Overview
- Elon Musk pinned an X poll asking whether he should buy Ryanair, drawing hundreds of thousands of votes with roughly three-quarters in favor.
- Ryanair reiterated its refusal to install Starlink, citing antenna drag and an estimated $200–$250 million annual cost, or about $1 per passenger.
- SpaceX and outside engineers dispute the claimed fuel penalty, while the online exchange escalated as Musk called CEO Michael O’Leary “an utter idiot.”
- Ryanair is publicly traded, so any real bid would require an offer to shareholders, with recent reports placing the airline’s valuation in the mid-$30 billion range.
- Coverage noted a modest share uptick and speculative bets tied to the viral poll, as multiple major carriers proceed with Starlink deployments.