Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary’s rejection of the Starlink in-flight internet system on the grounds of cost and fuel consumption has turned into a public and heated polemic with Elon Musk.
Ryanair, one of Europe’s largest low-cost airlines, has reiterated its decision not to integrate the Starlink in-flight internet service into its fleet. Speaking to Reuters, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said that the antennas required by the Starlink system would increase aerodynamic drag, leading to a significant rise in fuel consumption.
According to O’Leary, this drag would translate into an additional annual cost of USD 200–250 million for the airline. This corresponds to an extra burden of around USD 1 per passenger. It was emphasised that such a cost is unacceptable for Ryanair, which operates under an ultra-low-cost business model.
“No One Cares About Internet on a One-Hour Flight”
The Ryanair CEO also questioned passenger demand. Reminding that the company’s average flight duration is around one hour, O’Leary argued that on such short routes the vast majority of passengers would be unwilling to pay for in-flight internet. According to O’Leary, Starlink may make sense for long-haul and premium carriers, but it does not align with Ryanair’s operational structure.
Harsh Response from Musk: “You Will Lose Customers”
Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink, responded to the remarks on the social media platform X. Musk claimed that Ryanair faces the risk of losing passengers to airlines that offer reliable in-flight internet.
In response, O’Leary escalated the tone in an interview with Ireland’s Newstalk radio. Directing sharp criticism at Musk’s aviation knowledge, O’Leary used the following remarks:
“Elon Musk knows nothing about flight and air resistance. I certainly won’t listen to him. He may be very rich, but he’s still an idiot.”
Musk replied to these words again on X, stating:
- “The Ryanair CEO is a complete idiot. Fire him.”
- Mockery on Social Media, Hint at an Acquisition
The tension did not end there. Following an outage on the X platform, Ryanair’s official account mocked Musk with a post implying that the platform “needed a better connection”. Musk responded by floating the idea of buying Ryanair outright and appointing a manager named “Ryan” to run it.
Starlink Expands in Aviation, Ryanair Resists
This polemic comes at a time when Starlink is rapidly expanding in commercial aviation. Major carriers such as United Airlines, Lufthansa Group, Qatar Airways and Air France have begun integrating satellite-based internet systems into their fleets due to higher speeds and lower latency.
Supporters of Starlink argue that next-generation antenna designs minimise aerodynamic disadvantages and that passenger expectations for connectivity are rising rapidly. Ryanair, however, has long kept its distance from optional services that do not generate revenue and continues to focus on low ticket prices and high aircraft utilisation.
