Ryanair's PR Win: How Musk's Insults Skyrocketed Ticket Sales

In an unexpected twist, Ryanair’s boss Michael O’Leary has publicly thanked Elon Musk for a recent spike in ticket sales, attributing a 2-3% increase over just five days to their fiery online exchange. Musk, the world’s richest man, had branded O’Leary an ‘insufferable idiot’ after the Ryanair chief dismissed Musk’s proposal to leverage his company’s Starlink technology for in-flight WiFi. During a press conference, O’Leary expressed that he took no offense to Musk’s remarks, joking that he faces similar insults at home from his teenage children.

O’Leary also indicated that Musk is welcome to invest in Ryanair shares; however, EU regulations prevent non-European citizens from owning a majority stake in European airlines. With Musk’s wealth estimated at $769 billion, O’Leary viewed any potential investment as a strong financial opportunity.

The exchange escalated after O’Leary referred to Musk as an idiot and highlighted the impracticality of using Starlink due to a staggering €250 million installation cost and significant annual fuel expense increases. O’Leary estimated that only 5% of Ryanair’s passengers would be inclined to pay for WiFi, rendering it an unworthy investment.

Despite calling social media a ‘cesspit,’ O’Leary acknowledged the platform’s importance for Ryanair’s marketing, with the airline known for its controversial yet effective engagement strategies that poke fun at customer feedback. While interactions between the two have been largely public, O’Leary clarified that there has been no direct communication with Musk, who has floated the idea of purchasing Ryanair multiple times on social media in the past week.