Michael O’Leary and Elon Musk called each other idiots.Image: Keystone/www.imago-images.de
A heated argument has broken out between the SpaceX boss and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. Both call each other idiots. Now Musk is hinting that he is considering buying the airline.
Jan 19, 2026, 11:26 amJan 19, 2026, 11:26 am
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has taken on the richest man in the world. The whole thing started when O’Leary explained in a radio interview that Ryanair did not want to install Starlink Wi-Fi on its planes. The reason is the increasing fuel consumption that an antenna would cause and would be passed on to customers.
Elon Musk then countered that the company had probably miscalculated. O’Leary didn’t let that pass and explained that Musk didn’t know anything about flights.
At the same time, O’Leary called Musk an idiot: “I wouldn’t pay any attention to Elon Musk. He’s an idiot, a very rich one, but still an idiot,” O’Leary said on the show Newstalk.
Musk didn’t just accept that. “The Ryanair CEO is a complete idiot, fire him,” he wrote on X.
Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
But that’s not enough. When Musk’s social media platform
This provoked Musk further. In response, he posted: “Should I buy Ryanair and give responsibility to someone whose name is Ryan?” Numerous users had previously suggested that Musk should simply buy the airline and fire O’Leary himself. Now Musk seems to be at least toying with the idea.
Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026
In contrast to Ryanair, the Lufthansa Group recently announced that Starlink Internet will be offered on its aircraft – including those of Swiss and Edelweiss – in the future. However, this also causes criticism. In Germany, for example, the SPD complains that the Lufthansa Group is making itself dependent on Elon Musk. (front)