Elon Musk suggests buying Ryanair after feud with CEO Michael O’Leary over Starlink, sparking online debate and investor scepticism

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has escalated a public spat with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary by suggesting he could buy the budget airline.

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The clash began last week when O’Leary dismissed the idea of installing Musk’s Starlink satellite internet on Ryanair planes, citing a 2% fuel drag and an added $200–$250 million annual fuel cost. Musk fired back on X, calling O’Leary “misinformed” and even suggested the CEO should be fired.

On Friday, Musk went further, asking his followers whether he should acquire Europe’s largest airline, valued at around €30 billion, and jokingly polluting if he should “restore Ryan as their rightful ruler.”

Over 75% of nearly 900,000 respondents supported the idea. Ryanair was co-founded in 1984 by Irish billionaire Tony Ryan, who died in 2007.

Ryanair’s official X account joined the banter, mocking Musk during a US X outage. Musk responded by asking, “How much would it cost to buy you?”

Despite the media buzz, investors appeared unimpressed, with Ryanair shares closing nearly 1% lower, suggesting markets are sceptical about any takeover.

Regulatory hurdles also make an acquisition complicated, as EU airlines must be majority-owned by EU or select EEA nationals. Musk, a South African-born US citizen, would face significant legal barriers.

The feud reignited after O’Leary called Musk “an idiot” on Irish radio and argued that passengers would not pay for in-flight internet, adding that he was “thankfully” too old for social media.

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The ongoing row highlights Musk’s penchant for high-profile Twitter clashes and brings renewed attention to Ryanair’s leadership and technological strategy.