Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has launched a brutal takedown of Elon Musk, announcing a “Great Idiots Seat Sale” and vowing to hand-deliver the tech billionaire a free airline ticket at X’s Dublin headquarters.
The marketing stunt was unveiled at a Wednesday (January 21) press conference after a weeklong feud that has seen both men question each other’s intelligence over Musk’s Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi system.
It all began when O’Leary publicly rejected Starlink, claiming it would cost Ryanair up to $250 million in added fuel costs.
Musk didn’t take the rejection lightly, calling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and “insufferable chimp.”
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary’s feud with Elon Musk went viral after he announced a seat sale in his name
Image credits: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Ryanair’s press-conference announcement read like a deliberate provocation, promising that O’Leary would appear at 10 am to address “Elon Musk’s latest Twitsh*t.”
“Perhaps Musk needs a break?” the post asked.
“Ryanair is launching a Great Idiots seat sale especially for Elon and any other idiots on ‘X.’ 100,000 seats for just €16.99 one-way. Buy now before Musk gets one!”
Image credits: Gage Skidmore
At the actual presser, O’Leary confirmed Ryanair staff would march to X’s Dublin office to hand Musk a complimentary ticket. He also revealed an ad for the sale that depicts both of them brawling.
“I’ve included myself and him in this ‘Big Idiot’ seat sale,” O’Leary said. “I suspect he’s a bigger idiot than me, but nevertheless, he probably thinks I’m a bigger idiot than him.”
Image credits: elonmusk
Image credits: elonmusk
Image credits: elonmusk
The CEO characterized his response as part of a calculated move to capitalize on the attention, turning Musk’s insults into free advertising.
“It is very good for our bookings,” O’Leary said. “We love these PR spats that drive bookings on Ryanair.”
The feud began after O’Leary rejected Musk’s offer to install satellite internet on Ryanair planes
Image credits: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The quarrel started last Wednesday (January 14) after O’Leary told Reuters that Ryanair would not join other airlines installing Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service.
The following day, he told Irish radio station Newstalk that equipping the fleet would cost up to $250 million because adding the terminal to planes would affect their aerodynamics and increase fuel costs by roughly 2%.
SpaceX executives fired back on X, claiming the actual drag impact was just 0.2%.
As a budget carrier, Ryanair is obsessive about keeping costs razor-thin.
The airline turns a profit by keeping planes in the air constantly with minimal turnaround times, selling extras like scratchcards, and flying only short-haul routes where O’Leary believes passengers have little interest in paying for Wi-Fi.
Image credits: Ryanair
“If it results in a fuel drag, it is something we would never go near,” O’Leary said, though he also conceded that Starlink is a “terrific system” and confirmed Ryanair is still in discussions with both SpaceX and Amazon about potential connectivity deals.
Image credits: Brian Lawless/PA Images/Getty Images
Musk did not take the rejection quietly, uttering the aforementioned insults that sparked their fight.
O’Leary shrugged off the abuse with humor.
“I think it’s somewhat unfair on the chimp community. But chimp chump, as long as it increases Ryanair bookings through January, February, and March, it’s all good fun and entertainment.”
Musk threatened to buy Ryanair outright, but EU rules forbid airlines from being fully owned by foreign nationals
Musk escalated by posting an X poll asking users whether he should buy Ryanair and install a CEO named “Ryan.”
About three-quarters of the roughly 950,000 voters said yes.
The stunt, however, collided with regulatory reality. European Union rules require that the bloc’s airlines be at least 50% owned and effectively controlled by EU nationals.
This means that Musk, as an American citizen, cannot acquire Ryanair even if he wanted to.
O’Leary reminded Musk of this barrier, taunting in the mock press release that the billionaire “knows even less about airline ownership rules than he does about aircraft aerodynamics.”
Image credits: The Telegraph/YouTube
Online, netizens were quick to comment on the spectacle.
“I didn’t have Musk – Ryanair beef on my bingo card this year,” one user wrote.
“Any publicity is good publicity, O’Leary strikes again, and spectacularly this time.”
A third called the mock press invite “the best press conference announcement of all time!” While others pushed back.
“I reckon Musk knows a lot more about aircraft aerodynamics than Michael O’Leary knows somehow!”
“Kinda genius.” Netizens congratulated O’Leary for his response
