Ryanair CEO Credits Elon Musk Feud for Booking Surge Amid Starlink Rejection
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary capitalized on his public spat with Elon Musk, revealing a 2-3% spike in website traffic and a five-day booking surge. The clash began when O'Leary dismissed Starlink for Ryanair's fleet, citing prohibitive costs and fuel inefficiencies. Musk retaliated by calling the CEO an "utter idiot" and floated buying the airline—a MOVE blocked by EU ownership rules.
Shares of the budget carrier rose 2.83% over the week, closing at $70.45 amid the publicity storm. "He's welcome to invest," O'Leary quipped, suggesting Ryanair WOULD outperform Musk's $44 billion X acquisition. The CEO stood firm on passenger wifi demand estimates, contradicting Starlink's projections by a factor of nine.