Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary responded to Elon Musk’s expressed interest in purchasing the low-cost airline during a social media dispute. Musk, the founder of Tesla, conducted a poll on his X platform, inquiring whether he should acquire Ryanair and reinstate “Ryan as their rightful ruler.”
During a press conference, O’Leary emphasized the necessity for Ryanair to maintain majority European ownership, making it unfeasible for Musk to acquire the airline. The disagreement between Musk and O’Leary escalated over the potential installation of Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system on Ryanair planes, with O’Leary previously referring to Musk as “an idiot.”
O’Leary stated at the press conference that while Starlink integration on planes could be considered in the future, it currently lacks cost-effectiveness. When addressing the online clash with Musk and discussing the state of social media platforms, O’Leary criticized all social media as a negative environment and specifically criticized TikTok.
Advocating for the removal of anonymity from social media, O’Leary condemned online behavior such as making death threats and sharing explicit content. He highlighted the need for Europe to take action to address these issues. O’Leary also clarified that he does not directly engage with Musk on the X platform but is prepared to respond to any comments made about Ryanair.
Additionally, O’Leary dismissed the idea of purchasing a Tesla, expressing his preference for a tractor as his favored mode of transport. Although Ryanair has engaged with Starlink, O’Leary revealed that the airline had not interacted directly with Musk’s X platform. In a light-hearted gesture, he offered Elon Musk a free ticket as part of Ryanair’s promotional “Big Idiot” seat sale.
Regarding potential trade disputes between the US and EU, O’Leary urged Europe to take a firm stance against the US, suggesting that threats of tariffs should be met with reciprocal measures. He emphasized the importance of a more assertive foreign policy towards the Trump administration, noting that the upcoming elections could influence the US’s trade decisions with Europe.
O’Leary concluded by highlighting the need for Europe to stand firm in trade negotiations with the US.
