Musk Vs Ryanair: Starlink Snub, X Outage And A War Of Words

Last Updated:January 20, 2026, 15:23 IST

The dispute became personal when O’Leary told Ireland’s Newstalk radio that Musk was “very wealthy, but still an idiot,” and described X as a “cesspit.”

File photo of Elon Musk.

An online spat between Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary escalated sharply, turning a disagreement over in-flight internet into a full-blown public feud. The clash began after O’Leary publicly rejected the idea of equipping Ryanair aircraft with Musk’s Starlink satellite internet, arguing that the system was inefficient and commercially unviable for Europe’s largest low-cost airline.

Musk, known for responding aggressively to criticism, hit back by questioning O’Leary’s competence and even joking about taking over Ryanair. The exchange quickly gained traction online, drawing attention well beyond the aviation industry.

Tensions rose further after a widespread outage on X, formerly Twitter, left users in the US unable to load feeds or post content. Downdetector recorded a sharp spike in complaints, and the disruption was reported by multiple outlets, including the New York Post. Ryanair’s social media team, known for its sharp humour, seized the moment to mock Musk, posting: “Perhaps you need Wi-Fi, @elonmusk?"

Musk fired back with, “Should I buy Ryanair and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?"

The feud traces back to Ryanair’s refusal to adopt Starlink. O’Leary said installing satellite antennas would impose a “2% fuel penalty" due to added weight and drag, and argued that passengers on Ryanair’s typically one-hour flights would not pay extra for Wi-Fi. Musk countered by calling O’Leary “misinformed," claiming the drag impact was “basically zero" on short flights and warning that Ryanair could lose customers to rivals offering better connectivity.

The dispute turned personal when O’Leary told Ireland’s Newstalk radio that Musk was “very wealthy, but still an idiot," and described X as a “cesspit."

While airlines such as Lufthansa, United and Hawaiian Airlines have begun rolling out Starlink-powered Wi-Fi, O’Leary has maintained that Ryanair’s ultra-low-cost model leaves no room for such add-ons if they threaten profitability.

News world Musk Vs Ryanair: Starlink Snub, X Outage And A War Of Words

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