Europe’s largest airline group, Ryanair, has ruled out installing SpaceX’s Starlink internet service on its aircraft, triggering a public exchange with Elon Musk, who warned the low-cost carrier could lose customers to rivals offering in-flight connectivity.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the airline sees little value in adding satellite internet to its short-haul fleet, arguing that most of its passengers would not be willing to pay for Wi-Fi on flights that typically last around an hour.
“We don’t think our passengers are willing to pay for Wi-Fi for an average one-hour flight,” O’Leary told Reuters, reinforcing Ryanair’s long-standing commitment to a no-frills, ultra-low-cost business model.
His remarks came as more European airlines embrace Starlink, which uses a low-Earth orbit satellite network to deliver high-speed internet. Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier and operator of Europe’s second-largest airline group, announced this week that it would roll out Starlink across parts of its fleet. Scandinavian Airlines has already operated its first Starlink-equipped commercial flight, joining a growing list of carriers adopting the technology.
Musk responded directly to O’Leary’s comments on X, saying: “They will lose customers to airlines that do have internet,” suggesting that passenger expectations for always-on connectivity are rising, even on short flights.
Ryanair operates a fleet of 643 aircraft and carried around 206 million passengers last year, making it the world’s third-largest airline group by passenger numbers, behind American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The Irish carrier is known for its aggressive cost discipline, offering fares as low as €15 while charging separately for extras such as seat selection, priority boarding, and on-board sales.
Every airline that has announced a Starlink partnership so far has said the service will be free for passengers. That detail further complicates any potential deal with Ryanair, which relies heavily on ancillary revenue and has historically avoided offering complimentary services that could increase operating costs.
Beyond passenger demand, O’Leary also raised concerns about fuel efficiency, claiming that installing Starlink hardware would impose a roughly 2% fuel penalty due to added weight and aerodynamic drag.
That assertion was quickly challenged by SpaceX executives. Michael Nicolls, Starlink’s vice president of engineering, said SpaceX’s analysis shows Starlink terminals have a more fuel-efficient profile than legacy in-flight connectivity systems. According to Nicolls, the installation would increase fuel burn by only about 0.3% on a Boeing 737-800, the aircraft type that makes up most of Ryanair’s fleet.
Musk echoed that response, replying: “Hmm, must be a way to get that down under 0.1%.”
Ryanair declined to comment further on Musk’s remarks when contacted by Business Insider, while SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Industry analysts note that the disagreement highlights a broader divide in airline strategy. In the United States, several budget carriers have shifted toward more premium offerings as travelers show a growing willingness to pay for comfort and connectivity. In Europe, however, Ryanair has continued to thrive by doubling down on simplicity and scale.
The airline’s latest quarterly results showed after-tax profits of €1.72 billion, a 20% year-on-year increase, underscoring the strength of its model at a time when some rivals are under pressure. By contrast, US low-cost carriers have reported weaker earnings amid rising costs and intense competition.
For now, Ryanair appears content to bet that low fares and fast turnarounds matter more to its customers than satellite internet. Whether that calculation holds as in-flight connectivity becomes more widespread across Europe remains an open question.
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