Dublin, Jan 21, 2026, 11:01 GMT
- Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said Elon Musk can invest, but EU regulations prevent non-Europeans from holding a majority stake in the airline
- After a spat over installing Starlink in-flight internet, Musk hinted at buying Ryanair
- Ryanair escalated the spat with a sudden “Great Idiots” seat sale
Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday he would welcome an investment from Elon Musk, noting that a week of public back-and-forth has boosted bookings by 2% to 3%. “We’re a publicly owned company,” O’Leary told reporters in Dublin. 1
The remarks come as the exchange on X, the platform once called Twitter, moves past jokes and into issues that matter to investors: who holds what stakes, and if a viral feud could actually sway demand in an industry known for its tight margins.
For Ryanair, even minor shifts in bookings are crucial. As a short-haul carrier selling budget seats, it scrapes every penny off costs—from fuel to airport fees—to stay competitive.
The dispute kicked off when O’Leary rejected the notion of fitting Starlink—SpaceX’s satellite internet service—on Ryanair planes, citing the added “fuel drag” that would increase air resistance and fuel consumption. The Guardian reported he was questioned about whether Ryanair would join airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways in adopting the system. 2
Musk fired back on social media, targeting O’Leary’s position by saying the Ryanair CEO “needs to be fired.” He also challenged the airline directly, asking, “How much would it cost to buy you?” The Independent reported. 3
Musk later put out a poll asking followers if he should “restore Ryan as their rightful ruler,” referencing Ryanair’s late founder Tony Ryan, the Irish Times reported. The poll reportedly racked up 30 million views. Ryanair’s market cap stands around $35 billion (€29.8 billion), and the airline is on track to be debt-free in the coming months, the paper added. 4
Ryanair’s social media kept the feud alive, launching a “Great Idiots” seat sale “especially for Elon,” according to Business Insider. The deal featured 100,000 one-way tickets priced at £16.99 to Basel, Birmingham, and Cologne, the report said. 5
Takeover chatter hits a wall with Ryanair. The airline insists EU rules mandate its subsidiaries stay majority EU-owned and controlled. To guard its licenses, it’s put voting limits on shares held by non-EU nationals—moves that could stymie any non-European investor trying to gain sway, even with just a minority stake. 6
