Ryanair CEO's Public Feud With Elon Musk Boosts Bookings, Shares - RYAAY

Ryanair is capitalizing on a public spat between CEO Michael O’Leary and Elon Musk, reporting a 2% to 3% increase in bookings following the clash over Starlink Wi-Fi. The airline’s shares rose as much as 2.3% in Dublin trading on January 21, 2026. The dispute began January 14, 2026, when O’Leary rejected SpaceX’s Starlink due to added fuel costs—estimated at $150 million annually—prompting Musk to call him “misinformed.” O’Leary retorted by labeling Musk an “idiot,” sparking a viral exchange. Musk responded with a poll suggesting he buy Ryanair and install “someone whose actual name is Ryan,” while O’Leary embraced the attention, launching a “Big ‘Idiot’ Seat Sale” with 100,000 fares from $20. O’Leary dismissed Musk’s takeover idea, citing EU ownership rules, but welcomed investment. He used the media spotlight to reaffirm fundamentals: passenger traffic is projected to grow from 207 million to 215 million over the next year, Boeing 737 Max 10 deliveries start January 2027, and fares may rise 2% to 4%. Ryanair continues evaluating Wi-Fi providers, including Starlink, Amazon, and Vodafone, but insists free broadband remains the goal for short-haul flights.