Over 30 million vote for Musk to buy Ryanair as he calls for O'Leary to be fired

Eva Osborne

Over 30 million people have voted 'yes' in a poll launched by Elon Musk asking if he should buy Ryanair.

The tech billionaire is involved in a public spat with Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary, who last week called him a "wealthy idiot".

Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026

O'Leary also ruled out offering Musk's Starlink wifi on Ryanair planes, as the antennae would lead to bigger fuel costs and therefore higher fares for passengers.

Musk has called for O'Leary to be fired, calling him an "utter idiot".

Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026

Speaking on Newstalk, business editor Joe Lynam said Musk has form for conducting online polls before making extravagant purchases, but that he cannot see a situation where he would own the airline.

"Three years ago, he asked his followers should he or should he not buy Twitter, as it was then called. And the vast majority of his fans said yes he should, and indeed he did," Lynam said.

"And already 30 million people have voted and the vast majority have said that yes, Elon Musk should buy Ryanair and install 'Ryan' again at the company.

"I don't know whether this is in reference to the Ryan family that set up the airline many decades ago or a different Ryan, but it is a very interesting joust.

"It would be a hostile takeover, i.e. I cannot imagine that he would approach the board of Rynaair with an offer, which would have to be worth more than the value of the company as it currently is, i.e. with a premium."

Ronan Smyth with the Irish Examiner has reported that Elon Musk cannot actually buy Ryanair as, under EU regulations, airline ownership and control are tightly restricted as part of licensing requirements.

According to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), which oversees these rules as they apply to Ryanair, member states and/or nationals of member states must own “more than 50 per cent of the undertaking and effectively control it”.

If an airline fails to meet this requirement, it risks losing its licence to operate within Europe.

When assessing ownership, airlines must also provide details of the beneficial owners of shares held by nominee or trust companies to the IAA, including passport copies to prove citizenship, Smyth said.

Elon Musk is a citizen of South Africa, Canada, and the US. He is not a citizen of any EU member state and, as a result, would not be allowed to take a controlling stake in, or full control of, Ryanair as he did with Twitter.