Bookings have risen 2% to 3% in the aftermath of the social media brawl between the corporate titans
Published Wed, Jan 21, 2026 · 07:04 PM
[DUBLIN] Ryanair Holdings’s chief executive officer said the online sparring with Elon Musk this past week has been good for business.
Bookings have risen 2 to 3 per cent in the aftermath of the social media brawl between the corporate titans, Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday (Jan 21) at a press conference in Dublin. As a result, he is “very happy to continue the controversy.”
“If it helps to boost Ryanair sales, you can insult me all day, any day,” O’Leary said.
The outspoken CEO has a history of courting controversy to drum up sales, either via outlandish comments about politicians or publicity stunts.
The volley of insults started Jan 14 after O’Leary said Ryanair wouldn’t install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi service across the fleet because the weight and drag from the antenna mounted on the cabin’s roof would add to fuel costs.
In response, Musk called O’Leary “misinformed” in a post on X.com, to which O’Leary hit back by calling Musk an “idiot.”
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The Irish airline was co-founded by the late Tony Ryan in 1984 and is now Europe’s largest discount carrier.
O’Leary said the purpose of Wednesday’s previously scheduled press conference was to “address/undress Elon Musk Twitter tantrum.” Ryanair then launched a “Big ‘Idiot’ Seat Sale” offering 100,000 seats starting at about US$20.
“Thank you to Mr Musk,” he said. “Any of these spats are great for bookings.”
Under European Union regulations, Ryanair must be majority owned and controlled by EU nationals since it’s a European airline.
Meanwhile, Ryanair also expects to take delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 10 planes in January 2027, which moves the date forward a few months from his original estimate. BLOOMBERG
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