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Musk polls fans on buying Ryanair in O'Leary Wi-Fi feud
Insults lift airline bookings as CEO welcomes investment but rules out full takeover
The public row between Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary began on January 14 over Starlink Wi-Fi (SpaceX's satellite internet service) for the airline's planes. O'Leary rejected it and explained that antennas would cause 2 per cent extra fuel drag on Ryanair's fleet, adding $200 million to $250 million yearly to their $5 billion kerosene bill through higher consumption and other costs.. "What Elon Musk knows about flying and aerodynamic drag is zero," he commented. Free internet would not suit their low-cost model, as passengers would not pay extra.Musk hit back on X, labelling O'Leary "misinformed" and an "idiot" and suggesting he be fired. After Ryanair quipped about an X outage, Musk asked, "How much would it cost to buy you?" On Friday, he ran a poll for nearly 900,000 followers: "Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?" Over three-quarters said yes, referencing co-founder Tony Ryan.
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At Wednesday's Dublin press conference, O'Leary O'Leary brushed it off, welcoming investment as Ryanair is publicly traded. "Thanks to Mr. Musk. Any of these disputes is fantastic for bookings," he said, crediting the spat for 2-3% booking rises. He added Musk could "insult him all day long," but non-EU citizens cannot own a majority stake. "Musk knows even less about airline ownership regulations than he does about aircraft aerodynamics," Ryanair posted with a €16.99 seat deal for "Elon Musk and other idiots from X."Shares dipped under 1% on Tuesday, with Ryanair valued at €30 billion to €35 billion and half-year profits up 42 per cent to €2.54 billion. While IAG fits Starlink on Iberia and Vueling, O'Leary prioritises savings. For those of us catching flights around Spain, the exchange may be entertaining but also highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between new tech and tight budgets in aviation.
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Images: wikicommons
