Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary Reveals Plans for In-Flight Wifi Amidst Heated Feud with Elon Musk
Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, has been at the center of a heated debate over in-flight wifi, with CEO Michael O’Leary trading barbs with Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Starlink. The feud began when O’Leary announced that Ryanair had no plans to install Starlink on its fleet of approximately 650 aircraft, citing concerns over fuel efficiency and added costs. Musk responded by calling O’Leary “misinformed,” sparking a flurry of insults and jokes between the two CEOs.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, talks to media on Aug. 27, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Feud with Elon Musk Brings Free Publicity to Ryanair
The public spat between O’Leary and Musk has brought a significant amount of free publicity to Ryanair, with O’Leary stating that the airline had a “bumper week of free PR” following the feud. According to O’Leary, the feud generated around 1,500 news articles across nearly 60 nations, introducing the airline to a new audience. The airline even offered 100,000 discounted seats in a “Big ‘Idiot’ Seat Sale” aimed at Musk, which helped to boost bookings by 2-3% during the feud.
Ryanair’s revenues increased by 9% year-over-year in the last three months of 2025 to 3.2 billion euros ($3.8 billion), although profit fell 80% to 30 million euros ($36 million) due to an antitrust fine. The airline flew 47.5 billion passengers during the quarter, up 6% from a year earlier, with planes filled to 92% capacity. O’Leary remains confident that the airline’s focus on low fares will continue to attract customers, despite the lack of in-flight wifi.
Future Plans for In-Flight Wifi
While O’Leary has expressed skepticism about the demand for in-flight wifi, he has not ruled out the possibility of installing it in the future. According to O’Leary, the cost of installation and fuel penalties is currently around 200 million euros ($238 million) per year, which is a significant burden for the airline. However, he believes that advances in technology will eventually drive down costs and make in-flight wifi more viable. “In five years’ time, as the technology continuously improves, I think most airlines will be fitting a wifi access on board short-haul aircraft,” said O’Leary. “We will certainly do so in a heartbeat.”
For now, Ryanair will continue to focus on offering low fares and efficient service to its customers. As O’Leary noted, “99.999% of passengers, when they’re making a booking, will focus on what’s the cheapest fare. Very few will focus on: I wonder if they have free wifi on board.” While the feud with Musk may have brought some negative attention to the airline, it has also highlighted Ryanair’s commitment to its customers and its focus on providing affordable travel options.
Image Source: observer.com
