Overview
- Elon Musk posted and pinned an X poll asking whether he should buy Ryanair and “restore Ryan as their rightful ruler,” drawing hundreds of thousands of votes with roughly three-quarters in favor in reports.
- Ryanair hit back with taunts, promoted a “Big Idiot” seat sale, and said CEO Michael O’Leary will address the episode at a Dublin press conference on Wednesday.
- The clash stems from Ryanair rejecting SpaceX’s Starlink, with O’Leary citing $200–$250 million in annual fuel costs from antenna drag; Musk disputes the figures and calls O’Leary misinformed.
- Reporters note major barriers to any takeover, including EU requirements for majority EU ownership and a market value around €30 billion–€35 billion, and no offer has been filed.
- Market reactions have been mixed across outlets, while prediction markets briefly priced a single‑digit probability of a Musk purchase.