TLDR
- Elon Musk told Ryanair’s CEO he should be fired after the airline rejected Starlink internet service for its fleet
- Michael O’Leary said Starlink would cost up to $250 million yearly due to fuel costs from antenna drag
- Musk accused O’Leary of being “misinformed” about how to measure Starlink’s fuel impact
- O’Leary fired back by saying Musk knows nothing about aviation and called X a “cesspit”
- More than 24 airlines including United and Lufthansa have already adopted Starlink for their planes
A public dispute erupted between Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary over the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on commercial planes. The argument reached a peak on Friday when Musk declared that O’Leary is an “utter idiot” who should lose his job.
The clash began earlier in the week when O’Leary announced Ryanair would not equip its fleet with Starlink. The Irish airline operates more than 600 aircraft across Europe and beyond.
O’Leary explained that installing Starlink antennas would create extra drag on the planes. This additional drag would increase fuel consumption and operating costs for the budget carrier.
The Ryanair chief estimated the total annual cost would reach $250 million. This figure includes both installation expenses and the ongoing fuel costs from the added weight and drag.
Musk quickly responded to O’Leary’s comments on his social media platform X. He said the airline CEO was “misinformed” about the technology and its effects on fuel consumption.
The Tesla and SpaceX founder claimed Ryanair doesn’t understand how to properly calculate the fuel impact. He suggested the airline’s cost estimates were incorrect.
O’Leary Strikes Back
O’Leary escalated the situation during an interview with Irish radio station Newstalk. He dismissed Musk’s expertise in aviation and said the billionaire knows “zero” about aerodynamic drag.
The Ryanair CEO also called Musk an “idiot” during the radio interview. He went further by describing X as a “cesspit” in his criticism of the platform.
Musk posted his harshest response on Friday morning. He wrote “Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him” on X for his millions of followers to see.
One X user suggested Musk should simply purchase Ryanair and remove O’Leary himself. Musk responded by saying “Good idea” to the suggestion.
Starlink Expands in Aviation
The dispute comes as Starlink gains traction in the airline industry. SpaceX’s satellite internet service uses thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites to provide connectivity.
More than two dozen airlines have already started rolling out Starlink across their fleets. Major carriers including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa are among those adopting the service.
The airlines have not publicly disclosed how much they pay for Starlink installations. Industry analysts view the service as a premium offering based on its advanced technology.
Experts say Starlink is better suited for long-haul and full-service airlines. Budget carriers like Ryanair operate on much thinner profit margins and focus heavily on cost control.
Ryanair’s business model centers on maintaining the lowest possible operating expenses. The airline passes these savings to customers through cheaper ticket prices compared to traditional carriers.
SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink aviation customer base despite Ryanair’s rejection. The company is actively signing new airline partnerships for the satellite internet service.
