Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary on Jan. 21, 2026 dismissed Elon Musk's suggestion to buy the airline and rejected installing Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi, saying it would cost about $250 million annually and add 2% aerodynamic drag. O'Leary said fewer than 5% of short‑haul passengers would pay for onboard internet, and the company is exploring other providers including Amazon's Kuiper.
Key Points
- 1Rejects Starlink installation, citing $250M annual cost and 2% extra aerodynamic drag
- 2Highlights low demand, estimating under 5% of short‑haul passengers would pay extra for Wi‑Fi
- 3Alerts operators to technical, regulatory and commercial limits when integrating satellite internet on aircraft
Scoring Rationale
Provides credible operator cost estimates and corporate statements, but limited novelty and narrow industry scope.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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