The short versionRyanair CEO Michael O'Leary told Bloomberg he has no intention of making up with Elon Musk, and said the feud generated about $30 million to $40 million of free publicity and lifted bookings for two to three weeks. Those are his own numbers. Ryanair responded to the spat with a "Big Idiot Seat Sale" offering 100,000 tickets from £16.99 one-way.
Most CEOs would try to calm things down after being called an idiot by one of the richest people in the world. Michael O'Leary put it on a sale.
What happened
In a Bloomberg interview on Monday, the Ryanair CEO said he has no plans to patch things up with Elon Musk, Yahoo Finance reports. His line: "He thinks I'm an idiot, and I know he's an idiot." He also put a dollar figure on what the fight has been worth to his airline.
The details
How it started. Ryanair declined to fit Starlink on its aircraft in January after more than a year of talks, arguing it wouldn't pay off for a low-cost airline. Musk disputed Ryanair's math. The two then traded insults in public, and Musk called for O'Leary to be fired, per the report.
The sale. Ryanair turned it into the "Big Idiot Seat Sale," with 100,000 tickets from £16.99 one-way.
The payoff, according to O'Leary. He says the feud generated about $30 million to $40 million of free publicity and lifted bookings for two to three weeks. Those are his own figures. They aren't an audited number, and Ryanair's results aren't the source for them. He also joked he'd be happy to annoy Musk again.
Why brands should care
This wasn't only a CEO being loud. Ryanair had a sale ready to catch the attention while it was there, with a price and a name people would repeat. The publicity gave people a reason to look. The offer gave them something to do once they did.
It also fits the brand. Ryanair has spent years being blunt and cheap on purpose, so this reads as more of the same. The same stunt from a luxury hotel or a bank would look very different. And it helped that the fight started over something customers could understand: a cost decision the airline was prepared to defend.
The risk is real, though. O'Leary can absorb the anger of a famous critic. Most small businesses picking a public fight will just end up arguing with their own customers.
What to do
Our suggestions:
- Have an offer ready. When attention comes, however it comes, know what you want people to buy and put it in front of them that week.
- Use the critic's words if you can laugh at them. A bad review or a rude comment can make a good campaign if it doesn't punch down.
- Only do it if it fits. If sarcasm isn't already how your brand talks, one stunt will just look strange.
- Pick targets who can take it. A billionaire or a giant competitor is fair game. A customer or a small neighbor isn't.
- Measure it yourself. Track bookings and sales before and after, rather than trusting a "free publicity" estimate.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance: 'He's an idiot': Ryanair CEO has no intention of reconciling with Musk (Nov 2, 2026)
- Ryanair Investor Relations: H1 FY27 Results
- Ryanair on X
FAQ
What was Ryanair's Big Idiot Seat Sale?
A sale of 100,000 tickets from £16.99 one-way that Ryanair ran earlier this year to mock Elon Musk during their public feud, according to Bloomberg reporting carried by Yahoo Finance.
How much publicity did the Musk feud get Ryanair?
Michael O'Leary told Bloomberg it was worth about $30 million to $40 million of free publicity and that bookings rose for two to three weeks. Those are his claims, not independently verified figures.
Why are Ryanair and Elon Musk feuding?
The dispute started in January after Ryanair declined to install Starlink on its aircraft, saying it wouldn't be profitable. Musk disputed that, and the two traded insults.
