TLDR
- Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary rejected Starlink internet and called Elon Musk an idiot during an Irish radio interview
- O’Leary cited $250 million in annual fuel costs from aerodynamic drag as the reason for declining Starlink installation
- Musk responded by launching a poll asking if he should buy the $35 billion airline and replace O’Leary
- The poll received 766,000 votes with 77% supporting a Ryanair acquisition by Musk
- Ryanair shares increased 2.52% in after-hours trading following Musk’s social media posts about the potential buyout
Elon Musk has floated the idea of purchasing Ryanair after the budget airline’s CEO publicly insulted him. The feud started when Michael O’Leary refused to equip Ryanair planes with Starlink satellite internet technology.
O’Leary explained his position during a Friday interview on Newstalk, an Irish radio station. He said installing Starlink equipment would create aerodynamic drag on aircraft. The additional drag would cost Ryanair approximately $250 million per year in extra fuel expenses.
The airline chief calculated this equals about one dollar per passenger. He stated travelers would not pay for internet service even if they used it when free. O’Leary went further by calling Musk an idiot and dismissing his understanding of aviation.
The Ryanair CEO claimed Musk knows nothing about aircraft drag or flight operations. He also described X as a cesspit. O’Leary said he would ignore any advice from Musk regarding airline technology.
Musk disputed the technical claims about Starlink causing excessive drag. He called O’Leary misinformed and wrong about the fuel cost calculations. The billionaire then suggested the airline CEO should lose his job.
Poll Shows Strong Support for Airline Acquisition
Musk turned to his social media platform to gauge public opinion on a potential purchase. He asked his 232.5 million X followers if he should buy Ryanair. The poll question included a joke about installing someone named Ryan as CEO.
The poll generated massive engagement across the platform. It received more than 29 million views within hours of posting. Over 766,000 people cast votes on whether Musk should acquire the airline.
Results showed overwhelming support for the acquisition idea. Approximately 77% of voters said Musk should buy Ryanair. The poll remained open for 24 hours from the time of posting.
Ryanair trades on NASDAQ with a current market value of $35 billion. This represents a fraction of Musk’s $681 billion net worth. The share price rose 2.52% in after-hours trading on January 20.
Investors appear to be taking the possibility seriously based on price movement. Musk previously bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022. He fired the CEO and executive team after completing that transaction.
Airline Engages in Social Media Battle
Ryanair’s official X account joined the confrontation with typical irreverence. The airline is known for its cheeky social media presence. During a recent X outage, Ryanair posted asking if Musk needed WiFi.
This taunt seemed to intensify the conflict between the two parties. Musk responded with explicit criticism of O’Leary’s leadership. He demanded the CEO be removed from his position at the airline.
X users began participating in the exchange with their own comments. Many suggested different people named Ryan to replace O’Leary. Some users joked about legally changing their names to Ryan for consideration.
Alexis Ohanian, who co-founded Reddit, commented on the situation. He noted these types of exchanges make the timeline entertaining. The back-and-forth continued throughout the day on January 20.
No formal acquisition offer has been submitted by Musk. The interaction remains confined to social media posts and poll results. Ryanair stock continues to reflect investor interest in the developing story.
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