Overview
- Ryanair’s ‘Big Idiot/Great idiots’ seat sale drew roughly 3–4 million website hits after days of public back‑and‑forth with Elon Musk.
- O’Leary said bookings rose about 2%–3% over five days during the publicity surge tied to the feud.
- The CEO reiterated that EU ownership rules bar a Musk takeover of the EU airline, though he said Musk is free to buy shares.
- The standoff stems from Ryanair’s rejection of Starlink after about a year of talks, with O’Leary citing antenna drag and an estimated €100–200 million annual fuel cost that Musk has publicly questioned.
- Ryanair shares ticked higher during the flare‑up, with reports noting a roughly 2.83% weekly gain and a $70.45 close on Wednesday, as other carriers such as Qatar Airways, WestJet and Hawaiian move ahead with Starlink.