Ryanair just escalated its feud with Elon Musk to new heights

Core Viewpoint - Ryanair is leveraging a public feud with Elon Musk to promote its brand and increase ticket sales through a promotional campaign called the "Big 'Idiot' Sale" [1][2]. Group 1: Promotional Strategy - Ryanair is offering 100,000 tickets starting at £16.99 (approximately $23) as part of the "Big 'Idiot' Sale" [1]. - The airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary, has included himself and Musk in promotional materials, suggesting a humorous rivalry to attract attention [2]. - O'Leary stated that the ongoing public spat is beneficial for Ryanair's bookings, particularly in the upcoming months [3]. Group 2: Feud Details - The feud began when O'Leary publicly rejected the idea of installing Starlink in-flight WiFi, citing potential costs of up to $250 million due to aerodynamics and fuel efficiency concerns [3][4]. - Musk responded by posting a poll on X, asking if he should buy Ryanair, with about 75% of voters supporting the idea [2]. - O'Leary humorously countered Musk's insults, indicating that the publicity generated is advantageous for Ryanair [3]. Group 3: Business Operations - Ryanair focuses on maintaining low operational costs to provide affordable airfares, turning a profit through high flight frequency and ancillary sales [4]. - The airline primarily operates short-haul routes, leading O'Leary to believe that in-flight WiFi may not be a significant interest for passengers [4]. - Discussions with Starlink and other providers like Amazon are ongoing, but Ryanair will only adopt in-flight WiFi if it can lower costs [5].