Elon Musk launches poll asking if he should buy Ryanair after clash with CEO Michael O’Leary |
Elon Musk has once again turned to social media to float a high-profile question, this time involving Europe’s largest low-cost airline. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has posted a poll on X asking users whether he should acquire Ryanair, following a public dispute with the airline’s outspoken chief executive, Michael O’Leary. The poll did not appear in isolation. It came after a sharp exchange between Musk and O’Leary over Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, and its potential use as in-flight Wi-Fi on Ryanair aircraft. Ryanair has so far declined to adopt Starlink for its planes, citing cost and operational reasons. What began as a business disagreement quickly turned personal, with both leaders trading insults in interviews and on social media. The episode has since become one of the most discussed corporate spats online, driven in part by Musk’s decision to involve the public directly through a poll.
Elon Musk’s Ryanair poll on X draws massive response
The poll posted by Elon Musk asked a simple question: whether he should buy Ryanair. Users were given two options, phrased in Musk’s typical informal style. Within a short span, the poll gathered hundreds of thousands of votes and continued to trend widely on X.
Musk added humour and wordplay to the situation, suggesting that Ryanair should be run by someone named Ryan. In one post, he wrote that he wanted to “restore Ryan as their rightful ruler,” adding that “it is your destiny.” These remarks were widely shared, adding momentum to the poll and keeping the exchange in the public eye.As of the latest update, the poll still had time remaining, and voting was ongoing. Musk has not indicated whether the poll reflects a serious acquisition plan or is simply a public provocation, but the scale of engagement has ensured sustained attention. The poll has drawn heavy attention, crossing more than 750,000 votes within hours of being posted. At the time of writing this article, around 76.8% of respondents had voted in favour of the idea.
Elon Musk Ryanair poll
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary explains Starlink rejection
The dispute traces back to Ryanair’s decision not to install Starlink’s satellite internet system on its aircraft. Michael O’Leary explained the airline’s position in comments to Reuters, saying the economics did not make sense for Ryanair’s operations.“We don’t think our passengers are willing to pay for WiFi for an average one-hour flight,” O’Leary said. Ryanair primarily operates short-haul routes across Europe, where flight durations are often under two hours. According to O’Leary, adding paid in-flight internet would not generate enough revenue to justify the expense.He also highlighted technical and financial barriers. O’Leary stated that installing Starlink-compatible antennas would cost between $200 million and $250 million per year. He further noted that the additional equipment could increase drag on aircraft, leading to higher fuel consumption, which would directly affect operating costs.
Public insults escalate the Musk and O’Leary feud
The disagreement moved beyond business considerations when O’Leary made personal remarks about Musk during an interview with Ireland’s Newstalk radio station. In that interview, O’Leary described Musk as “an idiot,” adding that he was “very wealthy, but still an idiot.” He also referred to Musk as “misinformed” and advised listeners to “pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk.”Musk responded publicly on X, calling O’Leary “an utter idiot” and adding the statement “Fire him.” The exchange escalated further when Ryanair’s official social media account joined in during a service outage, posting, “Perhaps you need Wi-Fi @elonmusk?”Musk replied with another provocative question, asking whether he should buy Ryanair and put “someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge.” He later followed up with a direct message asking, “How much would it cost to buy you?”
Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi remains a technical sticking point
At the centre of the argument is the practicality of Starlink’s in-flight internet service for budget airlines. Starlink has already been adopted by some airlines, particularly those operating long-haul routes where passengers may be more willing to pay for connectivity.Ryanair’s leadership has maintained that its low-cost, high-turnover model does not align with such services. O’Leary has consistently argued that keeping fares low is a higher priority than adding features that could raise costs. Musk has disputed O’Leary’s cost estimates, though he has not publicly released detailed figures to counter them.
