"Don't pay attention to him, he's an idiot"/ After insult from Michael O'Leary, Elon Musk considers buying Ryanair for revenge

2026-01-22 20:34:37Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Michael O'Leary and Elon Musk

Tensions between the world's richest man, Elon Musk, and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary have erupted over a dispute over the possibility of installing Starlink terminals on the company's aircraft.

In an interview, O'Leary said: "Don't pay any attention to Elon Musk. He's an idiot, and he doesn't understand anything about flying and aerodynamic drag. The antenna would cost us $250 million a year just in fuel penalties. Our passengers wouldn't pay for it."

Musk's reaction was immediate. He called O'Leary a "complete idiot" on the X platform . Ryanair's official X account then joked by asking Musk if he "needed Wi-Fi" after a service outage.

In response, Musk opened a poll on the possibility of buying Ryanair. However, such an operation would not be easy and would probably cost more than buying Twitter.

Ryanair's value is estimated at around 20 billion euros, and a hostile bid would include a premium of 30-50 percent on this value.

Furthermore, European Union rules require that European airlines be at least 50 percent controlled by individuals and entities within the EU.

 

 


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