa are moving forward with the implementation of Starlink to offer free WiFi. These investments are supported by studies indicating that the impact on fuel consumption is minimal.
Lufthansa se asoció con Starlink para ofrecer internet en toda su flota
What began as a discussion about antennas and aerodynamics ended up becoming a global spectacle. Public insults, viral polls, ironic takeover threats, and official statements sealed a fight that mixed technology, egos, and marketing.
