Elon Musk Tells Ryanair to Fire CEO After Starlink Wi-Fi Showdown

TLDR

• Elon Musk called Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary an “utter idiot” and said he should be fired after O’Leary rejected Starlink Wi-Fi for Ryanair planes
• O’Leary cited fuel costs from antenna drag and estimated Starlink would cost Ryanair up to $250 million annually
• Musk claimed O’Leary was “misinformed” about measuring fuel impact of Starlink equipment
• O’Leary responded by calling Musk an “idiot” who knows “zero” about aviation and drag
• Over two dozen airlines including United, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa are already installing Starlink on their aircraft

Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary are locked in a public dispute over the installation of Starlink internet service on commercial aircraft. The feud escalated on Friday when Musk posted on X that O’Leary is an “utter idiot” who should be fired.

The conflict started when O’Leary announced Wednesday that Ryanair would not install Starlink on any of its more than 600 aircraft. The budget airline CEO explained that the antennas would create drag that increases fuel costs.

O’Leary estimated the service would cost Ryanair up to $250 million per year. This calculation factored in both the installation costs and ongoing fuel expenses from the added drag.

Musk responded on X by saying O’Leary was “misinformed” about the technology. He argued that Ryanair does not know how to properly measure the fuel impact of Starlink equipment.

Airlines represent an increasingly important market for Starlink. The service uses thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

More than two dozen carriers have already adopted the technology. These include United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa.

Financial terms for Starlink installations have not been publicly disclosed by the airlines. Analysts consider Starlink a premium product based on its technology and capabilities.

The service is seen as more appealing to long-haul and full-service airlines. Budget carriers like Ryanair operate on tighter margins and may find the costs harder to justify.

SpaceX operates the Starlink network through its space division. The company has launched thousands of satellites to provide global internet coverage.

Ryanair operates as a low-cost carrier focused on keeping expenses minimal. The airline’s business model relies on maintaining the lowest possible operating costs.

The public nature of the dispute between Musk and O’Leary is unusual for airline industry discussions. Both executives used direct personal attacks in their statements.

Musk continues to expand Starlink’s presence in commercial aviation despite Ryanair’s rejection. The service is being rolled out across multiple airline fleets worldwide.

The post Elon Musk Tells Ryanair to Fire CEO After Starlink Wi-Fi Showdown appeared first on CoinCentral.