Elon Musk, the world’s richest man with an estimated net worth of $769 billion, and Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Europe’s busiest airline Ryanair, have engaged in a heated exchange of insults over the past week. The back and forth escalated as O’Leary lashed out at Musk’s understanding of flight aerodynamics and Musk returned fire with a like insult. All of this has certainly captured the media’s attention, and for good reason. This was the ideal platform for Ryanair to unveil its January sale.
The whole drama started when O’Leary rejected Musk’s advice to use Starlink technology to provide in-flight Wi-Fi on Ryanair flights. O’Leary claimed that Musk knows “zero” about flight aerodynamics and expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of Starlink’s installation. He stated, “We can’t afford those costs. Passengers aren’t going to pay for internet… so we’re not bringing it on board.”
Musk recently took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to rebut O’Leary’s remarks. He restated his earlier offers to acquire Ryanair and he pulled no punches, labeling O’Leary an “idiot”. This colorful exchange is the latest chapter in an ongoing and often amusing cat-and-mouse game between the two masters of the provocative public comment. Musk demanded that O’Leary be fired for not using Starlink. He underscored the powerful promise of providing Wi-Fi at 30,000 feet.
Ryanair has utilized the ongoing feud to promote its services, using Musk’s comments to brand him as an “idiot” in their marketing campaigns. O’Leary is set to hold a press conference in Dublin to further address Musk’s remarks and clarify Ryanair’s position on in-flight technology.
At the same time, Lufthansa revealed it would be equipping all its planes with Starlink too, providing complimentary internet access for travelers. This decision comes as a total unexpected departure from O’Leary’s position and is sure to ramp up the spotlight on Ryanair’s in-flight service changes.
Musk and O’Leary continue to take shots at each other. Their constantly unfolding rivalry is a primer on how effectively and destructively public figures can use social media channels and reporting to focus the spotlight squarely on their brands. This spat is worse than just personal insults. Perhaps most importantly, it would fundamentally change how the traveling public perceives both of these companies—especially in the highly competitive aviation and technology industries.