Top News

Elon Musk triggers RyanAir to launch ‘Big Idiot’ seat sale
24htopnews | January 21, 2026 8:42 PM CST

The latest internet feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and European airline company RyanAir has taken a hilarious turn, with the popular low-cost airline a “Big Idiot” seat sale, lowering prices to EUR 16.99 (around Rs 2,000) from February to April.

The issue escalated when RyanAir chief Michael O’Leary declined to install Musk’s StarLink WiFi on the airline. He argued that its installation would increase the cost of the airline by a staggering EUR 250 million each year.

“Our fuel bill each year is EUR 5 billion. It would cost us about USD 200-250 million a year. In other words, about an extra dollar for every passenger we fly, and the reality for us is that we can’t afford those costs,” O’ Leary had said.

Elon Musk, however, rejected the claim, saying the numbers were wrong. Using his platform X (formerly Twitter), he had started a poll insinuating that he would buy the company.

The airline, not one to back down, in response, issued the limited-time offer, calling it the “Big Idiot Seat Sale,” with the chief saying, “Musk knows even less about airline ownership than he does about aircraft aerodynamics.”

Taking a public shot at the Grok owner, he said, “Perhaps Musk needs a break? Ryanair is launching a Great Idiots seat sale especially for Elon and any other idiots on ‘X’.”

The offer included 1,00,000 seats for “just EUR 16.99 one way.”

“Buy now before Musk gets one,” it added, adding fuel to the fire.

Elon Musk had earlier stated that O’Leary should get fired and had asked in a post, “How much would it cost to buy you?” Knowing the history of Musk buying whatever he likes, as in the case of Twitter, now X, Ryanair’s quick response has gone viral, with the internet taking sides.

“This timeline does get really entertaining at times like this,” a user commented on Musk’s poll on X.

Another user tried informing Musk that he cannot, in reality, buy a European airline, citing EU rules, where only European entities can own EU airlines.

According to the rules, the EU must own at least 51 per cent of an airline’s ownership and must live with Europeans. Non-EU persons or companies cannot own or control more than half of an EU airline, including rich businessmen. Such an arrangement is allowed only when the EU signs a special agreement with the other country, specifying its permit.


READ NEXT
Cancel OK