Everyone loves a public feud. From reality TV to fights in a hockey rink, it’s human nature to crave drama, which is why the public feud between Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has become so popular.
What’s the reason behind this feud, and where do the two CEOs stand now?
It All Starts With Starlink
Elon Musk’s company SpaceX operates a network of satellites called Starlink. First launching 60 satellites on May 23, 2019, SpaceX hopes to put 42,000 satellites into orbit, closely circling Earth in a satellite “constellation.” According to Astronomer Jonathan McDowell’s Starlink tracking website, there are currently 9,574 Starlink satellites in orbit, of which 9,563 are working.
Starlink satellites aim to provide internet to the world, especially in remote areas. Starlink’s main page boasts, “Fast connectivity where you need it, when you need it,” claiming to have “the world’s largest constellation of highly advanced satellites operating in a low orbit around the Earth.”
With its promise of low-cost, high-speed internet anywhere, some airlines, such as Lufthansa Group and Qatar Airways, are installing Starlink technology on their planes. Other airlines are notably opting out.
January 14: The Day the Feud Began
The beginning of the feud can be traced back to January 14, 2026, when Ryanair declared that they would not be using Musk’s Starlink on their airplanes. The company’s CEO said, “You need to put antenna on fuselage. It comes with a 2% fuel penalty because of the weight and drag. We don’t think our passengers are willing to pay for WiFi for an average 1-hour flight.”
NEWS: Ryanair says it will not install Starlink on its airplanes, citing the impact of fuel costs from drag and the short length of its flights.
"It comes with a 2% fuel penalty because of the weight and drag. We don't think our passengers are willing to pay for WiFi… pic.twitter.com/zRE4vyVhUn
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 14, 2026
Musk responded on his platform X, saying O’Leary was “misinformed.” He continued to write: “Doubt they can even measure the difference in fuel use accurately, especially for a one-hour flight, where the incremental drag is basically zero during the ascent phase due to high angle of attack,” complete with a Grok explainer.
On January 16, X suffered a major outage that impacted at least 74,000 users. Ryanair’s official account responded on X, saying, “perhaps you need Wi-Fi @elonmusk?”
Two “Idiots”
In a radio interview, Michael O’Leary once again spoke about how Ryanair will not be installing Starlink internet:
“I frankly wouldn’t pay any attention to anything that Elon Musk puts on that cesspit of his called X. He was the guy who advocated to getting Donald Trump elected. I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk. He’s an idiot. Very wealthy, but he’s still an idiot.”
Musk responded again on X, posting, “Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.” He continued this firing sentiment, posting on January 19 that he really wants to “put a Ryan in charge of Ryan air.”
O’Leary saw this opportunity as free advertising and began the airline’s “Big ‘Idiot’ Sale,” with tickets starting at £16.99 (about $23). At a press conference, he thanked Musk for a “wonderful boost” in sales and publicity, and even offered to hand-deliver a free airline ticket to X’s Dublin office.
Don’t thank us, thank that big “IDIOT” @elonmusk 👀
Sale now on👇https://t.co/0c6IvsKyyB pic.twitter.com/JAxRNzaYTa
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) January 20, 2026
Free to Invest
During the feud, Musk repeatedly mentioned buying Ryanair, even going so far as to post a poll on his X account, which received 947,831 votes. Due to EU ownership laws, non-Europeans cannot own more than 50% of a European airline. As Musk’s ownership of Ryanair is impossible, O’Leary said, “If he wants to invest in Ryanair, we will certainly think it’s a great investment.”
Related Articles
Here is a list of articles selected by our Editorial Board that have gained significant interest from the public:
No Hard Feelings
O’Leary says he was surprised by Musk’s reaction on his social media platform. He claims that not installing Starlink is nothing personal, citing pragmatism and cost. At a press conference, he said, “I don’t quite know why he took such umbrage over it. We have been in discussion with Starlink, his satellite system, for over 12 months now. It is a very good system. We like the Starlink system.”
According to O’Leary, installing Starlink would cost around €200 or 250 million each year, factoring in fuel penalties and installation costs. He also claimed that less than 10% of Ryanair’s passengers would actually pay for wifi on board.
This isn’t the end of the road for Starlink and Ryanair. The company is considering Starlink and other in-flight Wi-Fi options. Neil Sorahan, Ryanair’s chief financial officer, said that they would look at “whoever is the best, when the tech and price is right.”
Musk and O’Leary might be quiet now, but who knows what the future has in store for these wealthy, outspoken businessmen.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: Ryanair plane. Cover Photo Credit: Lucas Davies.
