‘He’s an Idiot’: Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary slams Elon Musk as takeover threat goes viral

The exchange drew widespread attention, with Musk’s post racking up more than 4.4 million views and sparking a flood of memes and reactions.

perhaps you need Wi-Fi @elonmusk? https://t.co/eq82qcLqKv

— Ryanair (@Ryanair) January 16, 2026

Users were quick to weigh in.

Reacting to the comment, a user wrote, “best way to become a millionaire is to be a billionaire and buy an airline.” Another user commented, “you start first treating your customers better before you can open your mouth!”

“Be careful when you buy them. They’ll offer you a low price that will seem too good to be true, and later down the line they’ll charge you for all kinds of extras,” a third user reacted.

The online spat escalated further after Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary commented on Musk during an interview with Irish radio station Newstalk. Asked about speculation that Ryanair might adopt Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, for in-flight connectivity, O’Leary dismissed the idea. “I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk. He’s an idiot, very wealthy, but he’s still an idiot,” he said on air.

Elaborating on why Ryanair had ruled out Starlink for in-flight connectivity, O’Leary outlined the cost implications. Installing satellite internet, O’Leary said, would require fitting an aerial antenna on every aircraft, an expense he estimated at $200–250 million annually. “That’s about one extra dollar per passenger,” O’Leary explained. “And the reality for us is we can’t afford those costs.”

He added that Ryanair customers are unwilling to pay for onboard internet access. “If it’s free, they’ll use it. But they won’t pay one euro each to use the internet. So, we’re not putting it on board,” he said.

O’Leary’s remarks soon surfaced on X, prompting a sharp response from Musk. Sharing a post referencing O’Leary’s comments, Musk wrote, “Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.”