Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary Responds to Elon Musk’s Buyout Proposal
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Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has responded sharply to Elon Musk’s recent comments about possibly purchasing the airline, intensifying an ongoing feud between the two. The exchange has been marked by a series of insults and jabs, showcasing the personalities of both business leaders.
O’Leary, who leads Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, dismissed Musk’s suggestion that he might take over the company. “If he wants to invest in Ryanair, we would think it’s a very good investment,” O’Leary stated during a Dublin news conference, as reported by Reuters. “Mr. Musk is welcome to buy shares, but he can’t take control.”
O’Leary further emphasized that European Union regulations prevent foreign ownership of the airline, noting Musk’s South African origins and current residence in the United States.
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Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary pushed back after Elon Musk floated the idea of buying the airline. (Fernando Sanchez/Europa Press via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The exchange escalated after Musk suggested he might buy Ryanair and “put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge.” He even conducted a poll on X, where approximately 75% of respondents supported his idea.
This back-and-forth has been brewing for days, particularly after O’Leary announced that Ryanair would not be adding Starlink satellite Wi-Fi to its planes, according to Reuters. Musk responded by accusing O’Leary of being “misinformed.” In a subsequent Irish radio interview, O’Leary retorted, “I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk; he’s an idiot.”
Musk retaliated on X, labeling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and an “imbecile,” before revisiting the idea of acquiring the airline.
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Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during the US-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
During the news conference, which Ryanair labeled a response to “Musk’s latest Twits–t,” O’Leary brushed off the insults. “All I would say to Elon Musk is he would have to join the back of a very, very, very, very long queue of people” who have already insulted him, “including my four teenage children,” he quipped, thanking Musk for the “additional publicity.”
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Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary dismissed Elon Musk’s comments about a potential airline takeover. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images;Richard Bord/WireImage / Fox News)
While some airlines, such as Qatar Airways, Canada’s WestJet, and Hawaiian Airlines, have already implemented Starlink Wi-Fi, O’Leary expressed skepticism about its demand among Ryanair passengers. “The Starlink people believe that 90% of our passengers would happily pay for WiFi access. Our experience, sadly tells us we think less than 10% of our passengers would pay for this access,” he remarked.
FOX Business’ Madison Alworth reports on a potential SpaceX IPO and the push for space data centers on ‘Varney & Co.’
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has responded sharply to Elon Musk’s recent comments about possibly purchasing the airline, intensifying an ongoing feud between the two. The exchange has been marked by a series of insults and jabs, showcasing the personalities of both business leaders.
O’Leary, who leads Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, dismissed Musk’s suggestion that he might take over the company. “If he wants to invest in Ryanair, we would think it’s a very good investment,” O’Leary stated during a Dublin news conference, as reported by Reuters. “Mr. Musk is welcome to buy shares, but he can’t take control.”
O’Leary further emphasized that European Union regulations prevent foreign ownership of the airline, noting Musk’s South African origins and current residence in the United States.
RYANAIR CEO RIPS TRUMP AS A ‘LIAR’ WHO IS ‘HISTORICALLY WRONG’
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary pushed back after Elon Musk floated the idea of buying the airline. (Fernando Sanchez/Europa Press via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The exchange escalated after Musk suggested he might buy Ryanair and “put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge.” He even conducted a poll on X, where approximately 75% of respondents supported his idea.
This back-and-forth has been brewing for days, particularly after O’Leary announced that Ryanair would not be adding Starlink satellite Wi-Fi to its planes, according to Reuters. Musk responded by accusing O’Leary of being “misinformed.” In a subsequent Irish radio interview, O’Leary retorted, “I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk; he’s an idiot.”
Musk retaliated on X, labeling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and an “imbecile,” before revisiting the idea of acquiring the airline.
STARLINK PROVIDES FREE INTERNET TO VENEZUELA FOLLOWING US ARREST OF NICOLÁS MADURO
Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during the US-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
During the news conference, which Ryanair labeled a response to “Musk’s latest Twits–t,” O’Leary brushed off the insults. “All I would say to Elon Musk is he would have to join the back of a very, very, very, very long queue of people” who have already insulted him, “including my four teenage children,” he quipped, thanking Musk for the “additional publicity.”
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary dismissed Elon Musk’s comments about a potential airline takeover. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images;Richard Bord/WireImage / Fox News)
While some airlines, such as Qatar Airways, Canada’s WestJet, and Hawaiian Airlines, have already implemented Starlink Wi-Fi, O’Leary expressed skepticism about its demand among Ryanair passengers. “The Starlink people believe that 90% of our passengers would happily pay for WiFi access. Our experience, sadly tells us we think less than 10% of our passengers would pay for this access,” he remarked.
