Ryanair Chief Dismisses Musk Takeover Bid, Launches €16.99 "Idiots Sale"

Airline escalates public feud with Tesla CEO over technical dispute and acquisition overtures

Ryanair Holdings Plc escalated its confrontation with Elon Musk on Tuesday, announcing its chief executive would address what it termed the billionaire's "Twitter tantrum" at a Dublin press conference on Wednesday.

The budget carrier's response came after Musk expressed interest in acquiring the airline, prompting CEO Michael O'Leary to question the entrepreneur's grasp of aviation regulations. "Musk knows even less about airline ownership rules than he does about aircraft aerodynamics," O'Leary said in a statement posted to social media.

The barb references an ongoing technical dispute over SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet system. Musk has promoted the in-flight connectivity solution for commercial carriers, claiming the equipment creates merely 0.3 per cent additional fuel burn through increased aerodynamic drag.

O'Leary disputes those figures sharply. The Ryanair boss, who previously called Musk an "idiot," maintains the hardware would generate closer to 2 per cent additional fuel consumption—a penalty he considers commercially prohibitive for the ultra-low-cost carrier's razor-thin operating margins.

In Tuesday's statement, O'Leary announced a promotional sale apparently targeting Musk personally. "Perhaps Musk needs a break?" he said. "Ryanair is launching a Great Idiots seat sale especially for Elon and any other idiots on 'X'. 100,000 seats for just €16.99 one-way."

The public sparring highlights broader questions about Musk's expanding business interests and his understanding of heavily regulated industries. EU aviation ownership rules typically restrict non-European investors to minority stakes in European carriers—a constraint that would complicate any serious acquisition attempt.

Ryanair shares traded little changed in Dublin following the announcement. Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The airline's characterisation of the takeover approach as unsuccessful suggests preliminary discussions may have already occurred.